• The primary goal of the master of science (MS) degree program is to give students a solid understanding of the scientific process and to provide the opportunity to obtain advanced training in microbiology.
  • The master's degree is the terminal degree in this program, and completion of this degree does not allow automatic admission to a Ph.D. program.
  • This program provides the opportunity to tailor a curriculum of advanced coursework and research to fit the needs of each student, with two different tracks. Students may acquire a general overview of microbiology or may focus on a specialized subject area in microbiology such as bacterial physiology, molecular microbiology, food microbiology, environmental microbiology, biotechnology, or medical microbiology.
  • The self-tailored program must meet the requirements of the Department of Bacteriology and the Graduate School for the M.S. degree.
  • Full-time students can expect to complete the M.S. degree in about two years.
  • The M.S. program also can accommodate part-time students with consequently increased time to degree.