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Microbiology & Immunology Master's Program Requirements

The Master's of Science in Microbiology and Immunology program requires 28 credits:

  • 16 credits in Microbiology and Immunology at the 400 level or above
  • 4 credits of approved graduate level cognate coursework
  • 1 credit in statistics
  • 7 additional credits, in M&I and/or approved cognate areas

All time, residency, and transfer of credit requirements will be in accordance with existing Rackham's rules. Consistent with Rackham's policies, coursework must be completed with a B or better. There are no teaching or foreign language requirements.
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Non-Thesis Option
  • Satisfaction of entry requirements in biochemistry, molecular genetics, and cell biology prior to matriculation or by remediation as soon as possible after enrollment in the master's degree program, from the following courses or alternates approved by the Master's Program Advisor
    • MCDB 415 (3 CR) Microbial Genetics
    • BIOLCHEM 515 (3 CR) Introductory Biochemistry
    • CDB 530 (3 CR) - Cell Biology or MCDB 428 (4 CR) - Cell Biology
  • Coursework in Microbiology and Immunology, from three areas:
    • Microbial Pathogenesis: at least three credits from among:
      • MICRBIOL 405 (3 CR) Introduction to Infectious Disease
      • MICRBIOL 607 (2 CR) Microbial Pathogenesis
      • MICRBIOL 615 (2 CR) Viral Pathogenesis
    • Immunology: three credits from among:
      • MICRBIOL 440 (3 CR) Immunology
      • MICRBIOL 640 (3 CR) Molecular and Cellular Immunology (with permission)
    • Electives: at least three additional 400-level or above credits in M&I courses, including but not limited to additional courses from the above, plus:
      • MICRBIOL 430 (3 CR) Symbiosis
      • MICRBIOL 460 (3 CR) Eukaryotic Microbiology
      • MICRBIOL 504 (3 CR) Cellular Biotechnology
      • MICRBIOL 553 (3 CR) Cancer Biology
  • Master's degree students must enroll in and attend:
    • MICRBIOL 812 (1 CR) Student Seminars in M&I
  • Statistics, at least one credit:
    • BIOINF 525 Foundations of Bioinformatics and Systems Biology; (Introduction to Statistics (1 CR module))
    • BIOSTAT 503 (4 CR) Introductory Biostatistics
    • BIOSTAT 553 (3 CR) Applied Biostatistics
    • BIOSTAT 646 (3 CR) Data Analysis in Molecular Biology
  • Electives, at least 4 credits outside of M&I are required at the 400 level or above, from the following approved list or that are approved by the Master's Program Advisor.
    • BIOINF 525 (1-3 CR; 3 1-CR modules) Foundations of Bioinformatics and Systems Biology
      • *Bioinformatics on the Web
      • *Introduction to Statistics
      • *Bioinformatics & Systems Biology
    • BIOSTAT 503 (4 CR) Introductory Biostatistics
    • BIOSTAT 553 (3 CR) Applied Biostatistics
    • CANBIOL 554 Translational Cancer Biology
    • CDB 530 (3 CR) Cell Biology
    • CHEMBIO 501 (3 CR) Chemical Biology
    • EPID 600 (3 CR) Introduction to Epidemiology
    • PIBS 505 (2 CR) Teaching in the Sciences
    • PIBS 507 (2 CR) Introduction to Translational Research
    • PHYSIOL 510 (4 CR) Systems and Integrative Physiology
    • PUB POL 650 (3 CR) Intro to Science and Technology Policy Analysis
    • PATH 581 (3 CR) Tissue, Cellular and Molecular Basis of Disease
  • Electives, to a total of 28 credits. Can be drawn from any of the approved courses above, additional research credits, or other courses at the 400 level or above that are approved by the Master's Advisor
  • First Year Fall: 8 credits
    • MICRBIOL 405 (3 CR) Introduction to Infectious Disease
    • PHYSIOL 510 (4 CR) Systems and Integrative Physiology
    • MICRBIOL 812 (1 CR) Student Seminars in M&I
  • First Year Winter: 8 credit
    • MICRBIOL 440 (3 CR) Immunology
    • MICRBIOL 430 (3 CR) Microbiol Symbiosis
    • BIOINF 525 (1 CR module) Foundations of Bioinformatics
      • *Introduction to Statistics
    • MICRBIOL 812 (1 CR) Student Seminars in M&I
  • Second Year Fall: 9 credit
    • MICRBIOL 615 (2 CR) Viral Pathogenesis
    • MICRBIOL 553 (3 CR) Cancer Biology
    • PUB POL 650 (3 CR) Intro to Science and Technology Policy Analysis
    • MICRBIOL 812 (1 CR) Student Seminars in M&I
  • Second Year Winter 8 credits
    • MICRBIOL 607 (2 CR) Microbial Pathogenesis
    • MICRBIOL 504 (3 CR) Cellular Biotechnology
    • PIBS 505 (2 CR) Teaching in Sciences
    • MICRBIOL 812 (1 CR) Student Seminars in M&I
Thesis Option

Matriculated students who have maintained an overall B+ average and intend to pursue at least two terms of laboratory research can opt to write a research-based thesis as part of their master's degree by the following procedure. The requirements for the thesis option include those for the non-thesis option and include additional coursework and research requirements.

  • Additional coursework:
    • Research responsibility
      • MICRBIOL 599 (1-8 CR) Graduate Research
      • PIBS 503 (1 CR) Research responsibilities and ethics
    • Two semesters of laboratory research with at least two credits per semester
  • Thesis
    • At least two months before the start of the student's final term in the master's degree program, the student must:
      • Identify a member of the M&I training faculty willing to serve as their thesis advisor and two additional faculty willing to serve as readers.
      • Devise a plan for a suitable research project, generally to be based on the student's ongoing research performed in the thesis mentor's laboratory.
      • Gain ratification of a one-page outline of the plan from the thesis advisor and readers, and submit the plan to the M&I Graduate Studies Committee for approval.
    • At least three weeks before the student's final term ends, the student must provide the thesis advisor and readers with the final version of a research-based master's thesis, written in the general style and depth of a scientific paper. Within ten days, these individuals will evaluate the thesis and the research mentor's evaluations of the student's progress, and will make a recommendation of pass or no pass.
      • Provided all course credits and other degree requirements have been satisfied, the student master's thesis will either be awarded if the recommendation was pass, or the student will be awarded a non-thesis master's degree, using either the Research Track or the Non-Research Track described below, as decided by the Program Advisor in consultation with the faculty who evaluated the thesis.
      • The M&I program will then ensure that the student's degree is awarded with the correct notation regarding whether or not a thesis was completed.
    • In practice, the student should notify the Master's Program Advisor and Thesis Advisor of any changes in intention to complete a master's thesis whenever such changes arise.
    • Any deviations from this policy for evaluating a master's thesis can be made only upon the recommendations of the student's thesis advisor and the M&I Master's Program Advisor, and will require approval from the full M&I Graduate Studies Committee.
  • First year Fall: 9 credits
    • MICRBIOL 405 (3 CR) Introduction to Infectious Disease
    • BIOSTAT 503 (4 CR) Introductory Biostats
    • MICRBIOL 812 (1 CR) Student Seminars in M&I
    • PIBS 503 [1 CR] Research Responsibility and Ethics
  • First year Winter: 9 credits
    • MICRBIOL 440 (3 CR) Immunology
    • PIBS 507 (2 CR) Introduction to Translational Research
    • MICRBIOL 599 (3 CR) Graduate Research
    • MICRBIOL 812 (1 CR) Student Seminars in M&I
  • Second Year Fall: 10 credits
    • MICRBIOL 553 (3 CR) Cancer Biology
    • MICRBIOL 615 (2 CR) Viral Pathogenesis
    • MICRBIOL 599 (4 CR) Graduate Research
    • MICRBIOL 812 (1 CR) Student Seminars in M&I