Curriculum | PhD in Microbiology & Immunology

5-7 Years
34 Credits

Full-Time Study

Diverse Cohort of Students from Around the World

What You’ll Learn

Students will gain a thorough knowledge of microbial pathogens, the molecular basis of microbial pathogenesis and the protective immunological responses of the mammalian host. Coupled with a rigorous research program students will learn to dissect and investigate pressing issues in infectious diseases and become prepared to contribute to future advances in infectious disease research.

Degree Requirements

Required courses, electives, and research rotations are completed in the first 3 semesters of the program. Students have maximum flexibility in selecting their electives to tailor their training.

Comprehensive exams are completed in fall semester of the second year of the program.

By the end of the second year students are engaged in full-time research. Second year and onward students are required to present their research in our department seminars (MICB 6853) every Spring semester of their attendance. Upon completion of the research project, a thesis is written and defended.

Transfer Credit/Advanced Standing: A PhD student may make a written request for the transfer of credit for specific applicable courses or apply for advanced standing. Please speak with program leadership and review the policy on transfer credit and advanced standing.

CHECKLIST

☐ 9 Required Courses (26 credits)

☐ 8 credits of Electives

☐ 2-3 Research Rotations

☐ Comprehensive Exam

☐ Department Seminars

☐ PhD Dissertation

Students are required to complete 34 credits, in which 26 credits of required courses and 8 credits of electives. For more information about courses, visit the Courses page.

Students must complete 2 to 3 research rotations with Microbiology and Immunology research faculty. Research performance is assessed by the mentor(s) and documented in the Lab Rotation Form submitted by the student. Students should select a thesis mentor by the end of the first year.

The purpose of the comprehensive exam is to assess the student’s ability to identify scientific problems and develop effective experimental strategies to address them. This includes demonstrating independent thinking, synthesizing existing literature, and formulating innovative research questions. The exam is taken after the completion of the coursework and comprises both written and oral components. The written component typically involves preparing a research or thesis proposal in the format of an NIH grant application, while the oral component includes defending this proposal before an examination committee. Students are expected to select their committee by the end of the third semester or the beginning of the fourth semester, and must successfully defend their proposal by the end of the fourth semester. Successful completion of the comprehensive exam is a prerequisite for progressing toward the Ph.D. degree.

After completion of all examinations and coursework, the students will complete a doctoral dissertation in accordance with the regulations of Graduate Studies. You can also use this Checklist for Dissertation Writers for more guidance.

General Dissertation Guidelines
Common Mistakes

  • The title and name on the dissertation must match the name on the student’s transcript.
  • 12 point font 
  • Double-spaced.
  • 1-inch margins (top, bottom, left, right) and the page numbers must also have 1-inch margins.
  • The abstract is limited to 350 words.
  • Items in Table of Contents must match the headings and subheadings in text.

The thesis committee will determine when the dissertation is acceptable.

The dissertation must be accepted by the Graduate School after completing the formatting review no later than May 1 by 5:00PM in order to participate in the May graduation of that year.

PhD students are responsible for submitting their dissertation forms to our BGE Student Services Office to Holly Sanders. Dissertation forms can be founded on the Graduate Studies website.