Microbiology Master’s program at University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Biomedical sciences in general, and Microbiology and Immunology in particular, are fundamentally important to public health, policy, and education in the 21st century. Individuals with training in Microbiology and Immunology are needed in the food and pharmaceutical industries, as allied health professionals, for the nation R D mission, and in many other sectors. Students who are attracted to Microbiology and Immunology may come from many disciplines and have varied backgrounds and may seek to apply their training to any of several career tracks. The target trainees for this master program are individuals whose research or academic preparation is not yet sufficient for Ph.D. training, or whose career aspirations require Microbiology and Immunology training less advanced than that expected of Ph.D. students.

We believe 21st century trainees need familiarity with both host and pathogen, and thus at least introductory immunology and graduate-level microbiology coursework will be required of all master program students. Other program course requirements will be flexible, allowing those with academic deficiencies to focus on coursework to enhance their credentials for professional school admission, and enabling those who aspire to do research to gain extensive experience in University of Michigan and or industrial laboratory settings. To this end, there are several possible options available to students interested in pursuing a Master degree.

Recognizing that some students who enroll in the Microbiology and Immunology Master Degree program may not be preparing for careers in research, or may decide to pursue other directions after an initial term of research, students can complete the degree with 28 credits whether or not research is included, provided other degree requirements are satisfied. Completing their approved personalized plan of study will be a requirement for each student who wishes to receive the Master degree.

Of Science in Microbiology and Immunology. students interested in research are encouraged to pursue it. The program will facilitate research opportunities for all enrolled in the Master Degree program. The student and research mentor will make arrangements for requisite safety coursework and will discuss expectations (generally 5-6 hours week per research credit) prior to the start of research.

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 degree. They will defend their thesis to their thesis adviser and two additional committee members. Upon successful defense of the thesis, the Microbiology Immunology program will then ensure that the student degree is awarded with a designation indicating that they defended a thesis.