Microbiology (BS)
Microbiology is concerned with the growth and development, physiology, classification, ecology, genetics, and other aspects of the life process of an array of microscopic, generally single-celled, organisms and viruses. These organisms frequently serve as model systems for elucidation of fundamental processes that are common to all living cells. Most of the major discoveries that have produced spectacular advances in biology and genomic science during the past decade have resulted from studies of microbial systems. Future developments in biotechnology, production of food and fuel, and human and animal health will rely heavily on understanding microbial processes.
There are 4 avenues to earning a B.S. in Microbiology. Students can opt for a general curriculum (MBIO) or can choose to focus in a particular area by selecting one of three areas of concentration: Microbial Biotechnology (MBIO-MT) or Microbial Research (MBIO-MR) or Microbial Health Sciences (MBIO-HS). These concentrations mirror the three most common career paths of Microbiology majors: work in research laboratories and production facilities, further study in graduate school (at the Masters or Doctoral level), and further study in professional schools such as medical and dental schools.
Contact Person
Jonathan Olson
Biological Sciences
4544B Thomas Hall
919-515-7860
jwolson@ncsu.edu
Plan Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Orientation | ||
| 尝厂颁听103 | Exploring Opportunities in the Life Sciences | 1 |
| 辞谤听贰狈痴听100 | Student Success in Environmental First Year | |
| Communication | ||
| 贰狈骋听333 | Communication for Science and Research 1 | 3 |
| Mathematical Sciences | ||
| 惭础听131 | Calculus for Life and Management Sciences A 1 | 3 |
| 辞谤听惭础听141 | Calculus I | |
| 厂罢听311 | Introduction to Statistics 1 | 3 |
| 辞谤听厂罢听371 | Introduction to Probability and Distribution Theory | |
| Natural and Physical Sciences | ||
| 颁贬听101 &补尘辫;听颁贬听102 | Chemistry - A Molecular Science and General Chemistry Laboratory 2 | 4 |
| 颁贬听201 &补尘辫;听颁贬听202 | Chemistry - A Quantitative Science and Quantitative Chemistry Laboratory 2 | 4 |
| 颁贬听221 &补尘辫;听颁贬听222 | Organic Chemistry I and Organic Chemistry I Lab 2 | 4 |
| 颁贬听223 &补尘辫;听颁贬听224 | Organic Chemistry II and Organic Chemistry II Lab 2 | 4 |
| 叠滨翱听181 | Introductory Biology: Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity 1 | 4 |
| 叠滨翱听183 | Introductory Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology 1 | 4 |
| Select one of the following: 2 | 4 | |
| 福利逼站 Physics I | ||
| Physics for Engineers and Scientists I and Physics for Engineers and Scientists I Laboratory | ||
| College Physics I | ||
| Select one of the following: 2 | 4 | |
| 福利逼站 Physics II | ||
| Physics for Engineers and Scientists II and Physics for Engineers and Scientists II Laboratory | ||
| College Physics II | ||
| Major Requirements | ||
| 尝厂颁听101 | Critical and Creative Thinking in the Life Sciences 1 | 2 |
| 辞谤听贰狈痴听101 | Exploring the Environment | |
| 惭叠听251 | General Microbiology 1 | 3 |
| 惭叠听254 | Inquiry-Guided Microbiology Lab 1 | 1 |
| 惭叠听311 | Medical Microbiology 1 | 3 |
| 惭叠听312 | Medical Microbiology Laboratory 1 | 1 |
| 惭叠听414 | Microbial Metabolic Regulation 1 | 3 |
| 惭叠听451 | Microbial Diversity 1 | 3 |
| 惭叠听452 | Microbial Diversity Lab 1 | 2 |
| 惭叠听480 | Current Issues in Microbiology 1 | 1 |
| 骋狈听311 | Principles of Genetics 1 | 4 |
| 叠颁贬听451 | Principles of Biochemistry 1 | 4 |
| Gene Expression 1 | 3 | |
| Biochemistry of Gene Expression | ||
| Molecular Genetics | ||
| Cell/Physiology 1 | 3 | |
| Principles of Human Anatomy & Physiology (A): Nervous, Skeletal, Muscular, & Digestive Systems | ||
| Principles of Human Anatomy & Physiology (B): Endocrine, Cardiovascular, Respiratory & Renal Systems | ||
| Cell Biology | ||
| Cancer Cell Biology | ||
| Plant Physiology | ||
| Laboratory Elective 1 | 3 | |
| Microbiology Electives 1 | 9 | |
| GEP Courses | ||
| 贰狈骋听101 | Academic Writing and Research 1 | 4 |
| GEP Humanities | 6 | |
| GEP Social Sciences | 6 | |
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 2 | |
| GEP Elective | 3 | |
| GEP Interdisciplinary Perspectives | 3 | |
| GEP Global Knowledge (verify requirement) | ||
| GEP Foundations of American Democracy (verify requirement) | ||
| World Language Proficiency (verify requirement) | ||
| Free Electives | ||
| Free Electives (12 Hr S/U Lmt) | 9 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
- 1
A grade of C- or higher is required.
- 2
At most one passing grade below C- is permitted in these natural sciences courses
Laboratory Elective
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BBS 426/526/叠贰颁听426/526 | Upstream Biomanufacturing Laboratory | 2 |
| 叠颁贬听452 | Introductory Biochemistry Laboratory | 2 |
| 叠贰颁听436 | Introduction to Downstream Process Development | 2 |
| 叠贰颁听462 | Fundamentals of Bio-Nanotechnology | 3 |
| 叠贰颁听463 | Fermentation of Recombinant Microorganisms | 2 |
| 叠贰颁听480 | cGMP Fermentation Operations | 2 |
| 叠贰颁听483 | 2 | |
| 叠贰颁听485 | cGMP Downstream Operations | 2 |
| 叠贰颁听488 | Animal Cell Culture Engineering | 2 |
| 叠贰颁听495 | Special Topics in Biomanufacturing | 1-4 |
| 叠贰颁听497 | Biomanufacturing Research Projects | 1-3 |
| 叠滨罢听410 | Manipulation of Recombinant DNA | 4 |
| 叠滨翱听418 | Cell Biology Research Lab | 2 |
| 叠滨罢听463 | Fermentation of Recombinant Microorganisms | 2 |
| 叠滨罢听464 | Protein Purification | 2 |
| 叠滨罢听465 | Real-time PCR Techniques | 2 |
| 叠滨罢听466 | Animal Cell Culture Techniques | 2 |
| 叠滨罢听467 | PCR and DNA Fingerprinting | 2 |
| 叠滨罢听471 | RNA Interference and Model Organisms | 2 |
| 叠滨罢听473 | Protein Interactions | 2 |
| 叠滨罢听474 | Plant Genetic Engineering | 2 |
| 叠滨罢听476 | Applied Bioinformatics | 2 |
| 叠滨罢听477 | Metagenomics | 2 |
| 叠滨罢听479 | High-Throughput Discovery | 2 |
| 叠滨罢听480 | Yeast Metabolic Engineering | 2 |
| 叠滨罢听481 | Plant Tissue Culture and Transformation | 2 |
| 叠滨罢听492 | External Learning Experience | 1-6 |
| 叠滨罢听493 | Special Problems in Biotechnology | 1-6 |
| 叠滨罢听495 | Special Topics in Biotechnology | 1-3 |
| 叠惭贰听483 | Tissue Engineering Technologies | 2 |
| 颁贬贰听462 | Fundamentals of Bio-Nanotechnology | 3 |
| 颁贬贰听463 | Fermentation of Recombinant Microorganisms | 2 |
| 颁贬贰听488 | Animal Cell Culture Engineering | 2 |
| 贵厂听426 | Upstream Biomanufacturing Laboratory | 2 |
| 骋狈听312 | Elementary Genetics Laboratory | 1 |
| 惭叠听360 | Scientific Inquiry in Microbiology: At the Bench | 3 |
| 惭叠听420 | Fundamentals of Microbial Cell Biotransformations | 2 |
| 笔叠听481 | Plant Tissue Culture and Transformation | 2 |
| 笔翱听466 | Animal Cell Culture Techniques | 2 |
Microbiology Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| 叠叠厂听426 | Upstream Biomanufacturing Laboratory | 2 |
| 叠叠厂听526 | Upstream Biomanufacturing Laboratory | 2 |
| 叠贰颁听426 | Upstream Biomanufacturing Laboratory | 2 |
| 叠贰颁听463 | Fermentation of Recombinant Microorganisms | 2 |
| 叠贰颁听480 | cGMP Fermentation Operations | 2 |
| 叠贰颁听526 | Upstream Biomanufacturing Laboratory | 2 |
| 叠贰颁听563 | Fermentation of Recombinant Microorganisms | 2 |
| 叠贰颁听580 | cGMP Fermentation Operations | 2 |
| 叠滨罢听210 | Phage Hunters | 3 |
| 叠滨罢听211 | Phage Genomics | 2 |
| 叠滨罢听410 | Manipulation of Recombinant DNA | 4 |
| 叠滨罢听463 | Fermentation of Recombinant Microorganisms | 2 |
| 叠滨罢听466 | Animal Cell Culture Techniques | 2 |
| 叠滨罢听563 | Fermentation of Recombinant Microorganisms | 2 |
| 叠滨罢听566 | Animal Cell Culture Techniques | 2 |
| 叠厂颁听493 | Research Experience 2 | 1-3 |
| 颁贬贰听463 | Fermentation of Recombinant Microorganisms | 2 |
| 颁贬贰听563 | Fermentation of Recombinant Microorganisms | 2 |
| 贵厂听405 | Food Microbiology | 3 |
| 贵厂听406 | Food Microbiology Lab | 1 |
| 贵厂听426 | Upstream Biomanufacturing Laboratory | 2 |
| 贵厂听505 | Food Microbiology | 3 |
| 贵厂听506 | Food Microbiology Lab | 1 |
| 贵厂听526 | Upstream Biomanufacturing Laboratory | 2 |
| 惭叠听210 | Phage Hunters | 3 |
| 惭叠听211 | Phage Genomics | 2 |
| 惭叠听405 | Food Microbiology | 3 |
| 惭叠听406 | Food Microbiology Lab | 1 |
| 惭叠听420 | Fundamentals of Microbial Cell Biotransformations | 2 |
| 惭叠听435 | Bacterial Pathogenesis | 3 |
| 惭叠听441 | Immunology | 3 |
| 惭叠听455 | Microbial Biotechnology | 3 |
| 惭叠听461 | Molecular Virology | 3 |
| 惭叠听470 | Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases | 3 |
| 惭叠听479 | Microbial Symbiosis & Microbiomes | 3 |
| 惭叠听505 | Food Microbiology | 3 |
| 惭叠听506 | Food Microbiology Lab | 1 |
| 惭叠听520 | Fundamentals of Microbial Cell Biotransformations | 2 |
| 惭叠听532 | Soil Microbiology | 4 |
| 惭叠听535 | Bacterial Pathogenesis | 3 |
| 惭贰础听468 | Aquatic Microbiology | 3 |
| 笔翱听466 | Animal Cell Culture Techniques | 2 |
| 笔翱听566 | Animal Cell Culture Techniques | 2 |
| 厂厂颁听532 | Soil Microbiology | 4 |
| 础贰颁听437 | Gut Microbial Ecology | 3 |
Semester Sequence
This is a sample.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Hours | |
| 叠滨翱听181 | Introductory Biology: Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity 1 | 4 |
| 颁贬听101 &补尘辫;听颁贬听102 | Chemistry - A Molecular Science and General Chemistry Laboratory 2 | 4 |
| 尝厂颁听101 | Critical and Creative Thinking in the Life Sciences 1 | 2 |
| 惭础听131 | Calculus for Life and Management Sciences A 1 | 3 |
| 惭叠听103 | Introductory Topics in Microbiology | 1 |
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 1 | |
| 听 | Hours | 15 |
| Spring Semester | ||
| 叠滨翱听183 | Introductory Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology 1 | 4 |
| 颁贬听221 &补尘辫;听颁贬听222 | Organic Chemistry I and Organic Chemistry I Lab 2 | 4 |
| 贰狈骋听101 | Academic Writing and Research | 4 |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| 听 | Hours | 15 |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| 颁贬听223 &补尘辫;听颁贬听224 | Organic Chemistry II and Organic Chemistry II Lab 2 | 4 |
| 笔驰听211 | College Physics I 2 | 4 |
| GEP Social Sciences | 3 | |
| 惭叠听251 | General Microbiology 1 | 3 |
| 惭叠听254 | Inquiry-Guided Microbiology Lab 1 | 1 |
| 听 | Hours | 15 |
| Spring Semester | ||
| 颁贬听201 &补尘辫;听颁贬听202 | Chemistry - A Quantitative Science and Quantitative Chemistry Laboratory 2 | 4 |
| 笔驰听212 | College Physics II 2 | 4 |
| GEP Humanities | 3 | |
| 惭叠听311 | Medical Microbiology | 3 |
| 惭叠听312 | Medical Microbiology Laboratory | 1 |
| 听 | Hours | 15 |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| 贰狈骋听333 | Communication for Science and Research | 3 |
| 骋狈听311 | Principles of Genetics 1 | 4 |
| GEP Social Sciences | 3 | |
| 厂罢听311 | Introduction to Statistics | 3 |
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 1 | |
| 听 | Hours | 14 |
| Spring Semester | ||
| Cell/Physiology Elective 1 | 3 | |
| 叠颁贬听451 | Principles of Biochemistry 1 | 4 |
| Laboratory Elective 1 | 3 | |
| GEP Elective | 3 | |
| Microbiology Elective 1 | 3 | |
| 听 | Hours | 16 |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| 惭叠听414 | Microbial Metabolic Regulation 1 | 3 |
| 惭叠听451 | Microbial Diversity 1 | 3 |
| Microbiology Elective 1 | 3 | |
| 惭叠听452 | Microbial Diversity Lab 1 | 2 |
| GEP Humanities | 3 | |
| 惭叠听480 | Current Issues in Microbiology 1 | 1 |
| 听 | Hours | 15 |
| Spring Semester | ||
| Microbiology Elective 1 | 3 | |
| GEP Interdisciplinary Perspectives | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Gene Expression Elective 1 | 3 | |
| 听 | Hours | 15 |
| 听 | Total Hours | 120 |
- 1
A grade of C- or higher is required.
- 2
At most one passing grade below C- is permitted in these natural sciences courses
Career Opportunities
Many students majoring in the Department of Biological Sciences take advantage of scholarship and honors programs available at NC State, including the 福利逼站 Honors Program and the 福利逼站 Scholars Program.听 In addition, we offer a discipline-based Undergraduate Honors Program in Biological Sciences (DBS Honors Program).听 The DBS Honors Program requires students to design a challenging program of advanced study, including eight credits of honors coursework in biology and at least two semesters of research or teaching scholarship.听 Participants write an honors thesis and are required to present their scholarly work at a local, regional, or national meeting.听 Invitations to join the DBS Honors Program are sent in the first three weeks of the Fall and Spring semesters.听听Students in any major in the Department of Biological Sciences who have earned an overall GPA of 3.60 after completing 30-65 credit hours at NC State will receive an invitation to join the DBS Honors Program; transfer students in any of our majors who have earned an overall GPA of 3.60 in 15 credit hours at NC State also will receive an invitation.听听
Students who graduate from the Department of Biological Sciences are well prepared for employment in various government agencies and private industries. Graduates may continue their education with studies leading to advanced degrees in many areas of the biological sciences, including cell biology, ecology, microbiology, genetics, zoology, neurobiology, and biomedical disciplines. Many choose to seek advanced degrees in medicine, dentistry, optometry, veterinary medicine, public health, and other health-related fields. Students who plan to seek certification for pre-college teaching may want to pursue a second major in the Department of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics Education.
Career Titles
- Biochemist
- Biologist
- Biology Professor
- Biomedical Engineer
- Biophysicist
- Dermatologist (MD)
- Epidemiologists
- Family Practitioner (MD)
- Food & Drug Inspector
- Food Technologist
- Forensic Science Technicians
- General Internists (MD)
- Geneticist
- Gynecologist (MD)
- Medical Technologist
- Microbiologist
- Obstetrician (MD)
- Pathologist (MD)
- Pediatrician (MD)
- Pharmacologist
- Sales Representative (Chemicals & Drugs)
- Surgeons (MD)
- Surgical Assistants
- Toxicologist
- Water Pollution Control Inspector
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