 Admissions
for Graduate Program in
Molecular Microbiology and Immunology
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Program of Study
The Department of Microbiology and Immunology offers a structured 5-year
inter-disciplinary program leading to the Ph.D. degree and is designed
to provide training in bacteriology, virology, parasitology, and immunology.
The participating inter-departmental faculty actively pursues studies of
cellular oncogenes, mechanisms of biological signal transduction, bacterial
and parasite genetics, molecular virology, cellular and molecular immunology
and vaccine development. The aim of the program is to prepare students
for careers in research and teaching. Usually, up to six students are admitted
in the Fall of each academic year. Financial aid is available by
the department through a limited number of Graduate Research Assistantships
(GRA), which offer a stipend, remission of tuition and health insurance.
Independent of the department, students may secure their own financial
support through other sources such as scholarships, personal funds and
student loans.
The required core curriculum includes courses in immunology, virology,
bacteriology, parasitology, molecular biology, cell biology, and biochemistry.
Students elect additional advanced courses in their particular areas of
interest and, in keeping with the standards of UMB's Graduate
School, they must complete a minimum of 38 semester hours of course
work with a minimum grade point average of 3.0. During the first three
semesters, a series of laboratory rotations familiarizes students with
faculty research interests and sharpens their independent benchtop laboratory
skills. Following completion of the core curriculum in the third semester
of study, students must pass a comprehensive examination prior to admission
to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree. Upon the successful completion of the
qualifying examination, students are accepted into the laboratory of a
faculty adviser and begin dissertation research. Students who are doing
research in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology but who were admitted
through other programs (e.g., the Molecular and Cell Biology Graduate Program)
will operate under the rules of the program through which they were admitted.
Completion of the Ph.D. program usually requires five years.
The Department also has a major responsibility for teaching basic and
clinical aspects of microbiology and immunology to medical students during
the first 10-week block of the sophomore curriculum, Host Defenses and
Infectious Diseases.
Students interested in pursuing a dual degree should note the
Graduate Program in Life Sciences is associate with two nationally
renowned dual-degree programs located right on our campus!
The D.D.S./ Ph.D. Program
The M.D./ Ph.D. Program
Students interesting pursuing a dual degree will need to apply
directly to either one of these programs.
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