A Closer Look at
The Microbiology & Molecular Genetics MajorsOffered by: CALS Microbiology & Molecular Genetics Department
Fascinating developments in contemporary medicine and science begin with molecular events that underlie the routine functions of cells and organisms. Scientists in the field of microbiology study microbes essential to medicine, industry, ecology, and basic science. Molecular genetics, in turn, provides the means to investigate, at the molecular level, the chemical and biological principles that underlie all living processes.
The Microbiology and Molecular Genetics Department is unique at UVM because it exists within two colleges, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the College of Medicine. From this position, it draws on expertise from such departments as botany and agricultural biochemistry, pathology, biology, and pharmacology.
What Will I Study?
You can choose a major in Microbiology with a concentration in clinical, applied or general microbiology, or in Molecular Genetics.
All students must finish the basic distribution requirements for a bachelor of science degree from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Microbiology or Molecular Genetics majors also take a foundation of biological and physical science courses, plus upper-level microbiology and molecular genetics and biological sciences courses to complete their major requirements.
The program is flexible enough to allow you to minor in a scientific discipline such as medical technology, nutrition, or biological science -- or a field that's altogether different. Students have graduated with minors in French, business, and statistics, allowing them to put together a career plan that spans a wide range of opportunities.
Exciting Field and Research Experience
Small classes and a strong commitment to advising give you plenty of chance to interact with the faculty, who frequently involve undergraduates in cutting-edge research. Laboratories offer broad opportunities to do research along with coursework in such areas as DNA repair, fungal genetics, environmental microbiology, developmental genetics, infectious diseases, and other fields.
Looking to the Future
An undergraduate in microbiology or molecular genetics prepares you to go on to study for an advanced degree in medicine, biotechnology, microbiology, biochemistry, or something as divergent as the law, where changes in the patent industry, as well as questions of ethics related to bioengineering or genetics counseling have companies and regulatory agencies clamoring for graduates with a science background to complement legal expertise.
You'll be ready to work in virtually any type of laboratory in the biological sciences -- research, clinical, or applied sciences, such as forensics or toxicology. Within these careers -- whether in industry or an academic setting -- you might teach, run experiments, lead a research team, or any combination. Industries like food processing and pharmaceuticals offer many openings, but graduates have also chosen to start their own businesses.
Advanced Level Courses
Faculty and Area of Expertise
Last modified September 10 2007 04:11 PM