boston college microbiology phd

Microbiology and Immunology Graduate Programs in the Boston Area

1-3 of 3 results

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Boston, MA •

Harvard University •

Graduate School

• • Rating 4 out of 5   11 reviews

Current Master's student: It is a place where there is no lack for exciting opportunities. The classes are intellectually stimulating and challenging. ... Read 11 reviews

Harvard University ,

Graduate School ,

BOSTON, MA ,

11 Niche users give it an average review of 4 stars.

Featured Review: Current Master's student says It is a place where there is no lack for exciting opportunities. The classes are intellectually stimulating and challenging. .

Read 11 reviews.

Harvard Medical School

• • Rating 4.94 out of 5   16 reviews

Other: Harvard is my dream school. Next year I will graduate the Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences. Then I will applying to Harvard Medical School. If I accepted by this school, I will try my best of the best….. ... Read 16 reviews

16 Niche users give it an average review of 4.9 stars.

Featured Review: Other says Harvard is my dream school. Next year I will graduate the Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences. Then I will applying to Harvard Medical School. If I accepted by this school, I will try... .

Read 16 reviews.

Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences - Tufts University

Tufts University •

Tufts University ,

Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences

University of Pittsburgh •

Graduate School •

PITTSBURGH, PA

College of Business - Framingham State University

Framingham State University •

FRAMINGHAM, MA

Bentley University McCallum Graduate School of Business

WALTHAM, MA

• • Rating 4.71 out of 5   21

College of Arts and Sciences - Suffolk University

Suffolk University •

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Lesley University •

CAMBRIDGE, MA

• • Rating 3 out of 5   2

Merrimack College

NORTH ANDOVER, MA

• • Rating 4.38 out of 5   39

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Boston University PhD in Microbiology & Immunology

Microbiology & Immunology is a concentration offered under the microbiological sciences and immunology major at Boston University. We’ve pulled together some essential information you should know about the doctor’s degree program in microbiology and immunology, including how many students graduate each year, the ethnic diversity of these students, and more.

If there’s something special you’re looking for, you can use one of the links below to find it:

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How Much Does a Doctorate in Microbiology and Immunology from Boston U Cost?

Boston u graduate tuition and fees.

Part-time graduates at Boston U paid an average of $1,777 per credit hour in 2019-2020. This tuition was the same for both in-state and out-of-state students. The following table shows the average full-time tuition and fees for graduate student.

Does Boston U Offer an Online PhD in Microbiology and Immunology?

Boston U does not offer an online option for its microbiology and immunology doctor’s degree program at this time. To see if the school offers distance learning options in other areas, visit the Boston U Online Learning page.

Majors Related to a PhD in Microbiology and Immunology From Boston U

You may also be interested in one of these majors related to microbiology and immunology.

View All Microbiology & Immunology Related Majors >

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

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Offered By: Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology

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About the PhD in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology Program

Through a departmental core curriculum as well as research area-specific courses, laboratory rotations, qualifying examinations, mentored research, and professional development, all MMI PhD students are prepared to engage in cutting edge research and scholarship that advances knowledge. MMI PhD students hone their scholarship, research and professional skills. Course and laboratory work can address problems in microbial pathogenesis, immunology, disease transmission, and diseases related to malaria, mosquito and arboviral biology.

Students can choose to complete the traditional MMI PhD program or the MMI PhD program concentration in Rigorous, Reproducible, and Responsible Research Investigation in Immunology & Microbiology (R 3 IM). The concentration in Rigorous, Reproducible, and Responsible Research Investigation in Immunology & Microbiology (R 3 IM) conveys a broad background in immunology and infectious diseases research, with a special emphasis on critical thinking, logic, ethics, and written and oral skills to help graduates become communicators of complex scientific concepts and agents of change in their workplaces and communities.

What Can You Do With a Graduate Degree In Molecular Microbiology And Immunology?

Visit the  Graduate Employment Outcomes Dashboard to learn about Bloomberg School graduates' employment status, sector, and salaries.

Sample Careers

• Postdoctoral Fellow, Research Associate
• Science Communicator or Writer
• Scientist (academia, industry)
• Specialist in Science Regulatory Affairs
• Faculty, Professor
• Science Advocate (nonprofit agencies)
• Public Health Service (NIH, CDC, FDA)
• Science Policy Fellow

Curriculum for the PhD in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology

Browse an overview of the requirements for this PhD program in the JHU  Academic Catalogue  and explore all course offerings in the Bloomberg School  Course Directory .

Current students can view the MMI student handbook on the MMI portal site.

Topic Areas

MMI faculty are recognized experts in a wide variety of infectious diseases research areas, allowing our PhD students to study the biology of disease based on their research interests and career goals. Our PhD students gain a comprehensive understanding of infectious diseases that provides a foundation to launch careers that directly tackle critical public health challenges.  

Topic Areas include: 

• Bacterial pathogenesis
• Cell biology 
• Fungal pathogenesis 
• Medical entomology/Disease ecology
• Parasite pathogenesis 
• Rigor, Reproducibility, and Responsibility in Scientific Practice
• Tick-borne diseases
• Vaccine development 
• Vector biology
• Viral pathogenesis

Admissions Requirements

For general admissions requirements, please visit the How to Apply page.

Standardized Test Scores

Standardized test scores (GRE) are  optional  for this program. The admissions committee will make no assumptions if a standardized test score is omitted from an application, but will require evidence of quantitative/analytical ability through other application components such as academic transcripts and/or supplemental questions.  Applications will be reviewed holistically based on all application components.

Vivien Thomas PhD Scholars

The  Vivien Thomas Scholars Initiative (VTSI)  is an endowed fellowship program at Johns Hopkins for PhD students in STEM fields. It provides full tuition, stipend, and benefits while also providing targeted mentoring, networking, community, and professional development opportunities. Students who have attended a historically Black college and university (HBCU) or other minority serving institution (MSI) for undergraduate study are eligible to apply. To be considered for the VTSI, you will need to submit a SOPHAS application, VTSI supplementary materials, and all supporting documents (letters, transcripts, and test scores) by December 1, 2023. VTSI applicants are eligible for an  application fee waiver , but the fee waiver must be requested by November 15, 2023 and prior to submission of the SOPHAS application.

All full-time PhD students will receive the following support for all years of the program: stipend, full tuition, individual health insurance, University Health Services clinic fee, vision insurance, and dental insurance.

Need-Based Relocation Grants Students who  are admitted to PhD programs at JHU  starting in Fall 2023 or beyond can apply to receive a $1500 need-based grant to offset the costs of relocating to be able to attend JHU.   These grants provide funding to a portion of incoming students who, without this money, may otherwise not be able to afford to relocate to JHU for their PhD program. This is not a merit-based grant. Applications will be evaluated solely based on financial need.  View more information about the need-based relocation grants for PhD students .

Questions about the program? We're happy to help.

Ashley Choi , Senior Academic Coordinator

Alex Kim , Senior Academic Program Coordinator  Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health 615 North Wolfe Street, Room E5014 Baltimore, Maryland 21205 Fax: (410) 955-0105

Boston College students graduate in traditional fashion, with mentions of global tensions

Nearly 5,000 undergraduate and graduate students gathered in Boston College’s Alumni Stadium Monday morning for its 148th commencement ceremony, as the class of 2024 sat in rows of chairs under a cloudy sky, beside banners marked with the Jesuit school’s maroon and gold colors.

Traditional pomp and circumstance filled the Chestnut Hill stadium, with the school’s choir, The University Chorale, leading in song while graduates looked on and deans sat royally on the stage.

Though other Boston-area schools, including Northeastern University, Emerson College, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst, have battled with recent turmoil over student protests of the Israel-Hamas War in Gaza — some of which have led to disruptions of commencement ceremonies — Boston College’s commencement proceeded without interruption.

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Still, the tensions gripping neighboring universities, and colleges across the country, were not ignored by speakers.

“This commencement is a time for us to consider how we can and must respond to current and future issues, not solely as individuals but also as members of a global community,” BC’s president, the Rev. William P. Leahy, said during his welcoming remarks. “Today, we are especially mindful of the war in Ukraine, ongoing conflict in Gaza, and continued violence in Haiti and Sudan, situations bringing misery and suffering to millions of people.”

The ceremony’s main speaker, Cardinal Stephen Chow, Bishop of Hong Kong, also addressed the current climate on campuses.

“None of us gathered here today are likely ignorant about the recent tensions among university campuses in the United States and elsewhere,” Chow said. “We can appreciate Boston College for being bold enough to hold a live commencement exercise during this time.”

Applause and cheers rang out following his statement.

Chow was one of five distinguished individuals to receive an honorary degree from the college this year. Leahy said the honorees were chosen because they “promote the common good and greater glory of God.”

The recipients, who stood and accepted their degrees, included Dana Barros, a BC graduate and 13-year NBA player; Sister Maria Teresa De Loera Lopez of the Congregation of Catholic Teachers of the Sacred Heart of Jesus; Dr. James O’Connell, president of Boston Health Care for the Homeless; and Mary Skipper, superintendent of the Boston Public Schools.

Leahy introduced Chow’s speech by commenting on how he has dedicated his life to promoting education and the Catholic faith. As Bishop of Hong Kong, Chow has “worked diligently to improve relations between the Vatican and China, which have lacked diplomatic ties for more than 70 years,” Leahy said. Chow became the first Hong Kong bishop in nearly four decades to visit the Chinese capital.

“The current tensions happening at university campuses are not unfamiliar to us living in Hong Kong,” he said. “This [reconciliation and healing] process may take several years, or even decades. We must start with the promotion of dialogue and constructive action among parties of different stances.”

He encouraged graduates to move forth into the world with an intention of improving what he called a “badly wounded natural environment.”

“I believe unity in plurality is what we want to embrace, not an oppositional mentality, and certainly not violence,” he said.

Chow spoke of what he sees as a two side-ism narrative, which prevents both meaningful dialogue and sustainable peace — in both the ongoing conflict in Gaza, and divisiveness within the global church. He advised graduates to be the generation to bridge that gap and become more pluralistic as a society.

“I believe very few people, if any, are consistent across every single domain, and that includes myself,” he said. “Being able to take in people as they are, not who they ought to be, will allow us a greater capacity to love as God loves us.”

As deans invited graduates in their respective schools to rise for the conferral of their degree, spirits were lifted, and family and friends from the stands applauded.

For the class of 2024, college began amid the COVID-19 pandemic and is ending at a time of global unsettledness. Many of the graduates did not have a high school graduation ceremony.

James Saladino, a Carroll School of Management graduate from Long Island, N.Y., said he had mixed emotions about graduating during such a time.

“I think it’s definitely good we were able to have a ceremony that went pretty smooth,” he said. “It’s a good thing that everyone came together and had commencement a normal way.”

The commencement concluded with another round of traditional fanfare, while students were instructed to walk out to a rendition of “Sweet Caroline,” a Boston College favorite.

Reilly O’Shaughnessy, an accounting graduate, called graduating today “surreal.” While weaving out of the maze of students, she said she “can’t believe that this is happening.”

She stayed up the night before with her friends, reminiscing on their time at Boston College and how the conclusion of their high school experience and start of college was marred by COVID-19.

“Graduation was here in the blink of an eye, especially starting during COVID,” she said. “Today is a culmination of not just our time at BC, but also as students and now entering the real world.”

Alexa Coultoff can be reached at [email protected] . Follow her @alexacoultoff .

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Harvard faculty urge college to let disciplined student protesters graduate on time

• Carrie Jung

At its regular meeting to discuss which students should obtain degrees this year, members of Harvard's Faculty of Arts and Sciences body recommended that 13 students disciplined over protesting against the war in Gaza be allowed to receive their degrees.

The move Monday came a day before Harvard's governing boards were scheduled to review the recommendation. Both the Harvard Corporation and the Board of Overseers were set to decide Wednesday whether to ratify the faculty vote and make it official. Several members of the faculty group expressed optimism the boards would follow its guidance.

Last Friday, the university's Administrative Board opted to punish the undergraduate seniors for their participation in a 20-day-long pro-Palestinian encampment in Harvard Yard that folded last week . At least five students were suspended, and 20 others were placed on probation.

College policy allows the students to obtain their degrees, but only after their disciplinary matters resolve and they return to "good standing."

Kirsten Weld, a Harvard history professor and member of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences body, described Monday's vote as a "repudiation" of the Administrative Board's actions.

While the vote does not negate the disciplinary decisions, it made clear the faculty group's position that 13 of the seniors set to graduate this week should get their diplomas on schedule.

"It would be truly unprecedented and extremely corrosive of the relations of trust between the faculty and the administration for the Corporation or the Overseers to overturn such a decisive and well-substantiated and procedurally correct move," Weld said in an interview.

She also argued that Harvard statute gives the faculty group the ultimate authority to confer degrees to students.

In an open letter Monday, many Harvard faculty members criticized the sanctions against the seniors, saying they "undermined trust" in Harvard leadership because administrators led students to believe they likely could graduate on time in exchange for dismantling the encampment.

They noted that interim President Alan Garber told students he would encourage administrators to "expeditiously" evaluate students' disciplinary cases if the camp came down. However, Garber's May 14 letter on the camp did not make any explicit promises of leniency.

The faculty vote took place during the body's regular pre-commencement meeting to review the list of graduating seniors. Faculty in attendance said the measure got "overwhelming" support.

Ryan Enos, a political scientist and government professor, said the question as to whether these seniors could get their degrees on time drew more faculty than usual.

"This was, in many ways, very extraordinary," said Enos. "It was more [faculty] than I’ve ever seen at one of these meetings."

Weld and Enos said the affected students took a moment to celebrate after Monday's voice vote. Several of them, the professors said, expressed relief, but acknowledged they needed to await the governing boards' final decisions.

"This isn’t the first time that students thought something would go one direction and then seem to have been thrown a curveball," said Enos.

Harvard's main undergraduate commencement is set for Thursday.

"My sense is," Weld added, "they’re not going to feel better until they walk across that stage, receive the envelope and open it and see if there’s something inside."

• Pro-Palestinian encampment ends at Harvard, but organizers say the protest isn't over
• How Mass. colleges responded to student protest encampments

Carrie Jung Senior Reporter, Education Carrie is a senior education reporter.

More from WBUR

• International

Biden speaks at Morehouse College commencement

By Kaanita Iyer, Michelle Shen and Michael Williams, CNN

Biden's commencement speech focuses on democracy, his work toward a solution in the Middle East

From CNN's Michael Williams

President Joe Biden spent much of his commencement address focusing on the theme of democracy, while touting his administration's work for Black Americans.

As a handful of student turned their chairs in a silent protest of Biden, the president listed some virtues of a healthy democracy.

"In a democracy, we debate and dissent about America's role in the world," Biden said.

He added: "I want to say this very clearly -- I support peaceful, nonviolent protest. Your voices should be heard. I promise you, I hear them."

Biden said he was determined to make his "administration look like America" when he became president. "I have more African Americans in high places, including on the court, than any president in American history. Because I need the input," he said.

Biden then shifted to the Middle East, calling the situation in Gaza a "humanitarian crisis" while saying his administration is working toward a ceasefire with the release of hostages.

Biden says an "AKA from Howard" will be president some day, in nod to Harris

President Joe Biden subtly teased his hopes for the political future of his vice president and running mate while delivering the Morehouse commencement on Sunday.

Saying he was "proud to put in the first Black woman on the United States Supreme Court," Biden added that he had "no doubt one day a Morehouse man will be on that court as well."

He then added he had "no doubt a Morehouse man will be president one day - just after an AKA from Howard."

Harris was a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, a historically Black sorority, during her time as a student at Howard University.

Biden says he's called for "immediate ceasefire" in Gaza

President Joe Biden said he's called for an "immediate ceasefire" in Gaza while delivering his commencement address at Morehouse College.

“What’s happening in Gaza and Israel is heartbreaking," he said.

He continued: "It's a humanitarian crisis in Gaza," the president said. "That's why I've called for an immediate ceasefire - an immediate ceasefire to stop the fighting and bring the hostages home."

It was a forceful call for a ceasefire and an urgent call for a political solution in Gaza. Biden has previously said his administration is working towards a temporary ceasefire to secure the release of hostages still being held in Gaza.

The president continued: “What happens in Gaza, what rights do the Palestinian people have? I'm working to make sure we finally get a two-state solution -- the only solution where two people live in peace, security, and dignity,” he said.

Student unfurls Palestinian flag during Biden's speech, others turn away from him

From CNN's Donald Judd

As Biden began speaking, a student in the audience unfurled a Palestinian flag and held it up.

Some students in the audience have turned their chairs so they are facing away from the president as he delivers his commencement address.

Biden's Morehouse commencement address begins

President Joe Biden took the podium at Morehouse College at 10:29 a.m. ET.

He started his remarks by recognizing the relatives of graduating seniors. "A lot of you, like my family, had to make significant sacrifices to get your kids to school," the president said.

Morehouse College confers honorary degree to Biden

Morehouse College has conferred an honorary degree to President Joe Biden.

Biden is the third US President to receive the honorific from Morehouse. President Barack Obama received an honorary degree when he delivered a commencement address at the college in 2013. Jimmy Carter received one in 1975, before he became president.

Morehouse faculty approved Biden's honorary degree in a vote earlier this week.

Morehouse valedictorian calls for ceasefire in Gaza as Biden looks on

Morehouse valedictorian DeAngelo Fletcher called for a ceasefire in Gaza while speaking ahead of President Joe Biden's commencement address.

"The Israel-Gaza conflict has plagued the people of its region for generations," Fletcher said while Biden looked on behind him. "It is important to recognize that both sides have suffered heavy casualties in the wake of October 7. From the comfort of our homes, we watched an unprecedented number of civilians mourn the loss of men, women and children.

Fletcher called for the release of all hostages. He then continued: "For the first time in our lives, we've heard the global community sing one harmonious song that transcends language and culture."

"It is my stance as a Morehouse man - nay, as a human being - to call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip," he said.

Biden takes stage at Morehouse College

President Joe Biden has taken the stage at Morehouse College's commencement ceremony. He was met with applause and chants of "four more years" from the section reserved for graduates' families.

How Biden's team prepared for Morehouse speech as Israel-Gaza conflict looms over the commencement

From CNN's Kayla Tausche, Arlette Saenz and Michael Williams

Ahead of Sunday's commencement address, President Joe Biden consulted with prominent Black public figures for weeks and White House officials traveled to Morehouse College's campus to hold forth with students and faculty and attempt to quell their concerns.

During a meeting in early May, roughly half of the two-hour conversation focused on the conflict in Gaza, one source said. Stephen Benjamin, the director of the White House office of public engagement, said he and the students had a wide-ranging conversation, which again included the conflict in the Middle East.

Students are also concerned that their achievements will be overshadowed by a stump speech, according to people familiar with the discussions. They have expressed frustration that the format of the event and the level of security required for such a high-profile visit resulted in limited tickets for family members, many of whom must watch from an overflow room.

Biden's scheduled appearance at Morehouse is a shift in strategy as the president has largely shied away from addressing large crowds of young people on college campuses, a change that came shortly after his January remarks on abortion rights at Virginia’s George Mason University were interrupted more than a dozen times by protesters outraged at his continued support for Israel in its war in Gaza.

The Middle East conflict spurred more than 1,360 student demonstrations on campuses across the country from October 7 to May 3,  according to data compiled by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project . 

“I understand people have strong feelings of deep convictions,” Biden said during brief remarks from the White House on campus protests earlier this month. “In America, we respect the right and protect the right for them to express that. But it doesn’t mean anything goes.”

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Tell your kids to ignore all the boasts about university status, Greek Life, and everything else that doesn’t help them graduate debt-free. After all, the vast majority of employers don’t care what institution gave the degree. Like you, they care a lot more about what tomorrow’s leaders offer beyond a piece of paper.

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The Biology department offers three undergraduate degree programs.

• Biology B.S. Major
• Biology B.A. Major
• Biochemistry B.S. Major

The Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Biology is a structured program for biology majors who are interested in pursuing those aspects of the field that require a strong background knowledge in physics, chemistry, and mathematics and for students who want to fulfill pre-medical/pre-dental requirements.

Biology B.S. Curriculum Checklist

Concentrations

Bioinformatics, bioinformatics concentration.

The Bioinformatics Concentration is offered to students majoring in Biology, Mathematics, and Computer Science.

In order to obtain a concentration in Bioinformatics a student must complete a number of core and elective requirements. Courses that count towards a student's primary major can be used to simultaneously count towards the bioinformatics core or elective requirements as well. For example, the basic requirements for the biology major will automatically fulfill the required elective course requirement at the level of BIOL 2000 or above, and the BIOL 4200, BIOL 5240, or BIOL 6160 courses can double count to fulfill biology electives. Computer science majors will naturally fulfill the three CS course requirement in their primary coursework. Computer science students taking the B.S. option will also naturally fulfill the Probability requirement through CSCI 2244 (Randomness and Computation).

One elective course may be substituted by a semester of research in bioinformatics. Students wishing to pursue this option should visit the Biology Department (Higgins 355) for course approval.

Bioinformatics PDF

Cell Biology and Development

Concentration in cell biology and development.

The fields of cell and developmental biology aim to discover the functions and activities of cells, and how these cells function in concert to develop functional organisms. Cells vary incredibly in form and function, from free-living bacterial spirochetes to meter-long motor neurons. Cell biology focuses on the molecules and macromolecular structures in cells and their respective functions, the biochemistry of the reactions underlying a cell’s function, and the ways in which cells interact and communicate with each other. Developmental Biology asks how single unspecialized cells differentiate and become more specialized and how groups of cells in multicellular organisms undergo morphogenesis, the process of anatomical structure formation. Fundamentally, the field of Developmental Biology seeks to understand the mechanisms by which organisms go from fertilized egg to functional, reproductive adult.

Courses in this concentration will explore the elaborate architecture of eukaryotic cells, the genetic and molecular basis of cell differentiation and morphogenesis, and the molecular biology of basic cell functions and organismal development. This concentration will provide excellent preparation for students interested in pursuing an allied health career or graduate studies in cell/molecular/developmental biology, direct entry into a research or technical position, or other careers. It is also a good choice for students who simply wish to understand how life works at the cellular level.

Cell Biology and Development PDF

General Biology

Concentration in general biology.

A concentration in General Biology provides students with the greatest degree of course flexibility. Students uncertain of their post-graduate goals or who wish to experience a wide variety of biology sub-disciplines can choose any biology elective 3000 level or higher to complete their degree. Such course selection can complete the requirements for medical school and allied health, prepare students for research and teaching and provide science exposure suitable for a wide variety of careers in areas such as business, public health and law. The General Biology concentration is the default for students not completing one of the other more specific concentrations in Microbiology, Cell Biology and Development, Physiology and Organismal Biology or Genetics and Genomics. All courses within these concentrations (with the exception of biostatistics) can be applied to the General Biology concentration

General Bio PDF

Concentration in Genetics and Genomics

Genetics is the study of genes, genetic variation, and heredity, which all have at their core nucleic acid sequences. The field of genetics examines how genetic information is transmitted from parent to offspring or from cell to cell, and the term genetics also broadly encompasses the use of mutant organisms to assign biological functions to DNA sequences. With advances in DNA sequencing methods, genome-wide analyses have become common. Genomics studies include investigations of the structure and evolution of entire genomes and the simultaneous examination of the role of each gene of an organism’s genome in a particular biological process or response, e.g., identifying all of the genes that are activated in response to infection with a particular pathogen. Because all biological processes are carried out by the products of genes, genetics is relevant to every life form on Earth, and sequencing technologies are driving a growing role for genetics in research and in human society, e.g., in the identification of linkage between genes and disease risk.

The Genetics and Genomics concentration provides preparation for graduate study in many areas of biological science, as well as professional study in medical school or other post-graduate programs. Graduates with a BS degree may pursue careers in medicine, genetic counseling, biotechnology, bioinformatics, forensics, or work as technicians in university, hospital, government, or industrial research laboratories.

Genetics and Genomics PDF

Microbiology

Concentration in microbiology.

Microbiology is the study of organisms that are too small to be seen with the naked eye. This includes, Bacteria, Archaea, viruses, and single-celled eukaryotes. Microorganisms, or microbes, thrive in nearly all environments, from deep sea thermal vents to the human gut where it is estimated that there are more bacteria present than eukaryotic cells in the human body. Microbes perform important functions as part of biogeochemical cycling, bioremediation, biotechnology, and are critical for human health and nutrition, as well as cause human disease. Furthermore, microbes are important experimental systems to study cell physiology, photosynthesis, ecology, evolution, genetics, biotechnology, biochemistry, and human health, reaching into many areas of biology.

The microbiology concentration provides preparation for graduate study in many areas of biological science, as well as professional study in medical, dental, or veterinary school. Graduates with a BS degree may pursue careers in medicine, environmental or food safety, biotechnology, or work as technicians in university, hospital, government, or industrial research laboratories.

Microbiology PDF

Physiology and Organismal Biology

Concentration in physiology and organismal biology.

Physiology and organismal biology are broad, integrative, and overlapping disciplines that generally focus on the study of life above the cellular level. Physiology integrates molecular, cellular, systems, and whole-body functions of organisms. Related courses in the department mainly emphasize the study of vertebrates and provide a foundation for the understanding of the mechanical, physical, and biochemical basis of human physiology. Organismal biology focuses on the mechanisms that contribute to the form, function, and behavior of whole organisms. Courses in this area approach these subjects in an ecological and evolutionary context. The concentration offers opportunities to gain hands-on experience through upper-level electives that include a laboratory section (e.g., Human Anatomy, Human Physiology) or advanced experience courses (e.g., Vertebrate Biomechanics,  Cancer as a Metabolic Disease). Additionally, research, mentoring, or teaching opportunities may be arranged with core faculty.

This concentration prepares students for a wide variety of career paths, including the perusal of advanced degrees in human and veterinary medicine and graduate research in ecology, evolutionary biology, and applied natural sciences. Graduates with this concentration may also pursue employment in an array of fields including animal science, biology education, biotechnology, wildlife and fisheries biology, exercise physiology, pharmaceutical/biotechnology research, natural resource management, or conservation.

Physiology and Organismal Biology PDF

The Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Biology is a flexible program that can prepare students for graduate school in the life sciences or can be integrated with other areas including law, ethics, history, sociology, computer science, and management. The B.A. provides a solid foundation in biology, but removes some of the chemistry and quantitative requirements that characterize the B.S. program. Students in the B.A. program have more flexibility to select courses within the biology curriculum or other B.A. electives. Students should note that, unlike the B.S. program, the B.A. program does not fulfill medical school admission requirements.

Biology B.A. Curriculum Checklist

Biochemistry is an interdisciplinary major, administered jointly by the Biology and Chemistry departments. The major provides the student with a broad background in biochemistry and related courses in biology and chemistry.

Biochemistry B.S. Curriculum Checklist

Biology Department 355 Higgins Hall

617-552-3540