During the first year of the Microbiology and Immunology Graduate Program, incoming students take a core sequence of courses that includes Biochemistry, Molecular Genetics, Molecular Biology, and Cell Biology. This core sequence of courses is taken by all first-year graduate students within the College of Medicine. In addition, first-year Microbiology and Immunology graduate students take courses in Molecular Pathogenesis and Immunology, and the Medical Microbiology Laboratory course to prepare for teaching in this course in subsequent years. To augment the first-year curriculum, second-year students take two advanced departmental courses: (i) Science of Virology, and (ii) Concepts in Immunology. Second-year graduate students are also required to take a course in Ethics. To supplement the first- and second-year core curriculum, courses are offered by other graduate programs and include, but may not be limited to, Advanced Biochemistry, Enzyme Kinetics, Molecular Endocrinology, and Cellular Communication.
The following is a list of courses required for the completion of a Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology. Courses are listed by year and semester.
Fall Semester, Year 1
| Title | Course Name | Credits | Description |
| Regulation of Cellular and Systemic Energy Metabolism | BMS 501 | 3 | |
| Cell and Systems Biology | BMS 502 | 3 | |
| Flow of Cellular Information | BMS 503 | 3 | |
| Medical Microbiology: Topics in Molecular Pathogenesis | MICRO 550 | 2 | Principles of molecular pathogenesis; host-parasite relationships; structure and function of bacteria, viruses, and fungi as agents of human disease. |
Spring Semester, Year 1
| Title | Course Name | Credits | Description |
| Principles of Immunology - A | MICRO 581 | 1 | |
| Principles of Immunology - B | MICRO 582 | 1 | |
| Viral Vectors | MICRO 583 | 1 | |
| Medical Microbiology: Topics in Molecular Pathogenesis | MICRO 551 | 2 | Principles of molecular pathogenesis; host-parasite relationships; structure and function of bacteria, viruses, and fungi as agents of human disease (course continuation) |
| Genetics of Model Organisms A: Bacterial and Viral Pathogenesis | GENET 581 | 1 | |
| Supervised Experience in College Teaching | MICRO 602 | 1 | |
| Literature Reports | MICRO 572 | 1 | A weekly journal club in which graduate students lead a review and discussion of recently published scientific papers of major interest. |
| Individual Studies | MICRO 596 | Variable | |
| Electives | From Elective List | 0-2 | |
Fall Semester, Year 2
| Title | course Name | Credits | Description |
| Science of Virology | MICRO 553 | 4 | Replication of animal viruses and consequences for the host cell during productive infection, latency, and oncogenesis. Includes extensive reading in the primary literature. |
| Ethics in Life Sciences | IBIOS 591 | 1 | |
| Critical Readings in Immunology | IBIOS 580 | 1 | |
| Thesis Research | MICRO 600 | 1-8 | |
Spring Semester , Year 1
| Title | Course Name | Credits | Description |
| Concepts in Immunology | MICRO 560 | 4 | Research frontiers in immunology, including T and B cell function, receptors, and gene rearrangements. Extensive reading in the primary literature and discussions. |
| Colloquium | MICRO 590 | 1 | Students present one seminar per year on their research project starting in the second year of graduate study. |
| Supervised Experience in College Teaching | MICRO 602 | 1 | |
| Thesis Research | Micro 600 | 1-8 | |
| From the Electives List | Electives | 0-2 | |
Year 3 through completion
| Title | Course Name | Credits | Description |
| Thesis Research | MICRO 600 | varies | Original research leading to a Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology (prior to completion of the Comprehensive Examination) |
| Thesis Preparation | Micro 601 | 0 | Original research leading to a Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology (after completion of the Comprehensive Examination). Includes preparation of the written thesis and the oral defense |
