Core Courses

Core courses are taken during the first year of the graduate program. The faculty of the Microbiology Graduate Group believes there is a common body of fundamental knowledge in the discipline of microbiology that all students should master prior to obtaining a graduate degree. A competent, independent investigator must be familiar with the microbiology literature, recognize meaningful questions, and have the ability to communicate, both in written text and orally, the results and conclusions of those experiments. We have designed a graduate curriculum with the express purpose of assisting the student in meeting these goals.

The core courses are team taught by faculty members of the group on a rotational basis. The formal lectures are accompanied by seminar-discussions during which students analyze critically classic and current research reports appropriate to the lecture topic. In addition, students are encouraged to attend and participate in the weekly Work-In-Progress Seminars (MIC 291, 1 unit, taken each quarter). These are seminars in which graduate students and postdoctoral fellows have an opportunity to present their research. Finally, throughout the Ph.D. program, students are encouraged to attend weekly seminars given by outstanding scientists from throughout the country, sponsored by the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, the College of Biological Sciences and other departments affiliated with the group.

Fall Quarter

  • MIB 200A - Microbial Biology (3 units)
  • MIC 215 - Recombinant DNA (3 units) AND MIC 298 (1 unit) or BCB 211 Macromolecular Structure and Interactions
  • MIB 201L - Research rotations (5 units)
  • MIC 291 – MGG Work in Progress (1 unit) optional/can be retaken
  • MMI 291 – MMI Seminar (1 unit) optional/can be retaken

*MIC 298 does not count towards participatory/non-participatory seminar unit(s).

Winter Quarter

  • MMI 200D - Mechanisms for Microbial Interactions with Hosts (3 units)
  • MIC200B – Microbial Diversity (3 units) plus Grant-writing MIC 298 (1 unit discussion)
  • MIB201L - Research Rotations (5 units)
  • Elective Course (3-4 units)
  • Participatory Seminar (1-2 units)
  • Research (MIB 299 or home dept. 299)

*MIC 298 does not count towards participatory/non-participatory seminar unit(s).
All students are expected to have joined a lab by the end of this quarter to make satisfactory progress in the program.

Spring Quarter

  • Elective Course (minimum of 3 units) Participatory seminar (1-2 units)
  • Research (MIB 299 or home dept. 299)

All students are expected to have joined a lab by the end of this quarter to make satisfactory progress in the program.