Microbiology and Cell Science
The curriculum develops fundamental knowledge of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells and viruses. Courses include the physiology and genetics of microorganisms, mechanisms of pathogenesis and innate immunity systems.
About This Major
- Colleges: Agricultural and Life Sciences and Liberal Arts and Sciences
(Semester plans differ depending on the college.) - Degree: Bachelor of Science
- Hours for the Degree: 120
- Minor: No
- Combined-Degree Program: Yes
- Website: microcell.ufl.edu
Overview
This major prepares students for entry into professional programs in medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine and provides a strong foundation for graduate studies in microbiology, cell biology and related cellular and biomedical sciences. The major also provides a background for entry into government, industrial research and diagnostic laboratories.
The curriculum develops fundamental knowledge of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells and viruses. Courses include the physiology and genetics of microorganisms, mechanisms of pathogenesis and innate immunity systems, astrobiology, bacterial and genome sequencing and bioinformatics.
Coursework for the Major
All majors take these core requirements for a total of 15 credits along with at least 10 credits of upper-division department electives. A minimum of one credit in an advanced laboratory is required as part of the 10 department-elective credits, totaling 25 credits.
A grade of C must be attained within two attempts (including withdrawals) in all critical-tracking courses, major courses, department core requirements and department electives. A cumulative GPA of 2.0 is also required.
Required Coursework for Both Programs
- Integrated Principles of Biology 1 and 2 and laboratories (BSC 2010/2010L and
BSC 2011/2011L). AGR 3033 may be substituted for BSC 2011 and 2011L - General Chemistry 1 and laboratory (CHM 2045 and 2045L)
- General Chemistry 2 Qualitative Analysis and laboratory (CHM 2046 and 2046L)
- Analytical Geometry and Calculus 1 (MAC 2311)
- Physics 1 and 2 and laboratories (PHY 2053/2053L and PHY 2054/2054L or
PHY 2048/2048L and PHY 2049/2049L) - Organic Chemistry and laboratory (CHM 2210, 2211 and 2211L)
- All majors must complete the biology sequence, general chemistry sequence and calculus by the end of the sophomore year. Organic Chemistry, CHM 2210, must be completed by the end of tracking term five. To continue in the major, students must attain a cumulative GPA in these graded courses of no less than 2.5 and with no grade lower than a C.
Core Requirements for Both Programs
- BCH 4024 or CHM 3218 Biochemistry or Organic Chemistry/Biochemistry 2
- MCB 3023 and 3023L Principles of Microbiology and Microbiology Laboratory
- MCB 4203 Pathogens or PCB 5235 Immunology
- MCB 4304 Genetics of Microorganisms or PCB 4522 Molecular
Students must take MCB 4203 Pathogens or PCB 5235 Immunology as a core course. If they take both, one will count as a core course and the other will roll over into the 10-credit department elective requirement.
Enrollment in MCB 4905 Undergraduate Research and MCB 4934 Special Topics - Teaching Assistantship will not fulfill any credits toward the microbiology department elective requirements;they will count only as general elective credit toward the 120 credits for the B.S. degree.
MCB 4905 does not replace the advanced laboratory requirement.
MCB 4320C Bacterial Genome Sequencing and Analysis and MCB 4703 Astrobiology will be substituted as acceptable department elective requirements.
Combined-Degree Program
A Bachelor of Science and Master of Science (non-thesis) program is offered by the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences.
Preparation for Graduate Study
This major prepares students for entry into graduate studies in microbiology, cell biology, biochemistry and other areas. All students interested in graduate education should develop a strength in chemistry as soon as possible. They should set up an appointment with an adviser to plan their schedule. Academic advising is available in the department office located on Museum Road. Students can schedule an appointment with an adviser online at microcell.ufl.edu.
All students interested in graduate education should develop a strength in chemistry as soon as possible. Suggested schedules for students who plan to attend graduate school are available on the website. Students planning graduate study in microbiology, biochemistry or molecular biological sciences should take the following courses:
- CHM 3218 Organic Chemistry/ Biochemistry 2 (4 credits) for the biochemistry requirement
- MAC 2312 Calculus 2 (4 credits)
- MAC 2313 Calculus 3 (4 credits)
- MCB 4403 Prokaryotic Cell Structure (3), MCB 5303L Microbial Genetics Laboratory (2) and CHM 3400 Physical Chemistry (3) to fulfill the remaining required department elective credits
- MCB 5303L Microbial Genetics Laboratory (2) or MCB 5136L Techniques of Advanced Microbiology Laboratory (3) to fulfill the microbiology advanced laboratory requirement, and
- PCB 5235 Immunology (3) to fulfill the pathogens or immunology requirement.
- In addition, MCB 4905 will provide valuable laboratory research experience.
Critical Tracking for Both Degrees and Recommended Semester Plans
Equivalent critical tracking courses as determined by the State of Florida Common Course Prerequisites may be used for transfer students
Semester 1
- 2.0 UF GPA required for semesters 1-5
- 2.5 GPA for all critical-tracking coursework for semesters 1-5
- Complete CHM 1025 or CHM 2045/2045L
Semester 2
- Complete CHM 2045/2045L and MAC 2311
Semester 3
- Complete CHM 2046/2046L and BSC 2010/2010L
Semester 4
- Complete BSC 2011/2011L
Semester 5
- Complete CHM 2210
Semester Plan for College of Agricultural and Life Sciences
Semester Plan for College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Students
To graduate with this major, students must complete all university, college and major requirements.
To remain on track, students must complete the appropriate critical-tracking courses, which appear in bold.
Recommended semester plan
| Semester 1 | Credits |
| CHM 2045 and 2045L General Chemistry 1 (3) and Chemistry 1 Laboratory (1) (GE-P) | 4 |
| MAC 1147 Precalculus: Algebra and Trigonometry (GE-M) (if needed for MAC 2311 in the spring) | 4 |
| Composition/Writing (ENC 1101 recommended; GE-C, WR) | 3 |
| Humanities (GE-H) | 3 |
| Total | 14 |
| Semester 2 | Credits |
| CHM 2046 and 2046L General Chemistry 2 (3) and General Chemistry 2 Laboratory (1) (GE-P) | 4 |
| MAC 2311 Analytic Geometry and Calculus 1 (GE-M) | 4 |
Electives| 4
| |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences (GE-S and WR) | 3 |
| Total | 15 |
| Semester 3 | Credits |
| BSC 2010 and 2010L Integrated Principles of Biology 1 (3) and Integrated Principles of Biology 1 Laboratory (1) (GE-B) | 4 |
| CHM 2210 Organic Chemistry 1 | 3 |
| Electives | 6 |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences (GE-S) | 3 |
| Total | 16 |
| Semester 4 | Credits |
| AEB 2014 Economic Issues, Food and You (3) or AEB 3103 Principles of Food and Resource Economics (4) or ECO 2013 Principles of Macroeconomics (4) or ECO 2023 Principles of Microeconomics (4) (GE-S) | 3-4 |
| BSC 2011 and 2011L Integrated Principles of Biology 2 (3) and Integrated Principles of Biology 2 Laboratory (1) (GE-B) | 4 |
| CHM 2211 and 2211L Organic Chemistry 2 (3) and Organic Chemistry 2 Laboratory (2) | 5 |
| Humanities (GE-H, N and WR) | 3 |
| Total | 15-16 |
Note: A 2.5 GPA and a C or better in the science and math courses listed above in bold are required to continue in the major.
| Semester 5 | Credits |
| BCH 4024 Biochemistry or CHM 3218 Organic Chemistry/Biochemistry 2 | 4 |
| PHY 2053 and 2053L Physics 1 (4) and Physics 1 Laboratory (1) | 5 |
| Diversity (GE-D) | 3 |
| Elective | 3 |
| Total | 15 |
| Semester 6 | Credits |
| AEC 3030C Effective Oral Communication or SPC 2608 Introduction to Public Speaking | 3 |
| MCB 3023 and 3023L Principles of Microbiology (3) and Principles of Microbiology Laboratory (2) | 5 |
| PHY 2054 and 2054L Physics 2 (4) and Physics 2 Laboratory (1) | 5 |
| Elective | 3 |
| Total | 16 |
| Semester 7 | Credits |
| AEC 3033C Research and Business Writing in Agricultural and Life Sciences (WR) or ENC 2210 Technical Writing (WR) | 3 |
| MCB 4203 Bacterial and Viral Pathogens | 3 |
| MCB 4320C Bacterial Genome Sequencing and Analysis (3) or CGS 3460 Computer Programming with C (3) or CHM 3120 and 3120L Analytical Chemistry (3) and Analytical Chemistry Laboratory (1) or MCB 4934 Special Topics: Bioinformatics (3) or PCB 3063 Genetics (3) or STA 2023 Introduction to Statistics 1 (3) | 3-4 |
| Department elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 |
| Total | 15-16 |
| Semester 8 | Credits |
| MCB 4034L Advanced Microbiology Laboratory | 1 |
| PCB 4522 Molecular Genetics | 3 |
| Department electives | 6 |
| Electives | 6 |
| Total | 16 |
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Students
To graduate with this major, students must complete all university, college and major requirements. For degree requirements outside of the major, refer to CLAS Degree Requirements — Structure of a CLAS Degree.
Recommended semester plan
Students are expected to complete the writing and math requirement while in the process of taking the courses below. Students are also expected to complete the general education international (GE-N) and diversity (GE-D) requirements concurrently with another general education requirement (typically, GE-C, H or S).
To remain on track, students must complete the appropriate critical-tracking courses, which appear in bold.
| Semester 1 | Credits |
| CHM 2045 and 2045L General Chemistry 1 (3) and General Chemistry 1 Laboratory (1) (GE-P) | 4 |
| MAC 1147 Precalculus: Algebra and Trigonometry (GE-M) (if needed for MAC 2311 in the spring) | 4 |
| Composition (GE-C) | 3 |
| Humanities (GE-H) | 3 |
| Total | 14 |
| Semester 2 | Credits |
| CHM 2046 and 2046L General Chemistry 2 (3) and General Chemistry 2 Laboratory (1) (GE-P) | 4 |
| MAC 2311 Analytic Geometry and Calculus 1 (GE-M) | 4 |
| Composition (GE-C) | 3 |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences (GE-S) | 3 |
| Total | 14 |
| Semester 3 | Credits |
| BSC 2010 and 2010L Integrated Principles of Biology 1 (3) and Integrated Principles of Biology 1 Laboratory (1) (GE-B) | 4 |
| CHM 2210 Organic Chemistry 1 | 3 |
| Foreign language | 5 |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences (GE-S) | 3 |
| Total | 15 |
| Semester 4 | Credits |
| BSC 2011 and 2011L Integrated Principles of Biology 2 (3) and Integrated Principles of Biology 2 Laboratory (1) (GE-B) | 4 |
| CHM 2211 and 2211L Organic Chemistry 2 (3) and Organic Chemistry 2 Laboratory (2) | 5 |
| Foreign language | 5 |
| Humanities (GE-H) | 3 |
| Total | 17 |
Note: A 2.5 GPA and a C or better in the science and math courses listed above in bold are required to continue in the major.
| Semester 5 | Credits |
| BCH 4024 Biochemistry or CHM 3218 Organic Chemistry/Biochemistry 2 | 4 |
| PHY 2053 and 2053L Physics 1 (4) and Physics 1 Laboratory (1) | 5 |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences (GE-S) | 3 |
| Total | 12 |
| Semester 6 | Credits |
| MCB 3023 and 3023L Principles of Microbiology (3) and Principles of Microbiology Laboratory (2) | 5 |
| PHY 2054 and 2054L Physics 1 (4) and Physics 1 Laboratory (1) | 5 |
| Elective | 3 |
| Humanities (GE-H) | 3 |
| Total | 16 |
| Semester 7 | Credits |
| MCB 4203 Bacterial and Viral Pathogens | 3 |
| MCB 4320C Bacterial Genome Sequencing and Analysis (3) or CGS 3460 Computer Programming with C (3) or CHM 3120 and 3120L Analytical Chemistry (3) and Analytical Chemistry Laboratory (1) or MCB 4934 Special Topics: Bioinformatics (3) or PCB 3063 Genetics (3) or STA 2023 Introduction to Statistics 1 (3) | 3-4 |
| Department elective | 3 |
| Electives (3000 level or higher, not in major) | 4 |
| Elective | 3-2 |
| Total | 16 |
| Semester 8 | Credits |
| MCB 4034L Advanced Microbiology Laboratory | 1 |
| PCB 4522 Molecular Genetics | 3 |
| Department electives | 6 |
| Elective | 3 |
| Total | 13 |