MICROBIOLOGY/IMMUNOLOGY OPTION College of Science, Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences, Microbiology/Immunology Option

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1 MICROBIOLOGY/IMMUNOLOGY OPTION College of Science, Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences, Microbiology/Immunology Option As a student working toward the B. S. degree in Biological Sciences, you may find that the sciences of Microbiology and Immunology have special appeal for you. If this is true, there are many microbiology and immunology courses within the Department of Biological Sciences that will be of interest to you and which will help to prepare you for a career within this field. Indeed, Virginia Tech is the only institution of higher learning in the State of Virginia that has an undergraduate Microbiology/Immunology program. It is important that you realize that to prepare yourself adequately and to be competitive in today's job market, it is necessary that you go beyond the introductory courses (BIOL 2604-General Microbiology and BIOL 2614-General Microbiology Laboratory). To help you select those courses which will be of greatest value to you in preparing for a career in microbiology, we have prepared a specific program of study as outlined on the curriculum checksheet. This program is designed mainly for those students who wish to find employment in the Microbiology/Biotechnology industry and for those who plan to pursue graduate study in Microbiology. However, completion of the Option in Microbiology/Immunology will also provide a strong background for those who plan to enter the public health, medical, or veterinary fields. Finally, while participation in undergraduate research (BIOL 4994) is not a requirement for the Biological Sciences major nor the Option in Microbiology/Immunology, it is often one of the greatest factors in determining who obtains a particular position in graduate school and industry. All Biological Sciences students are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity. What you need to do to obtain the Option in Microbiology/Immunology: (1) Take BIOL 2604-General Microbiology and BIOL 2614-General Microbiology and earn a C or better grade in both classes. (2) Sign up for the option by filling out the option request form in the Department of Biological Sciences undergraduate office (Derring 2089). (When you sign up for the option, you should request that one of the Micro Option advisors become your Major Advisor, so that you can be certain to get up-to-date information as you complete the option!) (3) Follow the indicated course requirements. (4) Should you elect to drop or not complete the option fill out the option incompletion form in the Department of Biological Sciences Undergraduate office (Derring 2089). (5) A student wishing to graduate in the Micro option must go to Hokie SPA > Degree Menu > Undergraduate Student Degree Menu > Application for Degree and complete the form. Students are encouraged to apply for her or his degree upon reaching junior standing (60 credit hours).

2 Courses required for the Microbiology/Immunology Option (F= fall course; S=spring course) 1. BIOL 2604-General Microbiology (F and S) and BIOL 2614-General Microbiology Laboratory (F and S) 2. BIOL 4624-Microbial Genetics (F) 3. BIOL 4634-Microbial Physiology (S) 4. Complete one of the following: BIOL 4644-Microbial Molecular Genetics and Physiology Lab (S) OR BIOL 3774-Molecular Biology (S) and BIOL 2984/3104*-Cell and Molecular Biology Lab (F and S) 5. Complete three Microbiology/Immunology electives from the following list: at least one must be from the first two lines and two must have lab components. BIOL 4674-Pathogenic Bacteriology (F) and BIOL 4724-Pathogenic Bacteriology Lab (F) BIOL 4704-Immunology (F and S) and BIOL 4714-Immunology Lab (S) BIOL 3454 BIOL 4075* BIOL 4164 BIOL 4604 BIOL 4644 BIOL 4664 BIOL 4734 BIOL 4984* BIOL 4804 FST 4634* PPWS 4114* Introductory Parasitology (Lab included in course) (F) Bioinformatics Methods (Lab included in course) (S) Environmental Microbiology (Lab included in course) (S) Food Microbiology (Lab included in course) (S) Microbial Molecular Genetics and Physiology Lab (S) Virology (F) Inflammation Biology (S) Research Methods in Molecular Biology Lab (S) Prokaryotic Diversity (F) Epidemiology of Foodborne and Waterborne Diseases (S) Microbe Forensics/Biosecurity (F) * indicates that a course substitution request must be processed until these become permanent courses in the Micro option You should also consider taking BIOL 4764, Microbiology Senior Seminar (F), if your schedule permits it.

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