Microbiology
Major Requirements
Major: Microbiology
Degree Type: B.S.
Minimum Degree Credits to Graduate: 120
University Degree Requirements
- Satisfactory completion of all requirements of the curriculum in which one is enrolled.
- Earn a minimum total of 120 credits in approved coursework. Some academic programs exceed this minimum.
- Satisfactory completion of the general education requirements as specified by the university.
- A minimum institutional GPA of 2.00 based on work taken at NDSU.
- At least 30 credits must be NDSU resident credits. Resident credits include credits registered and paid for at NDSU.
- At least 36 credits presented for graduation must be in courses numbered 300 or higher.
- Students presenting transfer credit must meet the NDSU residence credits and the minimum upper level credit. Of the 30 credits earned in residence, a minimum of 15 semester credits must be in courses numbered 300 or above, and 15 semester credits must be in the student’s curricula for their declared major.
For complete information, please refer to the Degree and Graduation Requirements section of this Bulletin.
University General Education Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Communication (C) | 12 | |
| College Composition I | ||
| College Composition II | ||
| Fundamentals of Public Speaking | ||
Upper Division Writing † | ||
| Quantitative Reasoning (R) † | 3 | |
| Science and Technology (S) † | 10 | |
| Humanities and Fine Arts (A) † | 6 | |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences (B) † | 6 | |
| Wellness (W) † | 2 | |
| Cultural Diversity (D) *† | ||
| Global Perspectives (G) *† | ||
| Total Credits | 39 | |
- *
May be satisfied by completing courses in another General Education category.
- †
General education courses may be used to satisfy requirements for both general education and the major, minor, and program emphases, where applicable. Students should carefully review major requirements to determine if specific courses can also satisfy these general education categories.
- A list of university approved general education courses and administrative policies are available here.
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Microbiology Core Courses | ||
| MICR 189 | Skills for Academic Success 1, 3 | 1 |
| MICR 350 & 350L | General Microbiology and General Microbiology Lab 3 | 5 |
| MICR 352 & 352L | Critical Skills in Microbiology and Critical Skills in Microbiology Laboratory Research 3 | 5 |
| MICR 452 | Microbial Ecology 3,4 | 3 |
| MICR 470 | Basic Immunology 3,4 | 3 |
| MICR 475 | Virology 3,4 | 3 |
| MICR 480 | Microbial Physiology 3,4 | 3 |
| MICR 482 | Microbial Genetics 3,4 | 3 |
| MICR 485 | Capstone Experience in Microbiology I: Reflecting and Planning 2, 3 | 1 |
| or HON 491 | Seminar | |
| MICR 486 | Capstone Experience in Microbiology II: Reflection and Dissemination 2, 3 | 1 |
| or HON 489 | Senior Thesis | |
| Laboratory Course 3 | ||
| Select one from the following: | 2-3 | |
| Methods of Recombinant DNA Technology | ||
| Animal Cell Culture Techniques 4 | ||
| Microbial Pathogenesis Laboratory 4 | ||
| Immunology and Serology Laboratory 4 | ||
| Capstone Experience 3 | ||
| Capstone Experience must include a minimum of 2 credits from the following: | 2 | |
| Undergraduate Research | ||
| Field Experience | ||
| FE/Coop Ed/Internship | ||
| Microbiology Electives 3 | ||
| Select from the following: | 8 | |
| Study Tour Abroad (No more than 3 credits) | ||
or MICR 492 | Study Abroad | |
| Individual Study (No more than 3 credits) | ||
| Food Microbiology 4 | ||
| Microbial Pathogenesis 4 | ||
| Clinical Parasitology 4 | ||
| Microbial Genomics with Computational Laboratory 4 | ||
| Seminar (No more than 3 credits) | ||
| Cellular Signal Transduction Processes and Metabolic Regulation 4 | ||
| Molecular Biology of Gene Expression | ||
| Evolution | ||
| Cell Biology | ||
| Hematology | ||
| Epidemiology 4 | ||
| Diseases Of Field and Forage Crops 4 | ||
| Fungal Biology 4 | ||
| Intermediate Genetics 4 | ||
| Soil Ecology | ||
| BIOC 461 | Foundations of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II | 3 |
| BIOC 460 | Foundations of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I | 3 |
| BIOL 150 & 150L | General Biology I and General Biology I Laboratory | 4 |
| BIOL 151 & 151L | General Biology II and General Biology II Laboratory | 4 |
| CHEM 121 & 121L | General Chemistry I and General Chemistry I Laboratory | 4 |
| CHEM 122 & 122L | General Chemistry II and General Chemistry II Laboratory | 4 |
| CHEM 341 & 341L | Organic Chemistry I and Organic Chemistry I Laboratory | 4 |
| CHEM 342 | Organic Chemistry II | 3 |
| PHYS 211 & 211L | College Physics I and College Physics I Laboratory | 4 |
| PHYS 212 & 212L | College Physics II and College Physics II Laboratory | 4 |
| PLSC 315 & 315L | Genetics and Genetics Laboratory | 4 |
| STAT 330 | Introductory Statistics | 3 |
| Select one philosophy course from the following: | 3 | |
| Professional Responsibility and Ethics | ||
| Ethics | ||
| Contemporary Moral Issues | ||
| Business Ethics | ||
| Environmental Ethics | ||
| Ethics, Engineering, and Technology | ||
| Select one of the following or higher level math: | 3-4 | |
| Trigonometry | ||
| Precalculus | ||
| Applied Calculus I | ||
| Total Credits | 90-91 | |
- 1
MICR189 is only required for first-time, first-year students--A first-time, first-year student is defined as a student who has not yet completed a college course as a college student. Students that are not first-time, first-year students that either transfer into the university or change their major are not required to take MICR189.
- 2
Students can substitute HON 491 for Seminar and HON 489 for Senior Thesis.
- 3
Course requires a grade of C or better.
- 4
Courses offered at the 600 level can be used in the B.S./M.S. accelerated program. The 600 level courses have additional outcomes/requirements for graduate level students. When students complete and submit the Accelerated Declaration form, the courses must be identified and no more than 15 credits of graduate coursework can be counted toward the B.S. degree.
Degree Requirements and Notes
- A cumulative 2.50 GPA is required for graduation in the B.S. degree program. Additional GPA stipulations are required for the B.S./M.S. accelerated programs.
Accelerated Undergraduate to Master's Degree Programs
- Students may participate in an accelerated program in the following areas:
- B.S. Microbiology to Master of Science in Microbiology
- B.S. Microbiology to Master of Public Health
- Instructions to apply and a sample 5-year plan for interested students can be found on the department website.
- Students may complete a thesis-based or comprehensive study-based masters program. Outcomes of these master's programs can be found here.
Minor Requirements
Minor: Microbiology
Required Credits: 16
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| MICR 350 & 350L | General Microbiology and General Microbiology Lab | 5 |
| Elective Courses: Select 11 credits from the following: | 11 | |
| No more than 3 credits may come from courses numbered 491-499 to fulfill this requirement. | ||
| Critical Skills in Microbiology | ||
| Study Tour Abroad | ||
| Animal Cell Culture Techniques | ||
| Microbial Ecology | ||
| Food Microbiology | ||
| Microbial Pathogenesis | ||
| Microbial Pathogenesis Laboratory | ||
| Clinical Parasitology | ||
| Basic Immunology | ||
| Immunology and Serology Laboratory | ||
| Epidemiology | ||
| Virology | ||
| Microbial Physiology | ||
| Microbial Genomics with Computational Laboratory | ||
| Microbial Genetics | ||
| Seminar | ||
| Individual Study | ||
| Field Experience | ||
| Special Topics | ||
| Total Credits | 16 | |
Minor Requirements and Notes
- A minimum of 8 credits must be taken at NDSU.
- Students must earn a 2.50 minimum GPA for the minor with a grade of ‘C’ or better in the courses used to satisfy the minor requirements.