Degrees Offered
PhD, PhD/MD, PhD/DDS
Program Description
The Doctor of Philosophy program in molecular microbiology and immunology provides training opportunities in a variety of subdisciplines, including tracks in immunology, cancer immunology, bacteriology, virology, parasitology, fungal pathogenesis, microbial genomics, and cell biology. The program emphasizes molecular aspects of host defense and host-pathogen relationships. A rigorous curriculum and advanced research training prepare students for careers in biomedical research. Students accepted into the program receive graduate fellowships or assistantships that consist of an annual stipend, tuition remission, and health insurance.
Program Admission
In addition to meeting the Graduate School’s minimum admission requirements, applicants generally have strong undergraduate training in the biological sciences, chemistry, mathematics, and general physics. The program only admits students for the fall semester.
Information about applying to the program can be found here: Prospective Students
Degree Requirements
Students take required and elective courses in immunology, microbial pathogenesis, virology. Students must maintain a 3.0 GPA to remain in good academic standing. Averages below this will lead to academic probation during which the student must raise their GPA or be dismissed. As a complement to the coursework, all students participate in program or schoolwide seminars, career development workshops, discipline-specific journal clubs, and a research-in-progress student presentation series throughout their time in the program.
Students participate in faculty presentations and each student conducts laboratory rotations to familiarize themselves with prospective research labs. By the end of the first year, students should select a dissertation mentor. Students are required to take an oral qualifying exam and pass a thesis proposal prior to continuing with full-time thesis research. PhD candidates must successfully complete 12 credits of doctoral dissertation research in order to graduate.
Additional information regarding course work can be found here: https://lifesciences.umaryland.edu/microbiology/program-of-study/
Required Courses
Students should consult with program director regarding selection of electives
part of this catalog.