Home » Program » Biology, Microbiology Concentration, B.S.

Biology, Microbiology Concentration, B.S.

The College of Behavioral and Health Sciences at MTSU offers a Bachelor of Science in Biology, Microbiology Concentration.  Students in the biology microbiology concentration learn about microbes (microorganisms), including viruses, bacteria, fungi, algae, and protists. The microbiology study concentration uncovers the unique features of microbes, how to grow and identify microbes, and the impact of microbes on the health of humans and the environment. The tools of a microbiologist include microscopy, cell culture, and molecular biology techniques. A Microbiologist can work in a variety of fields, including basic research, environmental science, food production, and medicine. They work in universities, hospitals, for private companies, and government agencies. Many microbiology degree graduates are employed as research assistants in these fields. The microbiology concentration is an excellent preparatory concentration for students interested in health professional fields and clinical laboratory science. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is microbiology?

Microbiology is the study of microbes. Microbes, also called microorganisms, are a group of diverse cellular organisms and noncellular entities that are too small to be seen with the naked eye. Microbes include bacteria, archaea, fungi, protists, viruses, and other subviral particles. Microbiology explores the structures, functions, and genetics of microbes, as well as how microbes interact with their diverse environments and how they impact us, our ecosystems and health.  their structures, functions, genetics, and how they interact with the world, impacting everything from human health to global ecosystems.

What can you do with a microbiology degree?

A microbiology degree can prepare you for diverse career paths, including entry into graduate school or professional programs such as in medicine or pharmacy. With a microbiology degree, you can also seek careers in research, healthcare, industry/biotechnology, biosafety, environmental, and government sectors.  In research fields, you may be seeking answers for questions such as "Which microbes help keep the human body healthy?" or "Can this microbe be used to clean up pollution?"  Healthcare careers may depend upon your level of education, but with a college degree you can seek a career as a clinical laboratory technician or a public health scientist. Industrial microbiologists (or microbial biotechnologists) work on diverse problems. Their careers may involve discovering new drugs produced by microbes or they may use biotechnology to engineer microbes to produce novel molecules that can be used for disease treatment or as new food products. With a degree in Microbiology, you can work as a food safety or food quality microbiologist.  A biosafety professional is a microbiologist trained to prevent employees form being injured or infected on the job by ensuring that all laboratory work is performed safely and follows federal, state and local regulations. Biosafety professionals work in many different job sectors including education, government, healthcare, and industry.  Environmental microbiologists study the ecology of microbes, or microbes that live in unusual environments, which may lead to new knowledge of organisms with that can degrade pollutants or allow the bioengineering of microbes to solve problems related to pollution. Some environmental microbiologists are involved in processes such as drinking water safety and wastewater treatment. Government agencies hire microbiologists at national, state, and local levels to assist with education, public health, and environmental monitoring.

What jobs can you get with a microbiology degree?

As a graduate with an undergraduate degree in Microbiology, students can obtain jobs in healthcare working in entry level positions as a medical lab scientist or technician in a research lab. Some students obtain jobs in industry, where they test food or cosmetic products for microbial contamination. Students in these entry level positions use culture and molecular techniques to detect microbes. Jobs are also available in public health laboratories where new graduates assist with detection of pathogens in human and animal samples. Graduates can also obtain entry level positions in environmental testing, such as for contamination of soil or water by microbes or ensuring that our drinking water is safe.

What is the difference between microbiology and molecular biology?

The coursework for both concentrations in Biology is similar. Students in microbiology will focus on understanding microbes at the organismal and structural levels, as well as their impacts on health of other organisms and the environment. Molecular biology focuses on life at the biochemical level, primarily studying cellular DNA, RNA, and proteins, including their structure, function and biological interaction within cells.