Microbiology provides the basis for modern research in a number of disciplines, including epidemiology, genetics, agriculture and industrial food preparation. There is wide scope for new microbiologists to impact the field: a 1995 study in "Microbiological Review" estimated that only about 1 percent of the world's microorganisms have been identified. Educational programs emphasize many different specializations. The training of a medical microbiologist includes human physiology and pathogens, for example, while an industrial microbiologist might learn about microbial phylogenetics or food microbiology.
Undergraduate programs in microbiology are designed to give students a basic scientific foundation for their specialized studies. Microbiology majors take a selection of core courses recommended by the American Society for Microbiology (ASM), such as those listed on the website of the Iowa State University microbiology program (see Resources). Students with specific interests can choose electives in fields such as food safety, genetics or epidemiology. A bachelor's degree in microbiology is adequate for many careers in the field, or can provide the foundation for specialized graduate or postgraduate work.
Graduate programs in microbiology are more specialized. At this level students who already are educated in the basics of science and microbiology become expert in a specific field. Medical microbiology alone offers a range of specialties including immunology, virology, epidemiology, oncology and microbial pathogenesis. Non-medical specialties include environmental, agricultural, industrial and food microbiology. Many graduate programs prepare students for teaching or research careers. The University of California Riverside graduate curriculum, for example, offers emphases in microbial pathogenesis, cellular and molecular microbiology (see Resources).
Postgraduate training puts microbiologists at the very forefront of their field. Typically it requires an additional two years of study. Postgraduate study equips the microbiologist to excel either in the front lines of research, or at the highest level of leadership within the profession. The American School of Microbiology's Committee on Postgraduate Educational Programs (CPEP), for example, provides accreditation to schools offering postgraduate programs in the fields of medical microbiology and immunology. One such CPEP-accredited program is offered at the Mayo Clinic (see Resources).