The University of California Berkeley (UCB), which ranked first in U.S. News' list of schools for microbiology, offers four types of microbiology degrees: an undergraduate microbiology degree as well as three graduate microbiology programs in infectious disease and immunity, and molecular and cell biology. The undergraduate microbiology program at UCB boasts a competitive setting, with majors interested in medical school, government work, and education. This major requires 120 credits hours of courses that include biochemistry, genomics, molecular biology, and physics.
Located in Ann Arbor, this branch of the University of Michigan (UMAA) ranks second on U.S. News' list of colleges that offer microbiology as a major. UMAA readies students who study microbiology for medical, industrial, or governmental laboratory environments with its four-year bachelor's degree program. It also prepares undergraduates for further education by requiring those who intend to enter graduate school to complete two terms of research experience.
The University of California San Diego (UCSD), which ranked third in U.S. News' list of schools with a microbiology major, offers an undergraduate program specializing in microbiology that's designed to prepare students for graduate school or health-related careers. UCSD requires students in this concentration to take more than 20 specialized courses, including molecular pathology, stem cell biology, and histopathology. The faculty encourages students to enter into internships and submit honors theses during the course of their studies.
The University of California Davis (UCD), number four on the U.S. News list, offers undergraduate degrees (B.S. or A.B.) and a graduate program in microbiology. UCD encourages students to develop careers in agriculture, biotechnology, ecology, medicine, and veterinary science. The B.S. degree requires up to 120 credit hours in specialized courses such as cellular biology, immunology, food science and statistics, while the A.B. requires up to 101.