To get into a microbiology bachelor's degree program, students must have a high school diploma or GED and may have to submit standardized test scores and transcripts. Some schools offer a biology bachelor's degree program with a concentration in microbiology as well, according to Ball State University in Indiana. A four-year microbiology degree program is very research-intensive and combines studies of microbiology with studies of regular biology, chemistry and physics, as reported by Brigham Young University in Utah. To prepare for this type of program, students should take high school courses in math, in computers and in the sciences such as physics and chemistry, according to Bowling Green State University in Ohio.
Students in a bachelor's degree program in microbiology must take lecture and laboratory classes on subjects such as biology, physiology, immunology, physics, biochemistry, bacteriology, microbial ecology and microbial genetics. A pathogenic bacteriology class covers morphology and lab techniques for culturing, isolating and identifying bacteria. Meanwhile, immunology-virology courses cover the immune system, the variety of immune responses, immune-regulation and virus characteristics. Students also learn about virus/host interactions and diagnosis of viral infections. Applied microbiology courses teach students about microorganisms that are beneficial or detrimental to changes in foods such as milk or milk products along with industrial fermentations. A medical mycology course in a bachelor's degree program in microbiology further emphasizes a study of fungi with a focus on pathogenic forms. Classes cover the many specializations of microbiology, which additionally might include environmental microbiology, bioinformatics and agricultural microbiology.
Usually bachelor's degree programs in microbiology require or allow students to complete an internship. A paid or non-paid internship gives students a chance to apply what they learned in the classroom to a real-world situation. Students can look for microbiology internships at food and pharmaceutical companies as well as government or hospital laboratories. Through internships, students have the opportunity to network with professionals in the field and gain experience that might be helpful if they're interested in pursuing graduate school studies in microbiology or other fields such as medicine or dentistry. Students can contact their school's career center for help in locating internship sites. These internships can be full-time or part-time and usually take place during the summer following a student's junior year or during an academic year. Some schools might require students to complete an internship application form, complete a personal interview and/or have a certain cumulative grade point average for microbiology/biology courses. Students also might have the opportunity to perform microbiology laboratory research with professors.