Welcome to the Molecular Microbiology and Immunology PhD Program
The MMI PhD program offers a structured curriculum plus extensive mentoring and support to help students complete their degree in five years. The program has sufficient flexibility that students can pursue a course of study tailored to their research interests.
Year 1 Curriculum
Fall Semester |
Spring Semester |
- Genes, Microbes and Disease (3 SCH)
- Principles of Immunology (3 SCH)
- Immunology QE (1 SCH)
- Rotation - Doctoral Research (2 SCH)
- Elective (3 SCH)
|
- Principles of Microbiology (3 SCH)
- Microbiology QE (1 SCH)
- Rotation - Doctoral Research (2 SCH)
- Elective (3 SCH)
- Elective (3 SCH)
|
- Written Qualifying Requirement to be completed by May 30
- Select a Dissertation Laboratory and assemble Dissertation Committee by August 20
- Professional and Leadership Development activities
- Summer Semesters - Doctoral Research (1 SCH)
|
Year 2 Curriculum
Fall Semester |
Spring Semester |
- Principles of Scientific Writing (3 SCH)
- Elective (3 SCH)
- Doctoral Research (3 SCH)
- Colloquium (1 SCH)
|
- Teaching in Life Sciences (3 SCH)
- Elective (3 SCH)
- Doctoral Research (3 SCH)
- Colloquium (1 SCH)
|
- Oral Qualifying Requirement to be completed by May 30
- Submit Dissertation Proposal as application for extramural funding
- Professional and Leadership Development activities
- Summer Semesters - Dissertation Research (1 SCH)
|
Year 3 Curriculum
Fall Semester |
Spring Semester |
- Doctoral Dissertation (2 SCH)
- Doctoral Dissertation (3 SCH)
- Doctoral Dissertation (3 SCH)
- Colloquium (1 SCH)
|
- Doctoral Dissertation (2 SCH)
- Doctoral Dissertation (3 SCH)
- Doctoral Dissertation (3 SCH)
- Colloquium (1 SCH)
|
- Dissertation Committee meetings every 6 months
- Manuscript submission/publication
- Professional and Leadership Development activities
- Summer Semesters - Dissertation Research (1 SCH)
|
Year 4/5 Curriculum
Fall Semester |
Spring Semester |
- Doctoral Dissertation (2 SCH)
- Doctoral Dissertation (3 SCH)
- Doctoral Dissertation (3 SCH)
- Colloquium (1 SCH)
|
- Doctoral Dissertation (2 SCH)
- Doctoral Dissertation (3 SCH)
- Doctoral Dissertation (3 SCH)
- Colloquium (1 SCH)
|
- Dissertation Committee meetings every 6 months – Oral Presentations
- Full-length departmental seminar
- Manuscript submission/publication (2-3)
- Professional and Leadership Development activities
- Summer Semesters - Dissertation Research (1 SCH)
- Defend dissertation
- Graduate with a doctoral degree
|
Prescribed Elective
- MMI 6803 – Advanced Immunology
- MMI 6643 – Introduction to Bioinformatics
- MMI 6513 – Drug Development
- MMI 6323 – Biostatistics
- MMI 6883 – Bacterial Pathogenesis
- MMI 6733 – Advanced Medical Mycology
- MMI 6743 – Advanced Virology
- MMI 6363 – Microbial Genetics
- MMI 6973 – Comparative Genomics
- MMI 6923 – Advanced Microbial Bioinformatics
- MMI 6613 – Introduction to Clinical Medicine and Pathology
- MMI 6713 – Advanced Clinical Medicine and Pathology
and more...
Elective Colloquia
- MMI 7041 – Microbiology
- MMI 7041 – Immunology
- MMI 7041 – Vector-Borne Diseases
- MMI 7041 – Biofilms
- MMI 7041 – Virology