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