BA Biological Sciences – Microbiology Specialization

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Chicago

Program Overview

The BA in Biological Sciences – Microbiology Specialization at the University of Chicago provides broad training in biology while allowing students to focus their upper-level study on microorganisms, bacterial disease, virology, and host–microbe interactions. It suits students interested in biological research, microbiology, healthcare, biotechnology, or further study, with opportunities for research, internships, Microbiology seminars, and study at the Marine Biological Laboratory and Paris campuses.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: Students establish their scientific foundation through Biological Sciences fundamentals alongside chemistry and mathematics requirements. Relevant preparation can include BIOS 20153 Fundamentals of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, BIOS 20151 Introduction to Quantitative Modeling in Biology, or the BIOS 20234–20236 Advanced Biology Fundamentals Sequence, together with CHEM 10100–10200 Introductory General Chemistry I–II and calculus.

Year 2: Students build deeper knowledge across biological systems while completing the chemistry, mathematics, and physics requirements of the Biology Track. Core preparation includes subjects such as BIOS 20234 Molecular Biology of the Cell, BIOS 20235 Biological Systems, and BIOS 20236 Biological Dynamics, establishing the foundation for advanced microbiology study.

Year 3: Students can begin the Microbiology specialization sequence, which the university encourages students to start in Autumn Quarter of the third year. The required specialization courses are BIOS 25206 Fundamentals of Bacteriology, BIOS 25216 Molecular Basis of Bacterial Disease, and BIOS 25287 Introduction to Virology, providing focused study of bacterial diversity, disease mechanisms, and viruses.

Year 4: Students complete the Microbiology specialization through two additional electives or an approved research project while completing the remaining upper-level Biological Sciences requirements. Elective options include BIOS 25207 Fundamentals and Applications of the Human Microbiota, BIOS 25260 Host Pathogen Interactions, GEOS 26650 Environmental Microbiology, and BIOS 27720 Microbiomes Across Environments; students are also encouraged to undertake guided research and participate in the Microbiology Seminar series.

Focus Areas: Bacteriology, bacterial disease, virology, human microbiota, immunobiology, host–pathogen interactions, environmental microbiology, microbiomes, and microbiological research.

Learning Outcomes: Scientific reasoning, biological research, experimental analysis, understanding of microbial systems, evaluation of biological evidence, and application of biological knowledge to questions involving health, disease, and the environment.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation): The University of Chicago officially lists Biological Sciences as a BA/BS program, with the Microbiology Specialization recognized on the student's transcript; the official program information does not state a separate professional accreditation specifically for this specialization.

Reputation (Employability Rankings): The official University of Chicago program sources emphasize the institution's research environment and preparation for careers in health professions, academic and industry research, education, and health-related policy; an official UChicago source does not publish a current QS or Guardian employability ranking specifically for this Biological Sciences specialization.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The BA in Biological Sciences with a Microbiology Specialization gives students direct exposure to experimental biology through research-focused coursework, laboratory experiences, and opportunities to work with UChicago faculty researchers. The Microbiology specialization specifically encourages students to carry out individual guided research, participate in the honors research program, and attend the Microbiology Seminar series.

Experiential opportunities include:

Microbiology Laboratory Skills: Microbiology-focused coursework provides exposure to experimental approaches and microbiological techniques, while the broader Biological Sciences curriculum emphasizes scientific reasoning, research, and discovery.
Individual Guided Research: Microbiology specialization students are specifically encouraged to undertake individual guided research, giving them experience working on scientific questions under faculty supervision.
Microbiology Seminar Series: Students are encouraged to attend the Microbiology Seminar series, connecting their coursework with current research and scientific discussions.
Research Laboratories: The University of Chicago's Department of Microbiology conducts research on bacteria and viruses including Bacillus, Clostridium, Enterococcus, Klebsiella, Listeria, Mycobacterium, Staphylococcus, Yersinia, hepatitis C, dengue, SARS-CoV-2, Zika, retroviruses, and arenaviruses.
Microbiome Research: Students can study the biological relationship between microbes and human health through UChicago research involving the microbiome, including collaborations with the Duchossois Family Institute, the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, and UChicago Medicine.
Summer Laboratory Research: The Biological Sciences Collegiate Division offers summer fellowships for first- and second-year Biological Sciences undergraduates to conduct research in University of Chicago campus laboratories; the program can include biological/ecological field research.
Internships: Biological Sciences students pursue internships with organizations including national laboratories, biotechnology organizations, museums, zoos, aquariums, legal firms, and nonprofits, gaining experience relevant to research, pharmaceuticals, environmental work, conservation, and STEM education.
Marine Biological Laboratory: UChicago students can take hands-on biology courses at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, including the Quarter in Biological Discovery, September Courses, Semester in Environmental Science, and Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships.
Research Honors: Students pursuing Biological Sciences Research Honors can undertake original research, typically in a laboratory setting, leading to an in-depth research thesis and presentation at the annual University of Chicago Undergraduate Research Symposium.
BS Research Option: Although the program specified is the BA, students interested in deeper research training can pursue the BS pathway, which includes BIOS 28900 Undergraduate Bachelor of Science Research and a research-based BS thesis.
Career & Internship Support: Career Advancement provides Biological Sciences advising through UChicago Handshake and connects students with research, internship, professional-development, and employer opportunities in biological and biomedical fields.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The BA in Biological Sciences with a Microbiology Specialization can prepare students for careers across life sciences, healthcare, clinical research, biotechnology, and scientific research. The University of Chicago specifically highlights research, healthcare, industry, education, and health-related policy as possible directions for Biological Sciences graduates.

Typical Job Roles: Research Assistant, Clinical Research Coordinator, Biologist, Laboratory Manager.

Career Support & Employer Access:

Career Advancement: Provides personalized career advising, resume and interview support, networking guidance, internships, treks, and job opportunities to help students transition from university to employment.
Biological Sciences Advising: Students can receive specialized career advising through UChicago Handshake and access biological-sciences career resources, internships, and professional-development opportunities.
Industry Recruiting: The Life Sciences Employer Expo and STEM Career Fair connect students with employers across life sciences, biotechnology, healthcare, and related STEM industries.
Employer Network: UChicago's Biological Sciences career programs identify employers such as AbbVie, Biogen, Genentech, Ginkgo Bioworks, Illumina, Moderna, NIH, Pfizer, and Tempus.

Employment & Salary Outcomes:

Post-College Offers: 98% of the UChicago Class of 2026 was expected to receive a post-college offer by graduation, including employment and graduate-school opportunities.
Employment Offers: For the Class of 2025, 71% of students receiving post-college offers received employment offers, while 29% received graduate-school offers.
Biologist Salary: UChicago Career Advancement lists a median entry-level salary of $42,320 for Biologist positions.
Research Assistant Salary: The university lists a median entry-level salary of $50,902 for Research Assistant positions.
Laboratory Manager Salary: The university lists a median entry-level salary of $49,523 for Laboratory Manager positions.
Research Scientist Salary: UChicago lists a median entry-level salary of $75,735 for Research Scientist positions, while noting that advanced degrees may be required for some research-science pathways.

University–Industry Connections: UChicago's Biological Sciences career programs provide access to life-sciences employers including AbbVie, Biogen, Genentech, Ginkgo Bioworks, Illumina, Moderna, Pfizer, and Tempus, while Career Advancement partners with employers ranging from nonprofits to multinational organizations.

Microbiology Experience: Students following the Microbiology Specialization can combine focused biological-science study with UChicago research and internship opportunities. The Biological Sciences curriculum emphasizes scientific reasoning, research, and discovery, providing preparation for careers in academic or industry research and healthcare.

Accreditation Value: The University of Chicago's official Biological Sciences materials do not state a separate professional accreditation specifically for the BA in Biological Sciences – Microbiology Specialization. The specialization is recognized on the student's transcript as part of the Biological Sciences major.

Graduation Outcomes: UChicago graduates progress into employment, graduate study, professional schools, and research-oriented careers. For the Class of 2026, the university reports offers from organizations including the National Institutes of Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Argonne National Laboratory, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the BA, students can continue into graduate and professional education in areas such as biological sciences, microbiology, biomedical sciences, public health, medicine, and other life-science disciplines. UChicago reports that its Biological Sciences students use research and internship experiences to prepare for graduate programs and professional schools, and its Class of 2026 graduates received offers from institutions including Harvard, Johns Hopkins, MIT, Princeton, Stanford, Cambridge, Oxford, and the University of Chicago.