Bachelor's of Science in Microbiology

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Oklahoma State University

Program Overview

The Bachelor of Science in Microbiology at Oklahoma State University provides comprehensive training in microbiology and molecular biology, combining the study of microorganisms with cellular and molecular processes and their applications in biotechnology, medicine, agriculture, and environmental science. It is well suited to students interested in laboratory science, biomedical research, biotechnology, healthcare, or progressing to medical, dental, veterinary, or graduate school, with a 120-credit curriculum that combines foundational sciences, microbiology laboratories, genetics, biochemistry, and advanced microbiology.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: Students establish their scientific foundation through BIOL 1113/1111 or BIOL 1114 Introductory Biology, CHEM 1314 Chemistry I, and MATH 1813 Preparation for Calculus, while beginning practical microbiology through the recommended MICR 1211 First Year Microbiology Laboratory Experience. The spring semester introduces MICR 2123 Introduction to Microbiology and MICR 2132 Introduction to Microbiology Laboratory, giving students their first focused experience with microorganisms and laboratory methods.

Year 2: Students move deeper into cellular processes with MICR 3033 Cell and Molecular Biology, supported by CHEM 1515 Chemistry II and organic chemistry coursework. The curriculum also introduces CHEM 3012 Survey of Organic Chemistry Laboratory alongside PHYS 1114 College Physics I, strengthening the laboratory and scientific foundations needed for advanced microbiology.

Year 3: The program becomes more specialized through MICR 4012 Molecular Microbiology Laboratory I, MICR 4233 Advanced Cell and Molecular Biology, and MICR 4112 Molecular Microbiology Capstone. Students also study MICR 4001 Professional Transitions in Microbiology and Cell and Molecular Biology, BIOC 3653 Survey of Biochemistry or Organic Chemistry II, and BIOL 3023 General Genetics, connecting molecular mechanisms with professional and research applications.

Year 4: Students complete advanced study through MICR 4253 Concepts in Medical Genetics or MICR 4263 Microbial Genetics: From Genes to Genomes, followed by MICR 3223 Advanced Microbiology. Upper-division microbiology and related electives can broaden the degree into areas such as MICR 4023 Microbiomes in Human Health and the Environment, MICR 4123 Virology, MICR 4203 Bioinformatics, MICR 4423 Antibiotics and Antibiotic Resistance, and MICR 4543 Microbial Genomics and Bioinformatics.

Focus areas: Microbiology, cell and molecular biology, genetics, biochemistry, medical microbiology, microbial genomics, bioinformatics, virology, immunology, microbiomes, biotechnology, infectious disease, and antibiotic resistance.

Learning outcomes: Students develop knowledge of microorganisms and their relationships with humans, animals, plants, and the environment, while building laboratory, genetic, biochemical, molecular, and scientific problem-solving skills through experimental coursework and research opportunities.

Professional alignment (accreditation): Oklahoma State University holds institutional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The university's official accreditation information does not list the general B.S. in Microbiology as having a separate professional program accreditation; the university states that area accreditation applies to specific programs where applicable.

Reputation (employability rankings): Oklahoma State University reports recognition in the 2026 QS World University Rankings by Subject across four subject areas, while its official rankings page reports OSU among the top 3% of global universities in the 2025 Center for World University Rankings and a top 40 public university in America in Niche's 2025 ranking. These are university-level indicators rather than rankings specifically for the B.S. in Microbiology.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The BS in Microbiology at Oklahoma State University is designed around practical laboratory training, allowing students to build skills in microbial culture, microscopy, molecular biology, microbial identification, and experimental analysis. Students progress from introductory laboratory work into advanced molecular microbiology and capstone experiences, with opportunities to undertake undergraduate research and, for students pursuing the Medical Laboratory Science option, complete a clinical internship in an affiliated hospital.

Students gain this hands-on experience through several program-specific opportunities:

First-year laboratory experience: MICR 1211 introduces microbiology majors to pure culture techniques, environmental isolates, light microscopy, anaerobic culture techniques, and molecular biology skills during their first year.
Microbiology laboratory: MICR 2132 develops practical skills in laboratory safety, aseptic technique, microscopy, staining, microbial culture, sample collection, isolation and identification of microorganisms, microbial growth, and metabolism.
Molecular microbiology: MICR 4012 provides laboratory training in isolation and enumeration of microorganisms and physiological, biochemical, and molecular characterization of aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms.
Advanced capstone laboratory: MICR 4112 uses nucleic acids, proteins, cell fractionation, cytology, and antigen-antibody reactions for molecular characterization of microorganisms, giving students an advanced laboratory-based culminating experience.
Pathogenic microbiology: MICR 4052 gives students laboratory experience with approaches used to study, characterize, and identify bacteria involved in pathogenesis.
Bioinformatics and genomics: Students can choose courses such as MICR 4203 Bioinformatics and MICR 4543 Microbial Genomics and Bioinformatics, connecting microbiology with computational analysis of biological data.
Undergraduate research: The BS curriculum allows research-based options including BIOC 4990 Undergraduate Research and BIOL 4700 Undergraduate Research Problems, while departmental honors students can complete a faculty-directed research project resulting in a written report.
Clinical internship: Students following the Medical Laboratory Science option complete a one-year clinical internship through a program accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science (NAACLS), with affiliated sites including Comanche County Memorial Hospital, St. Francis Hospital, Mercy Hospital Ada, and Mercy Hospital Ardmore.
Research environment: Oklahoma State reports more than 990 faculty and staff conducting research and 30 research centers and institutions, providing opportunities for undergraduate students to participate in hands-on research.
Biological instrumentation: Related laboratory training at OSU includes hands-on use of liquid-handling systems, pH/ISE meters, electrophoresis equipment, microcontrollers, spectrophotometers, centrifuges, chromatography systems, thermocyclers, and DNA sequencers.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The Bachelor of Science in Microbiology at Oklahoma State University provides a strong foundation for careers across medical laboratories, biotechnology, food science, environmental microbiology, research, healthcare, and government. The program also prepares students for professional pathways such as medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, and graduate study, with OSU specifically identifying roles such as microbiologist, medical laboratory technologist, biotech research scientist, food microbiologist, and environmental microbiologist.

Career and Employment Opportunities:

Career Services: OSU’s College of Arts and Sciences Career Services provides degree-specific career connections for Microbiology students, helping students connect with jobs and internships; resources include courses and internships, presentations, and career resources. The Microbiology department also works with Career Services to help students compete for internships with nonprofit organizations, government offices, and private or public businesses.
Typical job roles: Graduates can pursue roles such as microbiologist, quality control analyst, medical laboratory technologist, biotech research scientist, environmental microbiologist, food microbiologist, and public health microbiologist.
Employment statistics: OSU states that employment opportunities for microbiologists have historically been strong and that graduates find employment in medicine, healthcare, medical laboratories, teaching, research, industry, and government. A specific overall employment rate for the standard B.S. Microbiology program is not stated by the university.
Salary figures: A program-specific graduate salary figure or median salary is not stated on the official OSU Microbiology sources reviewed.
University–industry and professional connections: Students can pursue internships through OSU Career Services with nonprofit, government, and private/public businesses, while the department also connects students with professional development opportunities such as NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REUs) and its student chapter of the American Society for Microbiology.
Medical laboratory pathway: Students selecting the Medical Laboratory Science option can complete clinical training through a one-year internship at a NAACLS-approved clinical facility, with OSU identifying affiliated opportunities including Comanche County Memorial Hospital, St. Francis Hospital, Mercy Hospital in Ada, and Mercy Hospital in Ardmore. OSU states that students completing the Microbiology/Cell and Molecular Biology MLS option have a 100% employment rate upon graduation; this figure applies specifically to the MLS option, not the standard B.S. Microbiology pathway.
Accreditation value: Oklahoma State University holds institutional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), which OSU describes as a recognized quality-assurance process for degree-granting institutions. OSU also maintains more than 95 area accreditations across various fields, although the university does not identify a separate professional accreditation for the standard B.S. Microbiology program.
Graduation outcomes: Graduates can enter employment in research, healthcare, medical laboratories, industry, government, food science, and environmental fields, or use the degree as preparation for medical, dental, veterinary, or graduate school.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the bachelor’s degree, students can continue into OSU’s M.S. in Microbiology and Cell and Molecular Biology, including a research-focused option, a non-thesis option, or the accelerated 4+1 M.S. pathway available to eligible undergraduate Microbiology majors. Students seeking advanced research or academic careers can progress to OSU’s Ph.D. in Microbiology and Cell and Molecular Biology, with research areas including host-pathogen interactions, immunology, environmental microbiology, human microbiome, photosynthesis, biophysics, and cellular signaling.