B.S. in Cell and Molecular Biology

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Texas Tech University

Program Overview

The B.S. in Microbiology at Texas Tech University is a 120-credit, four-year program focused on microorganisms and their effects on living organisms, including bacteria, fungi, viruses, and other microbes. It suits students interested in laboratory science, infectious disease, biotechnology, medicine, or research, with intensive study across microbiology, biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: Students build their scientific foundation through BIOL 1403 Biology I, CHEM 1307 Principles of Chemistry I, CHEM 1107 Experimental Principles of Chemistry I, followed by BIOL 1404 Biology II and CHEM 1308 Principles of Chemistry II. The first year establishes core knowledge in biology and chemistry that supports the more specialized microbiology coursework later in the degree.

Year 2: Students progress into the core science sequence with courses such as MBIO 3401 Principles of Microbiology, alongside required organic chemistry, physics, mathematics, and upper-level biological sciences. This stage begins the focused study of microorganisms while strengthening the chemistry and quantitative skills needed for microbiological analysis.

Year 3: Students move deeper into specialized microbiology through options such as MBIO 4303 Physiology of Bacteria, MBIO 4310 Introduction to Virology, MBIO 4401 Microbial Ecology, and MBIO 4402 Immunology and Serology. Students select multiple 3000- and 4000-level biological sciences courses, allowing them to develop interests in areas such as microbial physiology, viruses, ecology, immunology, and related biological sciences.

Year 4: Advanced study continues through 4000-level microbiology options such as MBIO 4403, MBIO 4404, MBIO 4406, and other approved biological sciences courses, while students complete the remaining requirements for the 39-hour biological-sciences component of the major. The program can also provide a pathway into research or professional study, with Texas Tech offering an accelerated Microbiology B.S./M.S. option for eligible high-achieving students.

Focus areas: Microorganisms, bacteria, fungi, viruses, microbial physiology, virology, immunology, microbial ecology, infectious diseases, bioinformatics, comparative genomics, microbial metagenomics, microbiomes, viral evolution.

Learning outcomes: Students develop knowledge of microorganisms and their interactions with living systems while building laboratory, scientific analysis, critical-thinking, and research skills relevant to microbiology and related biological sciences.

Professional alignment (accreditation): The official Texas Tech sources identify the program as a B.S. in Microbiology within the Department of Biological Sciences; a specific professional accreditation for the undergraduate Microbiology degree is not stated on the official program pages reviewed. The department notes that its undergraduate programs prepare students for careers, graduate study, and professional pathways including medicine, dentistry, and veterinary medicine.

Reputation (employability rankings): Texas Tech was ranked No. 562 worldwide and No. 123 in the U.S. and Canada by CWUR 2026, including No. 562 for alumni employment. In the 2026 QS World University Rankings, Texas Tech was ranked No. 731–740 worldwide; these are university-level rankings rather than rankings specifically for the B.S. in Microbiology.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The B.S. in Microbiology at Texas Tech University gives students hands-on exposure to microorganisms, immunology, virology, microbial genetics, biofilms, and microbial ecology through laboratory-based coursework and faculty-led research. Students can become part of active research groups and gain experience with modern microbiology techniques, microscopy, molecular biology, and computational approaches such as bioinformatics and comparative genomics. Texas Tech also provides access to specialized research infrastructure through the Department of Biological Sciences and university-wide research facilities.

Students can build practical experience through these program-specific opportunities:

Undergraduate research: Students can work directly in a faculty mentor’s laboratory as part of a research group, discuss their projects with faculty and other students, attend scientific meetings, present research, and potentially publish their findings.
Microbiology research areas: Undergraduate students can seek research opportunities in infectious diseases, polymicrobial interactions, biofilm communities, comparative genomics, phylogenomics, bioinformatics, microbial metagenomics, viral evolution, symbiosis, and microbiomes.
Specialized microbiology laboratories: Texas Tech’s Food Microbiology Laboratory is a dedicated 7,500-square-foot research laboratory with separate media-preparation, tissue-culture, cold-storage, and instrumentation areas.
Laboratory equipment: Available equipment includes PCR systems, Bio-Rad Gel Doc systems, BioNumerics software, automated colony counters, spiral plating systems, anaerobic chambers, centrifuges, biological safety cabinets, incubators, microscopes, digital spectrophotometers, electrophoresis systems, and automated pipetting equipment.
Molecular analysis: The Food Microbiology research facility provides access to a sequencing facility, microarray scanner, real-time PCR, and MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometry, supporting advanced molecular and microbiological research.
Imaging and microscopy: Students involved in research can benefit from the College of Arts & Sciences Microscopy (CASM) center, which provides access to advanced microscopy and imaging equipment used by TTU Biology researchers.
Computational tools: Microbiology research at TTU includes bioinformatics, comparative genomics, phylogenomics, and microbial metagenomics, giving students opportunities to connect laboratory microbiology with computational biological analysis.
Pathogen research: A dedicated Pathogen Processing Laboratory supports research involving pathogen-inoculated foods and industry-condition processing studies, while a mobile laboratory can be used for on-site sample collection and pathogen analysis at farms or processing facilities.
Insectary research: For students interested in vector-borne microbiology and infectious disease, TTU Biology operates a research insectary with dedicated ACL1 rearing and ACL2 experimental spaces, including colonies of Aedes aegypti, Aedes albopictus, and Culex tarsalis.
Long-term research experience: The CISER Undergraduate Research Scholars program supports significant, sustained undergraduate research experiences designed to prepare students for postgraduate study in science, medicine, and other STEM fields.
Field and applied experiences: TTU Biology offers microbiology-related areas such as microbial ecology, disease ecology, vector biology, and parasitology; several related courses include laboratory and/or field-work components.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The B.S. in Microbiology at Texas Tech University prepares students to study bacteria, viruses, fungi, protists, and their interactions with living organisms, with focused preparation in areas such as immunology, virology, microbiomes, and microbial genomics. Graduates can pursue laboratory and research careers or continue into professional and graduate programs in areas such as medicine, biotechnology, microbiology, and related life sciences.

Career and Employment Opportunities: The program can support roles such as Microbiology Laboratory Technician, Biological Technician, Research Assistant, and Quality Control Laboratory Technician:

Career services: Texas Tech’s University Career Center provides job and internship boards, career appointments, resume and job-search support, career events, and its College to Career internship-placement program.
Employment and salary data: Texas Tech’s Red Raider GradStats provides alumni employment, salary, career-trajectory, and employer data. For the College of Arts & Sciences—which includes Microbiology—the university reports an average estimated salary of $67,380 across 12,023 alumni from the past ten years; this figure covers the college as a whole rather than Microbiology specifically.
Research and industry preparation: Students can gain research experience through faculty-led projects, including work in infectious diseases, biofilms, comparative genomics, bioinformatics, microbial metagenomics, microbiomes, and viral evolution.
Undergraduate research support: The Associate Research Scholars program can provide eligible students with faculty-mentored research experience and up to 150 hours of paid research funding at $10/hour, while the Summer Undergraduate Research Intensive (SURI) pairs students with faculty mentors for immersive research and provides a stipend.
Specialized research environment: Students can engage with the College of Arts & Sciences Microscopy (CASM) center, which provides access to advanced microscopy equipment used by Texas Tech Biology faculty and students.
Accreditation value: Texas Tech University is institutionally accredited, and the university maintains an official record of its institutional and program accreditations. The official accreditation listing does not identify a separate professional accreditation specifically for the B.S. in Microbiology.
Graduation outcomes: The department states that its undergraduate graduates are positioned for career opportunities, graduate studies, and professional pathways including medicine, dentistry, and veterinary medicine.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the B.S. in Microbiology, students can continue into Texas Tech’s M.S. in Microbiology, which provides advanced training in microbiology and biotechnology and includes research areas such as immunology, electron microscopy, microbial ecology, and metagenomics. Students may also progress toward a Ph.D. in Biology with a microbiology emphasis or other terminal professional degrees such as an M.D., depending on their academic and career goals.