BS in Microbial, Cellular & Molecular Biology — Microbiology Option (MCMB)

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Auburn University

Program Overview

The BS in Microbial, Cellular & Molecular Biology — Microbiology Option (MCMB) at Auburn University builds a strong foundation in biology, chemistry, genetics and laboratory science, with advanced study focused on microorganisms and bacterial life. It suits students interested in clinical, food, environmental or biomedical microbiology, research, biotechnology, or future professional programs in healthcare such as medicine, dentistry and optometry.

Curriculum structure

Year 1: Students establish their scientific foundation through BIOL 1020 Principles of Biology, BIOL 1030 Organismal Biology, and the associated biology laboratories, alongside CHEM 1030/1040 Fundamentals of Chemistry and chemistry labs. The year also introduces professional development through BIOL 2100 Professional Development, helping students begin connecting their biological studies with future academic and career directions.

Year 2: The curriculum moves into more specialized biological and chemical study with BIOL 3200 General Microbiology, BIOL 3201 General Microbiology Laboratory, BIOL 3000 Genetics, and BIOL 3001 General Genetics Laboratory. Students simultaneously develop their chemistry and quantitative-science background through CHEM 2070/2080 Organic Chemistry, PHYS 1500/1510 General Physics, and related laboratory work.

Year 3: Students progress into advanced microbiology and molecular-level study through BIOL 5200 Clinical Microbiology, BIOL 5250 Microbial Evolution & Diversity, and BIOL 4100 Cell Biology. BCHE 5180/5190 Biochemistry I and II and the associated Biochemistry I Laboratory deepen students' understanding of the chemical and cellular processes underlying microbial life, while calculus or statistics strengthens quantitative skills.

Year 4: The final year emphasizes bacterial genetics, physiology and molecular laboratory methods through BIOL 5260 Prokaryotic Molecular Genetics, BIOL 5210 Microbial Physiology, and BIOL 5521 Gene Expression and Recombinant DNA Laboratory. Students also complete MMCB and biology electives and finish with BIOL 4950 Senior Seminar, allowing them to consolidate their scientific knowledge and professional preparation.

Focus areas: Microbiology, bacterial biology, clinical microbiology, food microbiology, environmental microbiology, microbial evolution and diversity, prokaryotic molecular genetics, microbial physiology, gene expression and recombinant DNA.

Learning outcomes: Students develop a foundation in cellular and molecular biology, microbiology, genetics, chemistry and laboratory science, with preparation for careers or advanced study in clinical, food, environmental and biomedical microbiology, research, biotechnology and health-related fields.

Professional alignment (accreditation): Auburn's official materials identify the MCMB Microbiology Option as a 122-credit-hour BS program and include it within the university's SACSCOC institutional accreditation review; a separate professional accreditation specific to the MCMB Microbiology Option is not stated in the official program materials reviewed.

Reputation (employability rankings): Auburn University reports 81% six-year graduation, 84.7% first-destination success for undergraduates in its Strategic Plan data, and 67% of undergraduate degree recipients completing an internship in 2024–25. Auburn also reports a 2027 U.S. News & World Report ranking of No. 100 nationally and No. 46 among public universities; these are university-wide figures rather than rankings specific to the MCMB Microbiology Option.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The BS in Microbial, Cellular & Molecular Biology — Microbiology Option (MCMB) at Auburn University gives students substantial hands-on preparation in microbiology, with laboratory work integrated throughout the curriculum. Students progress from introductory biology and microbiology laboratories to advanced experiences in clinical microbiology, microbial evolution and diversity, prokaryotic molecular genetics, microbial physiology, and gene expression and recombinant DNA. Auburn also provides undergraduate research opportunities in Biological Sciences, allowing students to connect classroom knowledge with active research laboratories and projects involving microorganisms, molecular techniques and biomedical or environmental questions.

Program-specific practical opportunities include:

Microbiology laboratories: The curriculum includes BIOL 3201 General Microbiology Laboratory, BIOL 5181 Biochemistry I Laboratory, and BIOL 5521 Gene Expression and Recombinant DNA Laboratory, giving students progressively advanced laboratory experience.
Clinical microbiology: BIOL 5200 Clinical Microbiology is a five-credit upper-level course, providing focused preparation in clinical applications of microbiology.
Microbial research: BIOL 5250 Microbial Evolution and Diversity, BIOL 5260 Prokaryotic Molecular Genetics, and BIOL 5210 Microbial Physiology provide specialized study of microorganisms, bacterial genetics and microbial function.
Molecular biology techniques: The Gene Expression and Recombinant DNA Laboratory provides practical experience connected to molecular genetics and recombinant-DNA methods.
Undergraduate research: Auburn's Biological Sciences department offers undergraduate research opportunities, and students in the MCMB Microbiology option can connect with faculty research laboratories. Auburn's Undergraduate Research Fellows have included MCMB students working on projects such as microbial competition for hydrogen in the rumen.
Environmental and clinical microbiology research: Auburn's Liles Laboratory combines modern molecular biological tools with traditional microbiological techniques to investigate environmental microorganisms, antibiotic compounds, biological control agents and microbial communities.
Microbiological instrumentation: Auburn's Rouse Life Sciences Building contains microbiological instrumentation for the culturing, identification and characterization of bacteria, supporting microbiology-related research.
Research instrumentation: The Auburn University Research Instrumentation Facility (AURIF) provides research instrumentation and services to student researchers, including training in instrument use and specimen preparation. Its equipment supports research across biological sciences and other disciplines.
Advanced research facilities: CASIC (Center for Advanced Science, Innovation and Commerce) contains 20 laboratories and shared equipment supporting research in areas including genomics, food safety, water quality and ecosystem health.
Laboratory-based internship opportunities: Auburn's Career Discovery and Success platform lists microbiology-related internships, including opportunities involving microbiological testing, laboratory support, microbiological reporting, aseptic techniques and individual projects. These are career opportunities available through Auburn rather than a mandatory component of the MCMB curriculum.
Research networking: Auburn's COSAM Undergraduate Research Fair allows students to connect directly with researchers and explore laboratory opportunities; Auburn has specifically highlighted MCMB Microbiology students participating in this research network.
Group and collaborative research: Auburn's undergraduate research environment connects students with faculty research teams and laboratories; specific group-project requirements are not separately stated on the official MCMB curriculum page.
Software and digital tools: The official MCMB curriculum does not identify a specific software package as a required program tool. Research activities may involve modern molecular and microbiological techniques, but Auburn does not specify a mandatory software platform for this degree on the official program page.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduates of the BS in Microbial, Cellular & Molecular Biology — Microbiology Option (MCMB) develop a strong foundation for careers in basic and applied microbiology, including food, environmental and biomedical research. The program also provides preparation for postgraduate study and can be tailored toward healthcare pathways such as medicine, dentistry and optometry.

Career opportunities: Microbiologist, Biological Technician, Clinical Microbiology Researcher, Biomedical Researcher.

Career development and graduate outcomes:

Career services: Auburn’s Career Discovery and Success provides résumé and cover-letter support, mock interviews, job-search strategies, networking opportunities, career fairs, employer events and on-campus interviews. Students can use Handshake to find internships, jobs and employer connections and schedule career coaching.
College-specific career support: The Auburn Career Services Network includes specialized career support through the College of Sciences and Mathematics, giving students access to career guidance alongside university-wide services.
Employment and salary information: Auburn provides career-outcome and labor-market resources through Career Discovery and Success, including occupation-level employment trends and salary information. Auburn does not publish a specific employment rate or starting-salary figure for the MCMB Microbiology Option on the official program page, so a program-specific salary figure is not stated.
Research-to-career preparation: The curriculum includes advanced courses such as Clinical Microbiology, Microbial Evolution and Diversity, Prokaryotic Molecular Genetics, Microbial Physiology and a Gene Expression and Recombinant DNA Laboratory, supporting progression into laboratory, biomedical and applied microbiology environments.
Industry connections: Auburn's Biotechnology Industry Day has connected students with employers including Evonik Birmingham Laboratories, Johnson & Johnson, Labcorp, SouthernBiotech and August Bioservices, with microbiology listed among the majors of interest for participating employers where specified.
Research and industry translation: Auburn microbiology research includes work in environmental and clinical microbiology, microbial genomics, antibiotic discovery and biological control. Professor Mark Liles' research has also resulted in patented technologies licensed to multiple companies and the creation of biotech companies, providing an example of how Auburn microbiology research can connect with biotechnology development.
External research partnerships: Auburn Biological Sciences research has included collaboration and funding involving the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, including microbiology and immunology research addressing fish health and disease prevention.
Graduation outcomes: Auburn states that the MCMB Microbiology option prepares students for careers in basic or applied microbiology, including food and environmental microbiology, biomedical research and postgraduate study. The department also identifies research, biotechnology, healthcare and laboratory science among its broader career pathways.
Accreditation value: A separate professional accreditation specific to the MCMB Microbiology Option is not stated on Auburn's official program page; therefore, no program-specific accreditation benefit is claimed here.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the bachelor's degree, students can pursue Auburn's M.S. or Ph.D. in Biological Sciences, with graduate research areas that include microbiology, cell biology, molecular biology and related biological sciences. The bachelor's degree can also support progression into professional healthcare programs, including medicine, dentistry and optometry, depending on the student's chosen prerequisites and admission requirements.