Bachelor of Science in Microbiology

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Kansas

Program Overview

The B.S. in Microbiology at the University of Kansas provides intensive preparation in microorganisms and their roles in human health, disease, the environment, and biotechnology, combining biology with chemistry, biochemistry, physics, mathematics, and laboratory science. The program suits students seeking a strong scientific foundation for careers in microbiology and related industries or for advanced study, with all four upper-division lecture-and-laboratory course pairs providing substantial hands-on training.

Curriculum Structure

First Year: Students establish their biological and chemical foundation through BIOL 150: Principles of Molecular and Cellular Biology, BIOL 152: Principles of Organismal Biology, and BIOL 154: Introductory Biology Lab for STEM Majors. They also begin CHEM 130: General Chemistry I and CHEM 135: General Chemistry II, alongside mathematics and KU Core requirements.

Second Year: Students move into core microbiology with BIOL 400: Fundamentals of Microbiology and BIOL 402: Fundamentals of Microbiology Laboratory, while developing their understanding of genetics through BIOL 350: Principles of Genetics. Chemistry also becomes more advanced through CHEM 330: Organic Chemistry I and CHEM 331: Organic Chemistry I Laboratory, supported by physics and biostatistics.

Third Year: The curriculum becomes more specialized through BIOL 416: Cell Structure and Function, BIOL 518: Bacterial Genetics, and BIOL 519: Bacterial Genetics Laboratory, giving students deeper insight into cellular mechanisms and microbial genetics. Students also complete physics and begin advanced biochemistry through BIOL 600: Introductory Biochemistry, Lectures or the BIOL 636: Biochemistry I and BIOL 638: Biochemistry II sequence.

Fourth Year: Students complete advanced study in BIOL 503: Immunology, BIOL 504: Immunology Laboratory, BIOL 512: General Virology, and BIOL 513: Virology Laboratory, while also taking 400-level microbiology electives. The program concludes with BIOL 506: Bacterial Infectious Diseases and BIOL 507: Bacterial Infectious Diseases Laboratory, which serves as the microbiology capstone.

Focus areas: Bacterial genetics, immunology, virology, bacterial infectious diseases, cell biology, biochemistry, microbial physiology, molecular biology, microbiology laboratory science, biostatistics, biotechnology, health, agriculture, and environmental microbiology.

Learning outcomes: Graduates learn to explain microbial structure, physiology, genetics, ecology, and evolution; apply molecular biology, genetics, and biochemistry to microbiological questions; design and interpret laboratory experiments using modern microbiological techniques; analyze scientific data quantitatively; and communicate scientific findings while recognizing research ethics.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation): The University of Kansas official program information identifies the Bachelor of Science in Microbiology as an undergraduate degree within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; the official KU catalog does not state a separate microbiology-specific professional accreditation for this degree.

Reputation (Employability Rankings): KU states that job prospects for microbiologists with a bachelor's degree or higher continue to be strong, while its official program page does not publish a specific employability ranking or program-level employment percentage for the B.S. in Microbiology.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The B.S. in Microbiology at the University of Kansas gives students substantial hands-on training through upper-level lecture-and-laboratory course pairs in immunology, bacterial infectious diseases, virology, and microbial genetics. Students can also participate in authentic research through KU’s Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs), where they design experiments, collect and analyze data, use modern microbiological techniques, and work on research questions connected to active faculty research.

Key practical opportunities include:

Bacterial Infectious Disease Laboratory: BIOL 507 teaches molecular and media-based techniques for identifying human bacterial pathogens, while the MicrobioME CURE has students collaboratively isolate and identify bacterial isolates from their own skin microbiomes and investigate their effects on Staphylococcus aureus.
Virology Laboratory: BIOL 513 provides practical training in cell culture and viral cultivation, with students participating in the vCURE to investigate how Feline Herpesvirus 1 infects cells and produces new virus particles.
Immunology Laboratory: BIOL 504 introduces modern immunological techniques while students investigate interactions between immune cells and gut microbes, including experimental design, data analysis, statistical analysis, and scientific communication.
Collaborative Research Projects: KU’s CUREs involve large-group data collection and analysis, and students work collaboratively on experimental plans and authentic research questions rather than simply reproducing predetermined laboratory exercises.
Undergraduate Research: Students can join faculty research laboratories through the Undergraduate Biology Program, with opportunities ranging from assisting in an existing laboratory to conducting independent research and potentially earning honors recognition.
Research Facilities: KU microbiology research is supported by specialized facilities including Microscopy & Analytical Imaging, Genome Sequencing, Flow Cytometry, Mass Spectrometry & Analytical Proteomics, High Throughput Screening, and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance laboratories.
Genomic Analysis: The Genome Sequencing Core provides next-generation sequencing capabilities, while the Genomic Data Science Core Lab provides data-analysis and training services for Kansas researchers.
Computational Tools: The Center for Research Computing provides high-performance computing resources for processing and analyzing large volumes of data, while the Computational Chemical Biology Core supports computational research related to infectious diseases.
Microbiology Research Areas: KU's Molecular Biosciences research environment includes work in immunology, bacterial pathogenesis and genetics, virology, and fungal secondary metabolites, giving students exposure to research areas closely aligned with the B.S. curriculum.
Internships and Field Experience: The Undergraduate Biology Program lists internships, field experience, independent study, undergraduate research, and student employment among its experiential opportunities; the official sources do not identify a dedicated microbiology-only internship or field trip for the B.S. program.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The B.S. in Microbiology at the University of Kansas prepares graduates for laboratory, biotechnology, healthcare, research, and environmental careers by combining microbiology with hands-on laboratory training and advanced study of microorganisms and their effects on health and the environment. Graduates can enter roles such as Microbiologist, Quality Control Microbiologist, Research Technician, or Laboratory Coordinator, while the degree also provides a strong foundation for professional and graduate programs.

Career support and opportunities:

University Career Center: Students can use Handshake to find jobs and internships, participate in career fairs, and access employer recruiting and interview opportunities; KU also provides internship resources for local, national, and international opportunities.
Undergraduate research: The Center for Undergraduate Research & Fellowships helps students identify research mentors and pursue research opportunities, while KU reports that 150+ faculty mentors support undergraduate research each year. Undergraduate Research Awards can provide $1,000 per semester for eligible faculty-mentored projects.
Microbiology research experience: KU's 10-week Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) includes faculty-mentored research in microbiology, genetics, molecular biology, virology, and related biomedical areas, together with scientific communication and career-development workshops. The 2026 program lists a $7,000 stipend, housing and room and board, and travel support for eligible participants.
Industry exposure: KU biology students have participated in career panels featuring professionals from Merck Animal Health, MilliporeSigma, and other research and laboratory organizations, giving students direct exposure to microbiology and biotechnology career paths.
Employment and salary: The official KU microbiology page states that job prospects for microbiologists with a bachelor's degree or higher continue to be strong, but KU does not publish a program-specific employment rate or salary figure for the B.S. in Microbiology on the official program pages.
Career examples: KU's biology career activities have highlighted positions including Research Technician, Scientist in Biology Discovery, Quality Control Microbiologist, and Microbiology Laboratory Coordinator, demonstrating several directions available to graduates with relevant undergraduate preparation.
Professional accreditation: The official KU B.S. in Microbiology information does not state a separate professional accreditation for the degree. Therefore, no specific accreditation value should be assumed beyond the university's accredited institutional status.
Graduation outcomes: Graduates can move directly toward microbiology and laboratory careers or use their scientific preparation for further education. KU also provides dedicated pathways and research support for students considering biomedical research and professional health careers.

Further Academic Progression: Graduates can continue into master's or doctoral study in microbiology, molecular biosciences, biochemistry, genetics, infectious diseases, virology, or related biological sciences. Students interested in biomedical research can also pursue KU's Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP), which combines mentored research, supplemental coursework, academic counseling, and support with graduate-school applications.