What it’s about:

The microbiology major focuses on the biology of microscopic organisms, such as bacteria, algae, and fungi. Your goal is to understand the function of microbes in agriculture, medicine, ecology, and biotechnology. You will also receive training in sterile procedures; the identification, enumeration, and growth of microorganisms; the evaluation of antimicrobials and antibiotics; and the practice of microbial genetics.

What the study of this major is like:

As a microbiology major, you will probably begin by familiarizing yourself with microscopes. You’ll get an overview of the diversity, structure, function, growth, reproduction, genetics, physiology, preservation, and control of microorganisms. You’ll then learn to grow and catalog a wide variety of microorganisms, including bacteria, algae, fungi, protozoa, and viruses. When you progress to biochemistry and molecular genetics, the work becomes more abstract. In labs and lectures, you use critical-thinking skills to prepare and conduct experiments. As you advance, your work focuses on bacterial mutants, the documentation of agents (including viruses, which are not usually seen directly), and measurements with biochemical tools.

Microbiology majors develop laboratory procedures that enable them to study a type or a group of microorganisms. Students sometimes have trouble attending to the many important details and thoroughly applying sterile procedures and techniques. You must work well in a group, even if you are doing an individual research project. Majors have to cooperate in order to maintain and use shared equipment and materials safely, often under sterile conditions. Sometimes you need to develop new skills for a particular project, such as the ability to search gene databases. For most investigations, you’ll need to understand the molecular biology and biochemistry of both hosts and parasites. To be successful in this field, you should be willing to learn unfamiliar methodologies and adapt to unexpected situation.

Some colleges emphasize a premedical curriculum in biology, and give less attention to other biological sciences. In such programs you may be limited to broader applications in microbiology. Other colleges emphasize environmental science or molecular biology rather than a more integrated approach to the diverse areas within microbiology. Most small colleges offer solid foundations in the biological sciences, teaching concepts (such as the theories behind evolution, genetics, respiration, photosynthesis, and biochemistry) as well as technical skills. Conceptual skills are useful because the field of microbiology is changing rapidly, and certain technologies and methods might one day be out-of-date.

Career options and trends:

Physician*; veterinarian; high school and college teacher; research technician*; environmental scientist; hospital administrator; biotechnologist*; health care professional (respiratory therapist, phlebotomist, etc.); government agency microbiologist.

Graduates with a degree in microbiology find positions in health care and in the biotechnology, agricultural, food, and pharmaceutical industries. Job opportunities are projected to grow faster in this field than in the biological field as a whole. Job growth remains strong in the biotechnology industry, especially in the areas of pharmaceutical and medical manufacturing. Health care is a particularly strong field even in tight job markets.

Source: CollegeBoard 2012 Book of Majors