Yale University

The Microbiology Program is designed to provide individualized education in modern microbiology and to prepare students for independent careers in research and teaching. Students can specialize in various areas, including bacteriology, virology, microbe-host interactions, microbial pathogenesis and parasitology, and microbial genetics, ecology, evolution, and physiology. Course work generally occupies the first two years of study. Each student, together with the Director of Graduate Studies, outlines a course of study tailored to the individual’s background and career goals. A program of course work may include general microbiology, virology, parasitology, microbial genetics, and epidemiology, as well as complementary courses in areas such as cell biology, molecular biology, biochemistry, genetics, ecology, and statistics. The two required courses are Seminal Papers on the Foundation of Modern Microbiology and Evasion of Host Defenses by Viruses, Bacteria and Eukaryotic Parasites. Recommended courses include Molecular Biology of Animal Viruses, Mechanisms of Microbial Pathogenesis, Molecular Genetics of Prokaryotes, and Molecular and Cellular Processes of Parasitic Eukaryotes. The Track also sponsors journal clubs and seminars in microbiology and related areas.