Program overview
Microbiology is the study of tiny organisms like bacteria, fungi, and viruses. It may sound abstract, but it's closely tied to our daily lives—from the lactic acid bacteria in yogurt to the flu virus that gives you a cold, and the microbes in soil that break down pollutants. At the graduate level, you'll delve into microbial physiology, genetics, metabolism, and how they interact with hosts (like humans). Core courses include Microbial Physiology and Biochemistry, Microbial Genetics, Virology, Immunology, Fermentation Engineering, Environmental Microbiology, and more. There are many lab sessions where you'll culture bacteria, perform gene cloning, and observe the microscopic world. This major suits those curious about life sciences, enjoy hands-on experiments, and are patient and meticulous. Chinese universities have notable strengths in this field, such as virology at Wuhan University, microbial technology at Shandong University, and pathogenic microbiology at Fudan University, all with national key labs, excellent equipment, and strong faculty. If you're interested in how 'tiny things' influence the big world, this field will be rewarding.