Biomedical Science Major: Medical Microbiology Option (B.S.)
The Biomedical Science: Medical Microbiology (BMS:MM) program explores the world of microorganisms and how they interact with both humans and animals. This major provides you with excellent academic training and laboratory experiences in the areas of microbiology, infectious disease, and public health. BMS:MM graduates are prepared for successful careers in biotechnology or public health, or entry into graduate school or health professional programs.
The BMS:MM program includes course work and laboratories in:
- infectious disease
- immunology
- epidemiology and community health
- molecular biology
- microbial ecology and evolution
Students in the BMS:MM program may participate in a variety of experiential learning activities including:
- independent research experiences in laboratories of UNH biomedical science faculty
- work at the NH Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory located on the UNH campus
- internships at biotechnology companies in the Greater Boston area
- internships at the NH Department of Public Health Laboratories
BMS:MM graduates have been successful in attaining careers as:
- research scientists/laboratory technicians
- biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies
- academic biomedical research programs
- brewing industry
- primary and secondary school educators (requires additional coursework in education)
- state and federal government employees
- public health laboratories
- regulatory agencies (e.g., U.S. Food and Drug Administration)
BMS:MM graduates are prepared for post-baccalaureate education in:
- professional health programs
- medical school
- dental school
- allied health programs (physician assistant, pharmacist, nursing, or pathologist’s assistant programs)
- graduate programs
- biomedical science
- public health
- forensic science
Degree Requirements
All Major, Option and Elective Requirements as indicated.
*Major GPA requirements as indicated.
Major Requirements
Students in the Medical Microbiology (MM) option take seven Foundation courses, six Bioscience Core courses, four BMS:MM Core courses, and five BMS:MM Major Elective courses. One capstone experience, supervised and approved within the major, is required of all seniors. In addition, all other University academic requirements must be completed, including those for the Discovery Program and the University Writing Requirement.
A grade of C-minus or better is required in all Bioscience Core, BMS:MM Core, and Major Elective courses.
Foundation Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CHEM 403 | General Chemistry I 1 | 4 |
| CHEM 404 | General Chemistry II | 4 |
| CHEM 545 & CHEM 546 | Organic Chemistry and Organic Chemistry Laboratory 2 | 5 |
| MATH 424B | Calculus for Life Sciences 3 | 4 |
| BIOL 528 | Applied Biostatistics I 4 | 4 |
| PHYS 401 | Introduction to Physics I | 4 |
| PHYS 402 | Introduction to Physics II | 4 |
Bioscience Core Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 411 | Introductory Biology: Molecular and Cellular 5 | 4 |
| BIOL 412 | Introductory Biology: Evolution, Biodiversity and Ecology 2 | 4 |
| or BMS 508 | Human Anatomy and Physiology II | |
| BMS 503 & BMS 504 | General Microbiology and General Microbiology Laboratory | 5 |
| GEN 604 | Principles of Genetics | 4 |
| BMCB 605 | Principles of Cell Biology | 4 |
| BMCB 658 & BMCB 659 | General Biochemistry and General Biochemistry Lab | 5 |
- 1
CHEM 403 fulfills the Physical Science Discovery requirement
- 2
Students applying to health profession schools need a full year of Organic Chemistry, a full year of Introductory Biology, and a full year of English. CHEM 651/CHEM 653 and CHEM 652/CHEM 654 should be taken in place of CHEM 545/CHEM 546; ENGL 502 or ENGL 503 is suggested in addition to ENGL 401.
- 3
MATH 424B fulfills the Quantitative Reasoning Discovery requirement.
- 4
- 5
BIOL 411 fulfills the Biological Science Discovery requirement, Discovery Laboratory requirement, and the Discovery Inquiry requirement.
BMS-MM Core Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BMS 602 & BMS 603 | Pathogenic Microbiology and Pathogenic Microbiology Laboratory | 5 |
| BMS 705 & BMS 715 | Immunology and Immunology Laboratory | 5 |
| BMS 706 & BMS 708 | Virology and Virology Laboratory | 5 |
| MCBS 401 | Professional Perspectives in Molecular, Cellular, and Biomedical Sciences | 1 |
- 6
Required for first-year students only.
BMS-MM Major Elective Courses
A total of five unique major elective courses is required. At least one course must be taken in each of the following subject areas: Host-Microbe Interaction Electives, Molecular Biology Electives, and Community Electives. Two additional courses are taken from any of the major elective subject areas.
Host-Microbe Interaction Electives
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BMS 655 | Human and Animal Parasites 7 | 3 |
| BMS 703 | Infectious Disease and Health | 4 |
| BMS 704 | Pathologic Basis of Disease | 4 |
| BMS 719 | Host-Microbe Interactions 7 | 4 |
| BMS 720 | Mycology, Parasitology, and Virology | 3 |
| BMS 735 | Molecular and Cellular Parasitology 7 | 4 |
| BMS 740 | Human Microbiome 7 | 4 |
Molecular Biology Electives
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BMS 623 | Histology: Microscopic Cellular Structure and Function | 4 |
| BMS 650 | Molecular Diagnostics | 4 |
| BMS 655 | Human and Animal Parasites 7 | 3 |
| BMS #711 | Toxicology | 4 |
| BMS 719 | Host-Microbe Interactions 7 | 4 |
| BMS 725 | Cell Phenotyping and Tissue Engineering Laboratory | 4 |
| BMS 735 | Molecular and Cellular Parasitology 7 | 4 |
| BMS 740 | Human Microbiome 7 | 4 |
| BMCB 753 | Cell Culture | 5 |
| BMCB 754 | Molecular Biology Research Methods | 5 |
| BMCB 763 | Biochemistry of Cancer | 4 |
| GEN 704 | Genetics of Prokaryotic Microbes | 5 |
| GEN 717 | Molecular Microbiology | 5 |
| GEN 721 | Comparative Genomics | 4 |
- 7
Course may be used as either a Host-Microbe Interaction elective or Molecular Biology elective, but not both.
Community Electives
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BMS 730 | Ethical Issues in Biomedical Science | 4 |
| ANSC 602 | Animal Rights and Societal Issues | 4 |
| ANTH 685 | Gender, Sexuality and HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa | 4 |
| BIOL 706 | Data Science with R for the Life Sciences | 4 |
| GEN 705 | Population Genetics 8 | 3 |
| GEN 713 | Microbial Ecology and Evolution | 4 |
| HMP 501 | Epidemiology and Community Medicine | 4 |
- 8
Enrolling in GEN 725 concurrently is encouraged but not required
Other Major Electives
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BMS 795 | Investigations in Biomedical Science (4-credit minimum) | 1-8 |
| BMS 795W | Investigations in Biomedical Science (4-credit minimum ) | 1-8 |
| BMS 799 | Senior Thesis (4-credit minimum) | 1-4 |
| BMS 799H | Senior Honors Thesis (4-credit minimum) | 1-4 |
| INCO 790 | Advanced Research Experience (4-credit minimum) | 1-4 |
BMS:MM Capstone
The capstone explores areas of interest based on the integration of prior learning. The capstone requirement may be satisfied through a course, created work or product, or some form of experiential learning (e.g., honors thesis, mentored research project, or other special student activity). Students may take more than one capstone course. Capstone completion is never displayed on Degree Works; your advisor will certify capstone completion at the time of graduation. Students must have 90 credits or more when completing their capstone requirement. See your advisor for questions about capstones.
Approved BMS:MM Capstone Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BMS 719 | Host-Microbe Interactions | 4 |
| BMS 730 | Ethical Issues in Biomedical Science | 4 |
| BMS 740 | Human Microbiome | 4 |
| BMS 795 | Investigations in Biomedical Science (4-credit minimum) | 1-8 |
| BMS 795W | Investigations in Biomedical Science (4-credit minimum ) | 1-8 |
| BMS 799 | Senior Thesis (4-credit minimum) | 1-4 |
| BMS 799H | Senior Honors Thesis (4-credit minimum) | 1-4 |
| GEN 717 | Molecular Microbiology | 5 |
| INCO 790 | Advanced Research Experience (4-credit minimum) | 1-4 |
| BMS 735 | Molecular and Cellular Parasitology | 4 |
| GEN 704 | Genetics of Prokaryotic Microbes | 5 |
For a Capstone experience not listed above, such as an internship, submit a Capstone Experience Approval form prior to beginning the experience.
SAMPLE Course Sequence for Medical Microbiology
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| MCBS 401 | Professional Perspectives in Molecular, Cellular, and Biomedical Sciences | 1 |
| BIOL 411 | Introductory Biology: Molecular and Cellular | 4 |
| ENGL 401 | First-Year Writing | 4 |
| CHEM 403 | General Chemistry I | 4 |
| Discovery Course | 4 | |
| Credits | 17 | |
| Spring | ||
| BIOL 412 | Introductory Biology: Evolution, Biodiversity and Ecology | 4 |
| MATH 424B | Calculus for Life Sciences | 4 |
| CHEM 404 | General Chemistry II | 4 |
| Discovery Course | 4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| BMS 503 & BMS 504 | General Microbiology and General Microbiology Laboratory | 5 |
| GEN 604 | Principles of Genetics | 4 |
| CHEM 545 & CHEM 546 | Organic Chemistry and Organic Chemistry Laboratory | 5 |
| Discovery Course | 4 | |
| Credits | 18 | |
| Spring | ||
| BMS 602 & BMS 603 | Pathogenic Microbiology and Pathogenic Microbiology Laboratory | 5 |
| BMCB 605 | Principles of Cell Biology | 4 |
| BIOL 528 | Applied Biostatistics I | 4 |
| Discovery Course | 4 | |
| Credits | 17 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| BMS 705 & BMS 715 | Immunology and Immunology Laboratory | 5 |
| PHYS 401 | Introduction to Physics I | 4 |
| BMCB 658 & BMCB 659 | General Biochemistry and General Biochemistry Lab | 5 |
| Discovery Course | 4 | |
| Credits | 18 | |
| Spring | ||
| BMS 706 & BMS 708 | Virology and Virology Laboratory | 5 |
| PHYS 402 | Introduction to Physics II | 4 |
| Major Elective | 4 | |
| Discovery Course | 4 | |
| Credits | 17 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| Major Elective (possible Capstone course) | 4 | |
| Major Elective | 4 | |
| Elective (any course) | 3-4 | |
| Elective (any course) | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 14-16 | |
| Spring | ||
| Major Elective | 4 | |
| Major Elective | 4 | |
| Elective (any course) | 3-5 | |
| Elective (any course) | 3-5 | |
| Credits | 14-18 | |
| Total Credits | 131-137 | |
Core Knowledge
- Students will demonstrate an understanding of core knowledge in biochemistry, molecular biology, cell biology, genetics & biomedical sciences.
Biomedical Science: Medical Microbiology option
- Students will be able to compare and contrast cellular and non-cellular microorganisms.
- Students will understand basic structure-function relationships of microorganism components, and explain how specific microbial components contribute to a microorganism’s growth and survival.
- Students will be able to discuss basic metabolic pathways that allow microorganisms to grow, thrive, and survive in numerous environments
- Students will understand how genetic information is maintained and transferred, how mutation can affect viability and contribute to evolution, and how gene expression is regulated.
- Students will be able to discuss the role of microorganisms in human and animal health and explain, using specific examples, how microbes can be both harmful and beneficial.
Quantitative Literacy, Inquiry & Analysis
- Students will be able to apply the scientific method to examine experimental evidence and draw informed conclusions.
- Students will be able to use graphs to represent scientific data.
- Students will be able to apply statistical methods to interpret scientific data.
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving
- Students will be able to use data to troubleshoot an unexpected outcome.
- Students will be able to apply core knowledge to critically interpret scientific data.
Written Communication
- Students will demonstrate written skills to communicate scientific knowledge and experimental data.
Oral Communication
- Students will be able to demonstrate oral presentation skills to communicate scientific knowledge and experimental data.