Program director

Program description

The PhD program in microbiology offers a dynamic research environment; a broad range of basic, translational and use-inspired research areas; cutting-edge transdisciplinary training; and opportunities to work with world-class faculty and collaborative research partners committed to training scientific leaders with skills necessary for addressing significant global microbiological problems and challenges.

This program focuses on the smallest of living things and immunology. Students can tailor the program around their interests, and gain skills in contemporary approaches used in microbiology, biomedicine and biotechnology.

Faculty members are associated with the School of Life Sciences, The Biodesign Institute, The Translational Genomics Institute, Barrow Neurological Institute, and other area hospitals and research centers.

Degree requirements

The current degree requirements are below. Remember you are required to fulfill the requirements from the academic year you were admitted. Please refer to the handbook from your year of admission as needed.

84 credit hours, an oral and written exam, a prospectus and a dissertation

Required Core (4 credit hours)

• MIC 501 Foundations in Microbiology (3)

• BIO 610 Introduction to Responsible Conduct of Research in Life Sciences (1)

Electives and Research (68 credit hours)

Research

• MIC 792 Research (12 minimum credit hours required)

The department and the student's advisor determine additional elective courses in conjunction with the student. Some examples include the following (not an exhaustive list):

• MIC 792 Research (additional)

• BIO 530 Scientific Teaching

• BIO 533 K-12 STEM Education & Outreach

• BIO 539 Computing for Research

• BIO 591 Communication for Scientists

• BIO 591 Genetics and Genomics of Behavior

• BIO 620 Research Prospectus Writing

• MIC 591 Virology Journal Club

• MIC 591 Biotechnology Viruses as Tools

• MIC 598 Advanced Immunology

• MIC 598 Immunology: Molecular and Cellular Foundations

• MIC 598 Geomicrobiology

• MIC 598 Microbiome Data Science

• BIO 543 Molecular Genetics and Genomics

• BIO 579 Data Analysis and Visualization in R

Culminating Experience (12 credit hours)

• MIC 799 Dissertation (12)

*Taken after advancing to candidacy

*Note: It is very important you do exactly 12 dissertation credit hours. You may begin completing dissertation credits after advancing to candidacy. These 12 can be divided and taken over multiple semesters, but they must sum 12 credits exactly (no more, no less) to avoid issues when graduating. If you need to enroll in dissertation or equivalent hours after meeting your 12 total, please take MIC 792 Research hours instead, which has no maximum limit.

Comprehensive exams

Please communicate with your faculty advisor and refer to your academic year's SOLS handbook for specific details about what is required for your comprehensive exams and prospectus defense. The Microbiology PhD program requires you complete your oral and written comprehensive exam by the end of your 4th semester and your research prospectus prior to the beginning of your 7th semester. You must pass your oral and written exams as well as your prospectus defense in order to advance to candidacy.

To schedule your exams:

• • Confirm your iPOS is approved and your faculty committee section is up to date.

  • Please fill out this form to both schedule and initiate your electronic pass/fail form. This will be sent to your committee members and Program Director. 

After your exams:

• Once your pass/fail form has been completed, the SOLS Graduate Office will input your results in your iPOS. If you passed each component, you will advance to candidacy and receive a formal candidacy letter from ASU.

• If you advance to candidacy by the deadlines detailed here, you will receive a post-candidacy pay increase the following semester (and each subsequent semester).