Degree Offered
- Bachelor of Science
Nature of the Program
The major in environmental microbiology is ideal for students desiring a career at the forefront of human and plant health, industry, food science, and the environment. In this curriculum, future professional microbiologists are prepared with basic backgrounds in the areas of microbial ecology, environmental microbiology, soil microbiology, public health microbiology of food and water, plant pathology, and molecular biology. With supporting coursework in such areas as organic chemistry, biochemistry, genetics, plant science, soil science, physics, calculus, and statistics students will be well prepared for employment, further educational training at the graduate level, or for professional school (medical and dental school). Employment opportunities include: environmental laboratories (federal, state, and private); pharmaceutical industry; food industry (food production and food safety); and clinical laboratories in the health care industry. This major requires 120 total hours.
Admissions
- First-Time Freshman are admitted directly into the Environmental Microbiology major.
- Students transferring from another major within WVU are directly admitted to the Environmental Microbiology major if they are in good academic standing (2.0 or higher GPA).
- Students transferring from another institution are directly admitted to the Environmental Microbiology major if they are in good academic standing (2.0 or higher GPA).
Admission Requirements 2024-2025
The Admission Requirements above will be the same for the 2024-2025 Academic Year.
Major Code: 0784
General Education Foundations
Please use this link to view a list of courses that meet each GEF requirement.
NOTE: Some major requirements will fulfill specific GEF requirements. Please see the curriculum requirements listed below for details on which GEFs you will need to select.
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
General Education Foundations | ||
F1 - Composition & Rhetoric | 3-6 | |
Introduction to Composition and Rhetoric and Composition, Rhetoric, and Research | ||
or ENGL 103 | Accelerated Academic Writing | |
F2A/F2B - Science & Technology | 4-6 | |
F3 - Math & Quantitative Reasoning | 3-4 | |
F4 - Society & Connections | 3 | |
F5 - Human Inquiry & the Past | 3 | |
F6 - The Arts & Creativity | 3 | |
F7 - Global Studies & Diversity | 3 | |
F8 - Focus (may be satisfied by completion of a minor, double major, or dual degree) | 9 | |
Total Hours | 31-37 |
Please note that not all of the GEF courses are offered at all campuses. Students should consult with their advisor or academic department regarding the GEF course offerings available at their campus.
Curriculum Requirements
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
University Requirements | 38 | |
Environmental Microbiology Program Requirements | 22 | |
Environmental Microbiology Major Requirements | 60 | |
Total Hours | 120 |
University Requirements
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
General Education Foundations (GEF) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 (31-37 Credits) | ||
Outstanding GEF Requirements 1, 4, 5, 6, and 7 | 18 | |
ANRD 191 | First-Year Seminar | 1 |
General Electives | 19 | |
Total Hours | 38 |
Environmental Microbiology Program Requirements
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
BIOL 115 & 115L | Principles of Biology and Principles of Biology Laboratory (GEF 8) | 4 |
BIOL 117 & 117L | Introductory Physiology and Introductory Physiology Laboratory (GEF 8) | 4 |
CHEM 115 & 115L | Fundamentals of Chemistry 1 and Fundamentals of Chemistry 1 Laboratory (GEF 2) | 4 |
CHEM 116 & 116L | Fundamentals of Chemistry 2 and Fundamentals of Chemistry 2 Laboratory (GEF 8) | 4 |
Select one of the following (GEF 3): | 3 | |
Applied Calculus | ||
Calculus 1a with Precalculus | ||
Calculus 1 | ||
STAT 211 | Elementary Statistical Inference | 3 |
Total Hours | 22 |
Environmental Microbiology Major Requirements
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
AEM 216 | Living in a Microbial World | 3 |
AEM 341 & 341L | General Microbiology and General Microbiology Laboratory | 4 |
AEM 401 & 401L | Environmental Microbiology and Environmental Microbiology Laboratory (fulfills Capstone & Writing and Communication Skills requirements) | 4 |
AEM 470 | Microbes and Global Change | 3 |
AGBI 410 | Introductory Biochemistry | 3 |
BIOL 219 & 219L | The Living Cell and The Living Cell Laboratory | 4 |
CHEM 233 & 233L | Organic Chemistry 1 and Organic Chemistry 1 Laboratory | 4 |
CHEM 234 & 234L | Organic Chemistry 2 and Organic Chemistry 2 Laboratory | 4 |
GEN 371 & 371L | Principles of Genetics and Principles of Genetics Laboratory | 4 |
PHYS 101 & 101L | Introductory Physics 1 and Introductory Physics 1 Laboratory | 4 |
PHYS 102 & 102L | Introductory Physics 2 and Introductory Physics 2 Laboratory | 4 |
PPTH 401 & 401L | General Plant Pathology and General Plant Pathology Laboratory | 4 |
Restricted Electives | 15 | |
Food Microbiology | ||
Food Microbiology Lab | ||
Special Topics | ||
Independent Study | ||
Principles of Soil Science | ||
Principles of Soil Science Laboratory | ||
Soil Fertility | ||
Environmental Soil Management and Environmental Soil Management Laboratory | ||
Agricultural and Natural Resources Law | ||
Introduction to Virology | ||
Immunology | ||
Evolution of Infectious Diseases | ||
Microbial Symbiosis | ||
Global Ecology | ||
Principles of Entomology | ||
Principles of Entomology Laboratory | ||
Pest Management | ||
Environmental Sampling and Analysis | ||
Technical Writing | ||
Environmental Impact Assessment | ||
Environmental Impact Assessment Laboratory | ||
Nematology | ||
Nematology Laboratory | ||
Forest Pest Management | ||
Forest Pest Management Laboratory | ||
Special Topics | ||
Independent Study | ||
Mycology | ||
Mycology Laboratory | ||
Total Hours | 60 |
- *
A maximum of three-hours of Independent Study can be used to satisfy Restricted Electives credits.
Suggested Plan of Study
First Year | |||
---|---|---|---|
Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
ANRD 191 | 1 | BIOL 117 & 117L (GEF 8) | 4 |
BIOL 115 & 115L (GEF 8) | 4 | CHEM 116 & 116L (GEF 2) | 4 |
CHEM 115 & 115L (GEF 2) | 4 | STAT 211 | 3 |
ENGL 101 (GEF 1) | 3 | GEF 4 | 3 |
MATH 150 (GEF 3) | 3 | GEF 5 | 3 |
15 | 17 | ||
Second Year | |||
Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
AEM 216 | 3 | AEM 341 & 341L | 4 |
ENGL 102 (GEF 1) | 3 | BIOL 219 & 219L | 4 |
CHEM 233 & 233L | 4 | CHEM 234 & 234L | 4 |
PHYS 101 & 101L | 4 | PHYS 102 & 102L | 4 |
14 | 16 | ||
Third Year | |||
Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
AGBI 410 | 3 | AEM 470 | 3 |
GEN 371 & 371L | 4 | GEF 6 | 3 |
Restricted Electives | 3 | GEF 7 | 3 |
General Electives | 4 | Restricted Electives | 3 |
General Elective | 3 | ||
14 | 15 | ||
Fourth Year | |||
Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
PPTH 401 & 401L | 4 | AEM 401 & 401L | 4 |
Restricted Electives | 6 | Restricted Elective | 3 |
General Electives | 5 | General Electives | 7 |
15 | 14 | ||
Total credit hours: 120 |
Major Learning Outcomes
Environmental Microbiology
The learning outcomes of the applied and environmental microbiology are centered on establishing well-rounded individuals that can solve real world problems and seize opportunities as they relate to environmental, food, water, and soil microbiology. Students will be able to take on leadership functions in a variety of careers, manage laboratories, and have a foundational knowledge of genetics, biochemistry, plant pathology, food science, soil and water science that prepares them for graduate programs.
Upon completion of the major the students should be able to:
- Communicate effectively about microorganisms and their impact in and on the environment.
- Isolate and identify microorganisms from a variety of environments.
- Use a variety of methods to determine nutritional strategies and physiology of microorganisms.
- Determine and consult on the cause, and propose solutions for, problems involving microorganisms.
- Assist in managing medical and environmental laboratories and consulting services that diagnose and solve microbiological problems and develop opportunities in microbiology.
Accelerated BS/MS Applied Environmental Microbiology
Curriculum Requirements
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
University Requirements | 26 | |
Environmental Microbiology Program Requirements | 22 | |
Environmental Microbiology Major Requirements | 60 | |
M.S. Applied and Environmental Microbiology Requirements | 36 | |
Total Hours | 144 |
University Requirements
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
General Education Foundations (GEF) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 (31-37 Credits) | ||
Outstanding GEF Requirements 1, 4, 5, 6, and 7 | 18 | |
ANRD 191 | First-Year Seminar | 1 |
General Electives | 7 | |
Total Hours | 26 |
Environmental Microbiology Program Requirements
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
BIOL 115 & 115L | Principles of Biology and Principles of Biology Laboratory (GEF 8) | 4 |
BIOL 117 & 117L | Introductory Physiology and Introductory Physiology Laboratory (GEF 8) | 4 |
CHEM 115 & 115L | Fundamentals of Chemistry 1 and Fundamentals of Chemistry 1 Laboratory (GEF 2) | 4 |
CHEM 116 & 116L | Fundamentals of Chemistry 2 and Fundamentals of Chemistry 2 Laboratory (GEF 8) | 4 |
Select one of the following (GEF 3): | 3 | |
Applied Calculus | ||
Calculus 1a with Precalculus | ||
Calculus 1 | ||
STAT 211 | Elementary Statistical Inference | 3 |
Total Hours | 22 |
Environmental Microbiology Major Requirements
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
AEM 216 | Living in a Microbial World | 3 |
AEM 341 | General Microbiology | 3 |
AEM 341L | General Microbiology Laboratory | 1 |
AEM 401 | Environmental Microbiology | 3 |
AEM 401L | Environmental Microbiology Laboratory | 1 |
AEM 470 | Microbes and Global Change | 3 |
AGBI 410 | Introductory Biochemistry | 3 |
BIOL 219 | The Living Cell | 3 |
BIOL 219L | The Living Cell Laboratory | 1 |
CHEM 233 & 233L | Organic Chemistry 1 and Organic Chemistry 1 Laboratory | 4 |
CHEM 234 & 234L | Organic Chemistry 2 and Organic Chemistry 2 Laboratory | 4 |
GEN 371 & 371L | Principles of Genetics and Principles of Genetics Laboratory | 4 |
PHYS 101 & 101L | Introductory Physics 1 and Introductory Physics 1 Laboratory (GEF 8) | 4 |
PHYS 102 & 102L | Introductory Physics 2 and Introductory Physics 2 Laboratory (GEF 8) | 4 |
PPTH 401 | General Plant Pathology | 3 |
PPTH 401L | General Plant Pathology Laboratory | 1 |
Restricted Electives | 15 | |
Food Microbiology | ||
Food Microbiology Lab | ||
Special Topics | ||
Independent Study | ||
Animal Biotechnology | ||
Animal Biotechnology Laboratory | ||
Introduction to Virology | ||
Principles of Soil Science | ||
Principles of Soil Science Laboratory | ||
Soil Fertility | ||
Environmental Soil Management | ||
Environmental Soil Management Laboratory | ||
Agricultural and Natural Resources Law | ||
Introduction to Virology | ||
Immunology | ||
Evolution of Infectious Diseases | ||
Microbial Symbiosis | ||
Global Ecology | ||
Technical Writing | ||
Principles of Entomology | ||
Principles of Entomology Laboratory | ||
Pest Management | ||
Environmental Sampling and Analysis | ||
Environmental Impact Assessment | ||
Environmental Impact Assessment Laboratory | ||
Nematology | ||
Nematology Laboratory | ||
Forest Pest Management | ||
Forest Pest Management Laboratory | ||
Special Topics | ||
Independent Study | ||
Mycology | ||
Mycology Laboratory | ||
Total Hours | 60 |
M.S. Applied and Environmental Microbiology Requirements
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required. | ||
Choose from the following courses: | 12 | |
Food Microbiology | ||
or AEM 545 | Food Microbiology | |
Special Topics | ||
Basic Concepts of Modern Genetics | ||
Nematology and Nematology Laboratory | ||
Nematology and Nematology Laboratory | ||
Mycology and Mycology Laboratory | ||
Statistical Methods 1 | ||
Seminar | 2 | |
Graduate Seminar | ||
Electives | 22 | |
Oral Examination | ||
Total Hours | 36 |
Suggested Plan of Study
First Year | |||
---|---|---|---|
Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
ANRD 191 | 1 | CHEM 116 & 116L (GEF 8) | 4 |
BIOL 115 & 115L | 4 | BIOL 117 & 117L | 4 |
CHEM 115 & 115L (GEF 2) | 4 | STAT 211 (GEF 8) | 3 |
ENGL 101 (GEF 1) | 3 | GEF 4 | 3 |
MATH 150 (GEF 3) | 3 | GEF 5 | 3 |
15 | 17 | ||
Second Year | |||
Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
AEM 216 | 3 | AEM 341 & 341L | 4 |
CHEM 233 & 233L | 4 | CHEM 234 & 234L | 4 |
ENGL 102 (GEF 1) | 3 | BIOL 219 & 219L | 4 |
PHYS 101 & 101L | 4 | PHYS 102 & 102L | 4 |
14 | 16 | ||
Third Year | |||
Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
AGBI 410 | 3 | AEM 470 | 3 |
GEN 371 & 371L | 4 | GEF 6 | 3 |
Restricted Electives | 3 | GEF 7 | 3 |
General Electives | 4 | Restricted Electives | 6 |
General Elective | 3 | ||
14 | 18 | ||
Fourth Year | |||
Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
PPTH 401 & 401L | 4 | AEM 401 & 401L | 4 |
Restricted Elective | 3 | Graduate Course 3 | 3 |
Graduate Course 1 | 3 | Graduate Course 4 | 3 |
Graduate Course 2 | 3 | Restricted Elective | 3 |
13 | 13 | ||
Fifth Year | |||
Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
Graduate Electives | 11 | Graduate Electives | 11 |
PPTH 796 | 1 | PPTH 796 | 1 |
12 | 12 | ||
Total credit hours: 144 |