Course description
To achieve the Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics (MIMG), the student must fulfill both lower division and upper division requirements. The lower division requirements, also called the Prep for the major, consist of those courses that make up the Life Science Core Curriculum:
* Calculus,
* Chemistry,
* Life Science, and
* Physics.
The Life Science Core courses are required of every student in a Life Science-related major and are designed to prepare the student for the upper division courses of UCLA’s various life science disciplines.
To fulfill the MIMG upper division requirements, the student must take at least thirteen (13) courses that must total at least 50 units. There are four (4) courses that are absolutely required:
* Biochemistry,
* Immunology,
* Introductory Microbiology, and
* Introductory Microbiology Lab.
The remaining nine (9) courses can be chosen by the student from departmentally approved lists.
The idea behind this type of program is that the student has some flexibility in planning the candidate’s schedule. This allows the student to tailor his/her schedule to reflect the candidate’s interests. While the MIMG major doesn’t have specializations, this flexibility permits the student to focus on specific disciplines within the major such as:
* Biochemistry,
* Cell Biology,
* Molecular Biology,
* Parasitology, and
* Virology.
The department also has a plethora of opportunities for students to gain research experience while an undergraduate. MIMG faculty members are involved in cutting-edge research in anthrax, AIDS, cancer, Herpes, cellular immunology, and protein regulation, to name a few areas of investigation. If a student meets the qualifications to do research in an MIMG lab, the candidate can receive course credit for that research, which can then be used to satisfy one of the MIMG major requirements.
The MIMG major provides a solid foundation for those wishing continue their education in a health-related field as well as those who are planning to go graduate school. The major also prepares students for the work force immediately after graduation. The lab courses offered by the department provide excellent training in research, giving students the knowledge to perform in a lab setting even before the candidate graduates. This would be beneficial to a student with the goal of working for a biotechnology or pharmaceutical company. Given the background afforded by the MIMG department a student could also hold a sales position at such companies.
