College: College of Agricultural and Life Sciences
Designation: Department
Major: Bacteriology
Degrees Offered: M.S.
Other: Ph.D. Minor; for Ph.D. degree, see Microbiology Doctoral Training Program
Faculty: Professors Chambliss (chair), Donohue, Downs, Escalante-Semerena, Filutowicz, Gourse, Jeffries, Johnson (Food Microbiology and Toxicology), Landick, Mansfield, McClain, Roberts, Schaefer (Animal Sciences), Splitter (Animal Health and Biomedical Sciences), Welch (Medical Microbiology and Immunology); Associate Professors Barclay, Forest, Goodrich-Blair, Hammel, Weimer; Assistant Professors Currie, Thomas, Wassarman. In addition, many faculty members from other departments supervise training of graduate students.
Research programs in the Department of Bacteriology encompass a variety of areas including prokaryotic and lower eukaryotic genetics, gene expression and regulation, microbial physiology and diversity including microbial photosynthesis, nitrogen fixation, molecular structure-function, and nucleic acid synthesis. Training is also strong in microbial ecology, plant-microbe interactions, symbiosis, natural products synthesis, biotechnology/industrial microbiology, food microbiology, immunology and mechanisms of pathogenesis.
The Department of Bacteriology offers a Ph.D. degree through the Microbiology Doctoral Training Program. The Department of Bacteriology and the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology in the School of Medicine and Public Health serve as lead departments for the cross-campus Microbiology Doctoral Training Program.
Incoming students have the opportunity to do laboratory rotations with any of the primary faculty, affiliate faculty, or trainers from multiple departments. This group includes more than 90 faculty members in numerous departments and programs involved in microbiology research and graduate training. In addition to this breadth of opportunities in microbiology research training, the program encompasses graduate courses offered by both departments. Please refer to the separate Microbiology Doctoral Training Program listing in this catalog for more detailed information, or visit the program Web site at www.microbiology.wisc.edu .
The master's degree program in bacteriology provides training for students in many fields of microbiology and molecular biology. The program allows students to tailor a curriculum of advanced course work to their specific needs and interests. Students may acquire a general overview of microbiology or may focus on a specialized subject area.
There are two options for the M.S. degree. Students seeking the M.S. degree in order to further their research skills, to prepare for a career in research and development, or to prepare for application to a Ph.D. program should take the research option. This program requires original research and defense of a written summary (thesis or manuscript). Students may select a research advisor from more than 90 faculty members at UW-Madison who conduct microbiological/molecular biological research and participate in the training of students. For a list of trainers, see the Microbiology Doctoral Training Program Web site.
The second option for the M.S. degree requires only course work. This option is for students who want to increase their general knowledge of microbiology and biotechnology. It is appropriate for students who are already working in research and for teachers, lawyers, and business professionals who require a deeper understanding of microbiology and biotechnology. Full-time students can expect to complete the M.S. degree in two years. The M.S. program is also open to part-time students.
Applications to the M.S. program are accepted in every semester. Applicants must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution and have taken three semesters of biology, including some genetics, two semesters of physics, two semesters of organic chemistry, and one course in calculus, statistics, or computer science. Students who choose the research option should also have completed a one-semester course in each of the following: advanced microbiology, biochemistry, microbial genetics, and microbial physiology. Those who have not completed these courses can take them while in the M.S. program; however, only half the credits will be applied toward the M.S. degree course requirements. Students intending to complete the research option should also have prior research experience.
The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is not required for admission to the M.S. program, but scores may be submitted. International students must provide evidence of English proficiency by taking the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) if their undergraduate instruction was not in English.
Ph.D. students should refer to the Microbiology Doctoral Training Program section of this catalog. Financial aid for students in the M.S. program is not available from the department. Some M.S. students in the research option are supported by their research advisor, but such support is available only on a very limited basis.
The minor in bacteriology requires 10-12 credits of graduate-level courses in the department as determined by the minor professor. At least half of the credits must be at the 500 level or higher. Introductory microbiology courses (e.g., Bacteriology 303, 304) cannot be used to satisfy minor degree requirements.
For more information: Student Services Coordinator, Department of Bacteriology, Room 120, 420 Henry Mall, Madison, WI 53706; 608/262-2975; fax 608/262-9865; For Masters program - bactms@bact.wisc.edu; For other inquiries - info@bacteriology.wisc.edu; www.bact.wisc.edu.