Microbiology Graduate Program

The Microbiology Graduate Program offers:

• The Master's (M.S.) Degree

The Microbiology Graduate Program offers both a thesis Masters Degree and starting in Fall 2021, a Comprehensive Exam Masters Degree. Both MS degrees are self-funded and only admit during the Fall Quarter.

• The Doctoral (Ph.D.) Degree

The Microbiology Graduate Program offers a Ph.D. in Microbiology

Go the the UCR catalog to learn more about the degree requirements for each program: https://studentdocs.ucr.edu/registrar/ucr_catalog_2020-2021.pdf

Please apply here. This site has detailed information about the application process for admission and financial aid.

APPLICATIONS:

Applications are only accepted for the Fall quarter only. The priority deadline for early consideration and full fellowships for PhD students is December 1st. MS students are self-funded. The standard Graduate Division deadline is January 5th. After January 5th, PhD applications are considered on a rolling basis depending on funding availability. Please apply online through the Online Application for Graduation Admission. For more detailed information about the application process for admission and financial aid please go to the UC Riverside Graduate Division site. Please contact the Microbiology Program if you have further questions.

For more information about joining our Graduate Program, please fill out our Interest Form.

APPLY NOW

The GRE is no longer required for admission to the Microbiology graduate program and selection for supplemental funding awards. Applications will continue to be reviewed holistically.

The UCR institution code for the GRE and TOEFL is 4839.  The Microbiology GRE code is 0212.  The TOEFL code is 07.  

TRANSCRIPTS:

Please attach unofficial transcripts to the Scholastic Information section of the application. If admitted, official transcripts will be requested.

For admission into the graduate program in Microbiology, a student must have a B.A. or B.S. degree from an accredited institution.  Although no specific undergraduate degree specialization is required, applicants should have an adequate background in the physical and biological sciences, including the following or equivalent courses:

CHEM 001A, CHEM 001B, CHEM 001C (General Chemistry), CHEM 112A, CHEM 112B, CHEM 112C (Organic Chemistry), BCH 110A, BCH 110B (Biochemistry), MATH 009A, MATH 009B (Calculus), STAT 100A (Statistics), BIOL 102 (Genetics), BIOL 121A/MCBL 121A, BIOL 121L/MCBL 121L (Microbiology), BIOL 107A or BCH 110C (Molecular Biology)

This list is intended to represent the minimum background required for students wishing to pursue a graduate degree in Microbiology. Additional course work and laboratory experience in microbiology, biochemistry or genetics is highly desirable. However, upon the recommendation of the graduate advisory committee, occasionally a student may be admitted into the graduate program with one or more course work deficiencies; such students must satisfy these course work deficiencies usually within the first and no later than within the second year of graduate study.

For other admission requirements please see the following links:

Domestic(Resident/Non-Resident) Students
International Students

The Microbiology Graduate Program only offers financial support to PhD students. MS students are self-funded. Prospective Microbiology graduate students are encouraged to submit their applications by December 1. To be considered for financial assistance for your graduate training, your PhD application must be completed by January 5. The Microbiology Admissions Committee recommends student PhD applicants for the competitive fellowships, tuition grants, and fee grants that are supported by the UC Riverside Graduate Division.

Microbiology PhD graduate students are supported in part by fellowships and grants from the UC Riverside Graduate Division. In addition, financial assistance for PhD Microbiology students also includes appointments as teaching assistants or graduate student researchers. Most often, the Microbiology Program, Graduate Division, and a Microbiology faculty mentor will partner their funds to offer incoming students multi-year financial packages. The costs of graduate education and specifics about many aspects of financial aid can be found at the UC Riverside Graduate Division web site on Financial Support. The MS graduate program is completely self-funded.

Students are encouraged to take independent steps to find alternative sources of funding. Domestic students can find information about alternative funding sources through the UC Riverside Graduate Division. Many of the competitive national fellowships must be submitted during the first few months of graduate school. Please plan ahead. Acquiring a competitive national fellowship is a real sign of achievement.