Environmental Microbiology Graduate Certificate Program Overview
The mounting global effects of climate change have made the role of microbes in our everyday lives increasingly visible, and the demand for professionals who understand the underlying science behind earth’s complex microbiomes has risen accordingly. UF’s online Graduate Certificate in Environmental Microbiology is the only certificate program in the world that explores how microbes can be harnessed to provide solutions to practical issues on a global scale. These real-world applications include climate change, rising sea levels, bioremediation, interactions between people and their workplace environments, solar radiation risks to human health and improving the space industry.
Students earning this graduate certificate will study concepts in microbial ecology, biogeochemistry, and advances in microbiome research while developing competency in current environmental microbiology technologies and evaluation strategies.
Student learning outcomes:
- Develop an in-depth comprehension and mastery of the fundamental concepts and methodology of environmental microbiology.
- Analyze and discuss primary literature in the field of environmental microbiology to improve critical thinking and evaluation skills.
- Refine scientific communication skills through writing scientific critiques, blogs and abstracts of primary literature articles.
- Improve professional development through an increased awareness of library resources, professional societies, journals and meetings.
The following required courses can be taken at any point during your graduate certificate program.
To earn the Graduate Certificate in Environmental Microbiology, you must also successfully complete three of the following courses, totaling 9 credits:
An alternative, relevant course may be substituted for one of the certificate courses with the permission of an advisor or program coordinator.
The following elective does not count toward the credit requirements of the certificate program but is recommended for students lacking prior upper-division coursework in microbiology.
Suggested Course Plan
Fall Semester (6 or 7 credits) |
MCB 6656 Environmental Microbiology (3 credits) MCB 7922 Journal Colloquium in Environmental Microbiology (1 credit) MCB 6407 Prokaryotic Cell Structure and Function (3 credits) or SWS 5305C Soil Microbial Ecology (3 credits) |
Spring Semester (6 or 7 credits) |
MCB 7922 Journal Colloquium in Astrobiology (1 credit) MCB 5705 Astrobiology (3 credits) or MCB 6670C The Microbiome (3 credits) or SWS 6366 Biodegradation and Bioremediation of Organic Contaminants (3 credits) |
Summer (3 credits [optional]) |
MCB 6151 Prokaryotic Diversity (3 credits) |