Microbiome and Health Online Graduate Certificate Program Overview
If you want to make a difference in the world by treating and preventing the outbreak of diseases, it’s essential to first understand the factors that contribute to them. That’s where microbiomes come into play. Each microbiome is a miniature ecosystem composed of microorganisms that live on or within the human body. In recent years, the microbiome has received increased interest in the scientific community, becoming a driver in key areas of research, such as:
- Health homeostasis
- Disease onset and progression
- Therapeutic applications
If you’ve ever considered branching out into one of these fields or simply want to gain a more thorough understanding of these fascinating tiny ecosystems, the University of Florida’s 12-credit Microbiome and Health Online Graduate Certificate will empower you with all the tools you need to start your career in this quickly expanding industry. This certificate will help you acquire skills that will assist you in understanding key concepts of the microbiome, with foundation courses that include:
- MCB 6424: Probiotics
- MCB 6670C: The Microbiome
- MCB 5720: Antimicrobial Resistance
- MCB 5505: Virology
Like our other online graduate programs, the microbiome and health graduate certificate can be completed entirely online. You can earn your credential in just two semesters or stretch the courses out as needed to align with your schedule — whatever works for you. In addition, there are no GRE requirements, and the tuition cost is the same whether you live in Florida or reside out of state.
Student learning outcomes:
Graduates of our program will:
- Develop an in-depth comprehension and mastery of the fundamental concepts and methodology to study the microbiome.
- Integrate the knowledge gained in the microbiome field with health outcomes and its translation into therapies.
- Analyze and discuss primary literature in the field of microbiome to improve critical-thinking and evaluation skills.
- Refine scientific communication skills through writing scientific critiques, blogs and abstracts of primary literature articles.
To earn the certificate, students must complete a selection of required and elective courses equaling 12 credits.
Foundation Courses
Select a minimum of three courses (9 credits total) from among these:
MCB 6670C: The Microbiome
Increase knowledge, appreciation and use of genomics pertaining to the breadth of microbial diversity across a wide variety of organisms and habitats using methods that do not require culturing of the myriad of inhabitants. Students will use tools, practice analysis and interpretation of genomic data sets to analyze different microbiomes.
MCB 6424: Probiotics
This course will cover the use of microorganisms to promote a health status in the animal and human host. This course will provide a conceptual background in microbiology and immunology for the use of microorganisms for the prevention or treatment of animal and human diseases.
MCB 5270: Special Topics: Antimicrobial Resistance
This course covers content related to antimicrobial resistance: the origins of antimicrobial resistance, dissemination, mechanisms, therapeutics and impact on healthcare, agriculture and the environment. This course mainly concentrates on resistance in bacteria but will also discuss other organisms, including viruses, parasites, fungi and cancer.
MCB 5505: Virology
This course is for graduate students and is designed to introduce the field of virology, teach the components of viruses, their replication strategies and the human diseases caused by common and emerging pathogen. This course will also cover the importance of viruses in maintenance of human health (e.g., the virome, gut homeostasis and involvement in development of non-viral disorders) and how viruses can be manipulated by scientists for the treatment of disease.
Elective Courses
Select one course (3 credits total) from among these:
MCB 6670C: The Microbiome
Increase knowledge, appreciation and use of genomics pertaining to the breadth of microbial diversity across a wide variety of organisms and habitats using methods that do not require culturing of the myriad of inhabitants. Students will use tools, practice analysis and interpretation of genomic data sets to analyze different microbiomes.
MCB 6424: Probiotics
This course will cover the use of microorganisms to promote a health status in the animal and human host. This course will provide a conceptual background in microbiology and immunology for the use of microorganisms for the prevention or treatment of animal and human diseases.
MCB 6937: Special Topics: Antimicrobial Resistance
This course covers content related to antimicrobial resistance: the origins of antimicrobial resistance, dissemination, mechanisms, therapeutics and impact on healthcare, agriculture and the environment. This course mainly concentrates on resistance in bacteria but will also discuss other organisms, including viruses, parasites, fungi and cancer.
MCB 5505: Virology
This course is for graduate students and is designed to introduce the field of virology, teach the components of viruses, their replication strategies and the human diseases caused by common and emerging pathogen. This course will also cover the importance of viruses in maintenance of human health (e.g., the virome, gut homeostasis and involvement in development of non-viral disorders) and how viruses can be manipulated by scientists for the treatment of disease.
MCB 6407: Prokaryotic Cell Structure and Function
This course explores the structure and physiology of bacterial cells. The principles of energy and biosynthetic metabolism will be examined in aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms. Several current research topics in microbiology will also be covered including microbial proteases, chaperones, chemotaxis, antimicrobial resistance and adaptations of microbes in extreme environments.
PCB 5235: Immunology
This is a comprehensive course in basic immunology designed for graduate students. Emphasis will be placed on fundamental aspects of immunology and its application to real-world immunological research and concerns. Upon successful completion of the course, students will have a solid immunological information foundation suitable for future educational endeavors in the areas of biomedical research or human/veterinary clinical applications. In addition, students will have a fundamental understanding of basic immunological experimental design. Student assessments in PCB 5235 will focus heavily on immunological facts, concepts and problem-solving based on the application of concepts. PCB 5235 will be co-taught with PCB 4233.
MCB 5205: Microbiology of Human Pathogens
Survey of advanced topics and current scientific literature related to human host-pathogen interactions and microbial pathogenesis, focusing on emerging bacterial and viral pathogens as agents of human disease, biosecurity, molecular identification methods, spread of multi-drug resistance among bacterial pathogens, drug discovery and alternative treatment research.
