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Frequently Asked Questions
Tuition and Financial Aid
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How much does the master’s degree cost?
The cost per credit hour is $535 plus fees. The total approximate cost is $16,050 plus fees. Additional costs for required university fees and textbooks are not included in the approximate cost. Registration costs follow the standard tuition and fee rates for the University of Florida.
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How much do the graduate certificates cost?
The cost per credit hour is $535 plus fees. The total approximate cost of the medical microbiology graduate certificate is $5,885 plus fees. The total approximate cost of the environmental microbiology graduate certificate is $6,955 plus fees. The total approximate cost for the microbiome and health graduate certificate is $6,420 plus fees. Additional costs for required university fees and textbooks are not included in the estimated costs. Registration costs follow the standard tuition and fee rates for the University of Florida.
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Is financial aid available?
Federal financial aid is available for master’s degree students who qualify. Fill out a FAFSA form and use UF’s school code: 001535.
For graduate certificate students, federal financial aid is not available. Students may be able to apply for private loans.
For more information regarding Student Financial Aid contact the University of Florida Office for Student Financial Affairs: http://www.sfa.ufl.edu.
*Note to UF employees: This program is not EEP eligible.
For veterans and active-duty students, the University of Florida provides military-service men and women with resources and assistance through the Office of Veterans Services.
Admissions
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What are the admission requirements?
A bachelor’s degree from one of the institutional accreditors (or international equivalent) found in the “Accreditation” section at https://admissions.ufl.edu/apply/graduate/. A major in the sciences is preferred for applicants to the master’s degree program and environmental biology and microbiome and health graduate certificate program. A biological science major is recommended for applicants to the graduate certificate in medical microbiology program.
Master of Science in Microbiology and Cell Science
- GPA requirements:
- 3.0 overall GPA and 3.0 upper-division GPA (Rules on calculating GPA)
- If your GPA is below this requirement but is at least 2.7, we recommend applying for a microbiology graduate certificate program. If you are accepted and maintain a 3.5 GPA, you may become eligible for the master’s degree program.
- Course requirements:
- Biochemistry
- Organic Chemistry
- Microbiology
- Biology
- General Chemistry
- A resume/CV
- Pursuant to Florida Statute, your application requires inclusion of all post-high school education and employment, as well as information about ongoing international affiliations and research funding. Please ensure this information is included on your curriculum vitae (CV) or résumé.
Graduate Certificate in Medical Microbiology
- GPA requirements:
- A minimum 3.0 overall GPA and 3.0 upper-division GPA (Rules on calculating GPA) is required for consideration
- Course requirements:
- Biochemistry
- Biology
- General Chemistry
Graduate Certificates in Environmental Microbiology and Microbiome and Health
- GPA requirements:
- 2.7 overall GPA and 2.7 upper-division GPA (Rules on calculating GPA)
- Course requirements:
- Biochemistry
- Organic Chemistry
- Microbiology
- Biology
- General Chemistry
Students without a required science background are welcome to apply and will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis for admission. Relevant professional experience may substitute for academic coursework.
- GPA requirements:
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How long does it take to complete my degree?
On average, students complete the master's degree in two to three years, but you have up to seven years to complete coursework. Coursework taken as a non-degree student is also part of the seven-year timeframe. If the degree is not completed within seven years, the coursework taken prior will expire.
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Will my degree say that it is an online master of science degree?
No, your degree will not specify that your coursework was online. Degrees read, "Master of Science in Microbiology in Cell Science" Then underneath they specify the concentration, reading either, "Concentration in Medical Microbiology and Biochemistry" or "Concentration in Microbiome in Health and Disease."
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How long does it take to complete my graduate certificate?
Students can complete their graduate certificates in as few as two semesters but have up to seven years to complete coursework. Coursework taken as a non-degree student is also part of the seven-year timeframe. If the graduate certificate is not completed within seven years, the coursework taken prior will expire.
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Are students only accepted in the fall semester?
Students are accepted in all three semesters: summer, fall and spring. However, the Microbiome and Health Graduate Certificate only includes classes that are offered during Fall and Spring semesters. Check the following link for Critical Dates.
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Can I transfer credits earned in my graduate certificate program to the master's degree in microbiology and cell science?
Any credits earned in our microbiology graduate certificate programs may be transferred in full to the master’s degree in microbiology in cell science. You must be admitted to the master’s degree program and earn a grade of “B” or higher in the course(s). A grade of “B-“ or less will not transfer.
Additionally, all credits earned in the graduate certificate in medical microbiology can be applied to the affiliated Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology’s on-campus Master of Science in Medical Science and Biomedical Sciences Ph.D. program.
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Does this program accept international students?
Yes, international students are welcome to apply. This program does not require travel to campus to complete, so this is not a visa-granting program.
International students with additional questions can email mcsadvising@ifas.ufl.edu.
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Does this program require any travel to UF’s campus in Florida? Is there a laboratory requirement?
Courses for the master’s degree and graduate certificate program do not require any on-campus travel or commitment. There is no laboratory requirement. All courses can be completed entirely online.
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Are there specific technology requirements?
Yes. Please click here to view technology requirements.
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Can I transfer credits from a previous graduate degree program?
No, all 30 required and elective credits must be completed from the approved course list found here: Course Planning Document for the M.S. Medical Microbiology and Biochemistry.
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When can I expect to hear from UF regarding an admissions decision?
These programs work on a rolling admissions basis, so there is no set date by which applicants are notified of their acceptance. How long it takes depends in part upon the volume of applications they are processing at any given point during the cycle. Applications are not usually reviewed until the semester prior as high numbers of applications require that those for the upcoming semester are prioritized over those applying further in advance. For example, a student applying for a fall semester would be reviewed the previous May/June at the earliest.
Exams
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Is the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) required?
No, the GRE is not a requirement for admission into the online master’s degree or graduate certificate programs.
Accommodations
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How are accommodations for students with disabilities handled?
If you are a student with a disability and would like to request disability-related accommodations, please contact the instructor and the Disability Resource Center as soon as possible. Their phone number is 352-392-8565, (711 TTY/FRS). For more information, see the Disability Resource Center website at https://disability.ufl.edu/. The Disability Resource Center will begin the process to assist you.
Current Student Information
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How do I log in to the courses?
After you complete the application and course registration process, you can access online courses by logging into UF’s e-Learning website at any time. Go to http://elearning.ufl.edu/ and select “e-Learning Login” to enter your Gatorlink username and password.
You will not be able to access your course until the start date listed in the course registration materials. Some course content will not be immediately available to you. Instructors may open and close access to lessons according to the schedule posted in the course syllabus.
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What email address should I use for course communication?
All course communication is done through your UF webmail account, powered by Office 365.
- To check your UF webmail account, go to www.outlook.com/ufl.edu and use your GatorLink username and password to log on.
- Please make sure you are checking your email regularly for course updates and messages.
- You can find more information about UF webmail powered by Office 365 at the following website: https://webmail.ufl.edu/.