Microbiology

University of British Columbia

Canada, Vancouver

University RankQS Ranking

Apply Now!

Go to Official Website

Home/Canada/Vancouver /University of British Columbia/Microbiology

University of British Columbia

Canada , Vancouver

Key Facts

Program Level

Bachelor

Study Type

Full Time

Delivery

On Campus

Application Fee

CAD 125

Campuses

Okanagan

Program Language

English

Start & Deadlines

Next Intake Deadlines15-May-2023

Apply to this program

Go to the official application for the university

Duration 4 year(s)

Tuition Fee

CAD 46,296 / year

Next Intake 15-May-2023

Microbiology

About

You can study intense specialization in a single field.

This program is designed to provide you with a breadth of knowledge in microbiology as it applies to the environment, health, and industry. It will help you develop a wide range of lab, communication, and critical thinking skills. As a graduate of the program, you'll be prepared to either begin a career in the food and beverage industry, health sciences, or environmental sciences, or to continue on to graduate school or a professional program in medicine or dentistry.

Experiential learning and research

Participate in original research " either your own or a professor's in your field. The Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science supports student research through the Undergraduate Research Awards, which allow students to carry out their own projects over the summer months, and other awards, which provide opportunities to work with professors on their research. You'll also have the opportunity to take your studies abroad with the Go Global and Exchange and Research Abroad programs.

Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science Undergraduate Research Awards
NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Awards
Go Global
Exchange and Research Abroad
Tuum Est Student Initiative Fund

Campus features

UBC's Okanagan campus is home to a number of world-class research facilities, including the Centre for Microbiome and Inflammatory Research and the Okanagan Institute for Biodiversity, Resilience, and Ecosystem Services (BRAES). BRAES is a consortium of UBC faculty members and students, collaborators, and partner organizations working together to advance research and teaching in conservation and ecology.

Okanagan Institute for Biodiversity, Resilience, and Ecosystem Services
Centre for Microbiome and Inflammatory Research

Explore fascinating new worlds at the microscopic level in microbiology, the study of life too small to see with the naked eye. This program will prepare you for a career in microbiology, in fields ranging from public policy and medical sciences, to renewable energy and pollution control.

Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4

BIOL 116 - Biology for Science Majors I
First of a pair of courses that introduce students to the biological concepts necessary to continue into second-year biology. Covers evolutionary theory and its underlying genetic basis, basic cell biology, plant and animal nutrition, and energy acquisition. Credit will be granted for only BIOL 116/125 or BIOL 117/122.
BIOL 125 - Biology for Science Majors II
Continuation of BIOL 116. Introduction to biological concepts necessary for second-year biology. Physiology of reproduction, gas exchange, inter-organ transport, inter-organ coordination in plants and animals, and excretion and movement in animals. Ecosystem, population, community, and behavioural ecology are discussed.
CHEM 121 - Atomic and Molecular Chemistry
Stoichiometry, atomic and molecular structure, chemical periodicity, gases, liquids, solids, and solutions. Required course for all students needing a first-year Chemistry course who have Chemistry 12.
MATH 100 - Differential Calculus with Applications to Physical Sciences and Engineering
Derivatives of elementary functions, limits. Covers applications and modelling: graphing and optimization.
PHYS 111 - Introductory Physics for the Physical Sciences I
Introduction to mechanics primarily for students majoring in the physical sciences (e.g. physics, chemistry, mathematics, computer science, geology, physical geography) or engineering. Particle kinematics and dynamics, work and energy, momentum, gravitation, rigid body motion, fluid statics and dynamics with applications to the physical sciences. Students with Physics 12 may apply for a tutorial exemption.

BIOL 200 - Cell Biology
Structure and function of plant and animal cells; membrane models, cytoplasmic organelles, biological information from gene to protein, the endomembrane system, secretion, intracellular digestion, endocytosis, transport processes, cytoskeleton and cell motility.
BIOL 201 - Introduction to Evolution and Ecology
Fundamental processes underlying adaptive evolution, speciation, and extinction. Methods used to reconstruct the evolutionary histories of, and relationships among, groups of organisms. Factors determining the distribution and abundance of organisms. Competition, predation, and an exploration of processes that promote species coexistence and lead to the maintenance of species diversity.
BIOL 202 - Introduction to Biostatistics
Introduction to statistics, with emphasis on the application of commonly applied parametric and non-parametric statistical methods in the biological sciences. Use of computer software to manage data, conduct statistical analyses, and report findings in publishable formats.
BIOL 265 - Principles of Genetics
Mendelian genetics, gene expression, recombination, mutation, evolution, and molecular techniques. Examples will be drawn from both eukaryotic and prokaryotic systems.
CHEM 203 - Introduction to Organic Chemistry
Structure, bonding, and physical properties of aliphatic and aromatic compounds; conformational analysis, stereochemistry, and NMR spectroscopy; substitution and elimination reactions of alkyl halides; ethers, epoxides, aldehydes, ketones. Credit will not be granted for only one of CHEM 203 or CHEM 213.

BIOL 314 - Medical Microbiology
Bacterial and fungal agents of infectious animal diseases. Physiology and structure, mechanisms of pathogenesis, immunological response, clinical disease caused, epidemiology, laboratory diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and control. Properties and uses of antibacterial and antifungal agents, resistance, vaccines, and bioterrorism.
BIOL 330 - Freshwater Microbiology
Integrates taxonomy, physiology, and ecosystem functioning of freshwater microbes. Effects of microbial activities in perturbed aquatic environments will be examined. Labs introduce basic and advanced techniques for identification, enumeration, and measuring biogeochemical activity within an aquatic and experimental context. Note: this course will be offered on alternate years.
BIOL 366 - Molecular Genetics
Stresses the principles of molecular biology techniques and their relevance to the study of all areas of biology. Gene expression, gene regulation, and development genetics.
BIOL 381 - Environmental Microbiology
Introduction to the diverse roles of microbes in natural and artificial environments. Topics range from community interactions to biogeochemical cycles to biodegradation and will introduce principles, practical applications, and implications of environmental microbiology.
BIOL 311 - Biochemistry I
Structure and function of proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids. Principles of thermodynamics and enzyme reaction mechanisms. Enzyme kinetics. Credit will only be granted for one of BIOL 311 or BIOC 304.

BIOC 493 - Biotechnology Laboratory
Current methods in biotechnology will be demonstrated, including the use of biotechnological techniques and tools in such areas as molecular biology, microbiology, and biochemistry.
BIOL 410 - Plant-Microbe Interactions
Ecological, physiological, and molecular perspectives will be covered on root-associated micro-organisms with the potential to benefit plants. Implications for agriculture, forestry, bioremediation, and conservation.
BIOL 420 - Special Topics in Biology
With permission of the unit, this course may be taken more than once with a different topic.
BIOL 480 - Mycology
A detailed examination of the fungi. Emphasis is on taxonomy, evolution, genetics, ecology, and physiology of the Chytridiomycota, Zygomycota, Glomeromycota, Ascomycota, and Basidiomycota. The seminar emphasizes discussion and interpretation of primary literature, and quantitative data.

Disciplines

Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science

Requirements

Entry Requirements

Graduation from a university-preparatory program at a senior secondary school: General Secondary Education Certificate (Tawjihi). Certificates must be official. Photocopies are acceptable if certified by school principal, head, or counsellor. Notarized copies are not acceptable.

Career

Graduates from the Microbiology program on UBC's Okanagan campus are equipped to work in:

Health sciences
Environmental sciences
Food and beverage industries
Forestry and agriculture
Dentistry
Medicine

UBC stories

"My time at the BC Cancer Agency is the greatest learning and clinical health care experience I have had. I heard from other students working on research projects at the BC Cancer Agency that each year, the Kelowna centre hires students for summer positions. I simply reached out to the centre to apply for a position."
Bhavan Panghali, Microbiology Read the full story

Related programs

- - Name
  - Campus
  - Length
- - General Science (Vancouver)
    - Vancouver
    0 years
  - Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
    - Okanagan
    4 years
  - Biology
    - Okanagan
    4 years
  - Microbiology and Immunology
    - Vancouver
    4 years

Fee Information

Tuition Fee

CAD 46,296

Application Fee

CAD 125

How to Apply

As you complete the online application, keep the following tips in mind:

Start early and take your time. Once you begin the application, you will be able to save it and return to it later – but only up until the deadline. Once you have submitted your application to UBC, you will not be able to edit it. Since the online application can sometimes time out if left open for too long, we recommend working on your personal profile questions outside of the application (where you can run them through a spell-checker) then copy and paste them into your application.
Let the online application guide you. You’ll be asked to provide only the information we need based on your degree choice(s), your previous education, and other factors.
Tell us your full academic history. It’s important to include all of the high schools, colleges, and/or universities you have attended. Don’t leave anything out!
Be accurate. UBC has a number of methods in place to authenticate information provided in the application. These methods include, but are not limited to, contacting references, verifying academic records, and requesting additional documentation to verify your personal profile. If an application is found to contain untrue or incomplete information, UBC may, at its discretion: withdraw an offer of admission; require you to withdraw from UBC; subject you to academic discipline; or share the information provided with other post-secondary institutions, law enforcement agencies, or other third parties.
Use an email address you check frequently. Once you have submitted your application, UBC will communicate with you primarily by email.
Note your UBC student number. Write down your UBC student number somewhere safe. You’ll need it in future correspondence with UBC.