Skip to main content

Microbiology and Immunology Degree Planner

Microbiology and Immunology

The Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Dalhousie University offers the only program of its kind in the Maritimes, providing students with the skills they need to become excellent biomedical researchers. Complete your undergraduate degree as a major, or consider completing an honours or co-op degree and/or earning one or more certificates if certain courses are taken as part of the program. 


Your Major Map: Microbiology and Immunology

The Microbiology and Immunology Major Map highlights academic and co-curricular opportunities and provides an overview of how students can customize their degree. Students are encouraged to connect with advising supports at Dalhousie and use the Academic Calendar and Timetable to create their course plan.



Where your degree can take you

A BSc degree in Microbiology and Immunology provides great preparation for a variety of careers. The skills and knowledge acquired through this program can be applied, but are not limited to career paths in:

Biomedical and environmental research, biotechnology, industrial microbiology, pharmaceuticals, vaccine development, probiotics, genomics, applied genetics, environmental monitoring, food quality and safety, law, government policy, education and specific health care fields such as dentistry, medicine and pharmacy, among many more.


Core competencies gained

Discipline-level skills: 

  • An understanding of the disease-causing potential of bacteria and viruses, and how the immune system responds to those kinds of threats
  • Knowledge of the processes, structure, and functioning of human, animal, and plant tissues and cells 
  • Usage of technical instruments such as light and fluorescent microscopes 
  • Application of laboratory techniques such as staining, plasmid isolation, cloning and screening, western blots, PCR, gel electrophoresis, and microscopy

Transferable skills: 

  • Academic writing and presentation skills
  • Critical thinking and analytical skills
  • Communication skills
  • Numeracy skills
  • Time management
  • Leadership and teamwork
  • Basic statistical analyses 
  • Research skills
  • Laboratory techniques

Possible careers and employment

Microbiology and Immunology Alumni can be employed within a variety of industries and have multiple career path options. These are influenced by the student's elective courses, experiential learning choices, and certificates. Some of the options below will typically require additional or graduate-level training*, while some can be pursued following the completion of the baccalaureate program only.

  • Allergist
  • Bioinformatician*
  • Clinical immunologist*
  • Clinical research associate
  • Environmental scientist*
  • Epidemiologist*
  • Food and drug inspector
  • Geneticist*
  • Immunologist*
  • Infectious disease specialist*
  • Laboratory technician
  • Medical laboratory technologist* 
  • Microbiologist*
  • Patent Agent
  • Pathologist*
  • Public health inspector
  • Quality control technician 
  • Regulatory affairs expert
  • Teacher/Professor*
  • Technical Writer
  • Virologist*
An image of an alumni profile with an individual smiling, yellow text on black background

Search Dal.ca