Master's Degree Program

Program Overview

The Medical Microbiology and Immunology (MMI) Masters program is a research-intensive program, requiring a research thesis to graduate. This is different from programs that emphasize classroom instructions where students graduate after completing an established curriculum. Thus, potential applicants must be interested in pursuing a Masters degree that emphasizes laboratory, rather than classroom, training.

Admission Requirements (in addition to the UW-Madison Graduate School requirements)

Paper application materials are not available. To apply, please do the following by January 15 for Fall semester admission:

Complete the University of Wisconsin Graduate School's on-line application found at: http://info.gradsch.wisc.edu/admin/admissions/appinstr.html.
Pay application fee; it is non-refundable and can be paid by credit card (Mastercard or Visa), debit/atm card, personal check or money order, drawn on a U.S. bank.
Send the following items to the Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology (mailing address is included below):

An official copy of transcripts from each institution attended, showing successful completion of a bachelor's degree (minimum GPA 3.0) with a minimum of: two semesters of biology (can be microbiology); one semester of genetics; four semesters of chemistry, including two semesters of organic chemistry; and two semesters of calculus (or one semester of calculus, with an additional semester completed prior to matriculation to the MMI Masters Program).
Official copy of Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores (subject test not required).
Three letters of reference. There is no required format for these letters.
"Reasons for graduate study" statement (can also be included as part of your on-line UW Graduate School application).
The name of the MMI faculty member who has agreed to accept the individual into his/her lab and act as advisor for the duration of the training. See section below titled "Identifying a faculty advisor" for more information. An applicant will not be considered if s/he has not received approval to join a lab. The name of the MMI faculty member who has agreed to accept you into his/her lab must be included in your application (and received by MMI no later than January 15) if you want to be considered for acceptance to this program. Applications not including this information will be considered incomplete.
Every applicant whose native language is not English, or whose undergraduate instruction was not in English, must provide official scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB). An admitted applicant whose TOEFL (paper-based) test score is below 580, whose TOEFL computer-based test (CBT) score is below 237, or whose MELAB score is below 82 must take an English assessment test upon arrival at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The applicant must then register for any recommended English as a Second Language (ESL) course(s) in his/her first semester.

Mailing address:

Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology
Master's Degree Program
Rm 1332 Microbial Sciences
1550 Linden Dr.

Madison, WI 53706-1521

Questions regarding the application process/requirements should be emailed to: info@medmicro.wisc.edu

Additional Information For International Applicants

International student financial information will only be requested by the Graduate School after a department recommends admission. The following website will help international applicants determine how much it will cost to attend UW-Madison: http://info.gradsch.wisc.edu/admin/admissions/financialinfo.html

International transcripts and academic records must be in the original language accompanied by an official English translation. Documents must be issued by the school, with the official seal/stamp and an official signature.

Identifying a faculty advisor

Typically, this is best achieved by contacting the potential faculty advisor (email, phone, letter) and pre-negotiating the scientific and financial conditions specific to each lab involved in the MMI Master's Program. The following faculty are currently accepting master students:

You may also contact the following affiliate faculty:

Factors In Admission Decision

GPAs, GRE scores, TOEFL (if applicable), three letters of reference, and the applicant's "Reasons for Graduate Study" statement are the primary criteria used in the admission decision process. In addition, although not essential, scientific publications (English language journals/books and publications with English abstracts only) will be also considered during the admission process. The "Reasons for Graduate Study" statement should include a description of prior laboratory experience. Because laboratory training is both time and resource intensive, and given that potential Masters students compete with doctoral trainees for laboratory training slots, the number of Masters students admitted to the program annually is typically very small. Two students were accepted for the Fall of 2003; 1 was admitted in Fall 2004.

Upon Admission

The student will assemble a certification committee consisting of three faculty members (including the previously identified faculty advisor). To make satisfactory progress toward a graduate degree, students must meet the Graduate School requirements in addition to those of MMI. A total of sixteen graduate level course credits, and a 3.0 minimum average GPA is required by the Graduate School. MMI requires that at least ten of those sixteen credits be selected from the Medical Microbiology and Immunology curriculum (courses in the curriculum include 410, 460, 504, 528, 529, 554, 575, 603, 655, 696, 720, 740, 750, 773, 900 and 901). Other courses, including technical and management courses, may be substituted with approval of the certification committee. Submission of a satisfactory research thesis and passing an oral examination are also required. Finally, a copy of the approved research thesis must be deposited with the UW Memorial Library; thesis format requirements can be found at http://www.grad.wisc.edu/admin/academicservices/mguide.html.

Students are encouraged to meet with Linda AmRhein (MMI Office) periodically to ensure credit requirements for both the Graduate School and the MMI degree program are being met. Students should also notify Linda at least one semester in advance of expected graduation, so all of the necessary paperwork can be processed in a timely manner.

Financial Aid

Financial support for students in the Masters program is not generally available, although there may be opportunities for support through teaching assistantships.