The M.Sc. Microbiology programme provides advanced knowledge of microorganisms and their applications in health, industry, agriculture, and the environment. It emphasizes practical skills, research, and interdisciplinary learning, preparing students for careers in diagnostics, pharmaceuticals, food industries, and environmental management, while fostering innovation in life sciences and public health.
Program Educational Objectives (PEO):
PEO 1: Pursue a career as a globally competent and universally employable professional in core and related fields across diverse sectors, contributing to India’s overall development.
PEO 2: Pursue lifelong learning opportunities, including graduate students, to enhance and expand domain-specific and professional skills.
PEO 3: Advance personally and professionally by embracing societal and professional responsibilities, and by pursuing leadership roles.
Program Outcomes (PO):
PO 1: Demonstrate knowledge competency in the core discipline.
PO 2: Apply appropriate knowledge and suitable skills to solve complex problems.
PO 3: Conduct investigations into complex problems using various scientific approaches.
PO 4: Design solutions for complex, open-ended real-life or real-time problems.
PO5: Utilize advanced tools effectively across diverse applications, with a clear understanding of their capabilities and inherent limitations.
PO 6: Work effectively and responsibly as a team member or a leader.
PO 7: Express complex concepts effectively within the profession and with society at large
PO 8: Understand and uphold professional roles and responsibilities
PO 9: Analyze the social and environmental aspects of the professional practices.
PO 10: Uphold high moral and ethical standards in the discharge of professional practices.
PO11: Integrate finer finance and business practices in all professional engagements.
PO 12: Identify and address their professional development through lifelong learning. Program Specific Outcome (PSO):
PSO 1: Able to integrate research practices and ethics in the development of public health, bio-safety and intellectual property rights policy.
PSO 2: Able to develop innovative microbiological technologies with broader industrial and other applications.
PSO 3: Conduct investigations of complex problems using various scientific approaches.
PSO 4: Collaborate effectively in interdisciplinary teams, by integrating microbiological principles with
other scientific disciplines to address contemporary societal issues.
M.Sc MICROBIOLOGY COURSE OUTCOME:
| CORE – BACTERIOLOGY AND MYCOLOGY | CO 1 |
Proper handling of clinical specimens for processing the samples and storage. |
|---|---|---|
| CO 2 |
Understand medically important Gram-positive bacteria: morphology and characteristics. |
|
| CO 3 |
Identify the disease caused by medically important Gram-negative bacterial pathogens. |
|
| CO 4 |
Diagnose and predict the treatment of non-systemic diseases caused by medically important fungal pathogens. |
|
| CO 5 | Study on systemic infection caused by a fungus. | |
| CORE – VIROLOGY AND PARASITOLOGY | CO 1 | Acquire knowledge on various viral and parasitic infections. |
| CO 2 |
Understand the disease mechanisms of viruses and parasites for accurate identification. |
|
| CO 3 |
Learn diagnostic and treatment methods for viral and parasitic infections. |
|
| CO 4 |
Make informed decisions about processing viral/parasitic and clinical samples. |
|
| CO5 |
Recognize the role of updated diagnostic methods in disease understanding. |
|
| CORE – MICROBIAL PHYSIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY | CO 1 | Understand biochemical networks and their role in life’s robustness. |
| CO 2 | Analyze fermentation’s impact on cellular functions. | |
| CO 3 |
Explore microbial regulation of structure and metabolism under environmental changes. |
|
| CO 4 |
Develop skills in designing, executing, and reporting microbial metabolism experiments. |
|
| CO5 | Gain knowledge of enzymes and coenzymes. | |
| CORE – MICROBIAL GENETICS AND rDNA TECHNOLOGY | CO 1 | Grasp microbial genome evolution and speciation. |
| CO 2 | Distinguish natural vs. artificial prokaryotic transformation. | |
| CO 3 | Comprehend genetic information flow. | |
| CO 4 | Design cloning vectors and construct recombinant strains. | |
| CO5 | Develop genetic engineering skills. | |
| PRACTICAL 1- BASIC MICROBIOLOGICAL TECHNIQUES | CO 1 | Build a foundation in basic microbiological techniques. |
| CO 2 | Develop skills in isolating microbes from diverse environments. | |
| CO 3 | Understand factors influencing bacterial growth and growth rates. | |
| CO 4 | Identify microbes at a general level. | |
| CO5 | Recognize industrially significant microbes. | |
| CORE – IMMUNOLOGY AND IMMUNO-TECHNIQUES | CO 1 | Understand the importance of the immune system. |
| CO 2 |
Learn the structure, principles, and functions of immune cells and organs. |
|
| CO 3 | Gain skills in performing immunological assays. | |
| CO 4 |
Comprehend immunological disorders, diseases, and transplantation techniques. |
|
| CO5 | Understand vaccine principles and their applications in immunotherapy. | |
| CORE – AGRICULTURAL MICROBIOLOGY | CO 1 | Gain foundational knowledge of soil microbiology. |
| CO 2 | Understand plant-microbe interactions in soil. | |
| CO 3 | Learn the concepts of Phytopathology and its management. | |
| CO 4 | Recognize the role of microbes as biocontrol agents. | |
| CO5 | Guide farmers in using biopesticides, bioherbicides, and biofertilizers. | |
| CORE – BIOSAFETY, BIOETHICS, IPR & BIOSTATISTICS | CO 1 |
Understand the safety and ethical concerns related to GM crops and human cloning. |
| CO 2 | Gain insight into societal, social, and moral values. | |
| CO 3 | Apply biosafety practices in healthcare and laboratory settings. | |
| CO 4 |
Protect ideas, businesses, and individuals to maximize the benefits of inventions. |
|
| CO5 | Analyze data effectively and draw valid conclusions. | |
| CORE – ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY | CO 1 |
Understand the role of microbes in ecological processes and biogeochemical cycles. |
| CO 2 | Gain knowledge of air microbial quality analysis and control measures. | |
| CO 3 | Learn to assess water quality. | |
| CO 4 | Acquire knowledge of solid waste management methods. | |
| CO5 | Learn various effluent treatment techniques. | |
| CORE- BIOPROCESS TECHNOLOGY | CO 1 | Understand the components of a fermentation unit. |
| CO 2 | Select and design a fermentation process for specific products. | |
| CO 3 | Identify industrially significant microbes and their applications. | |
| CO 4 | Troubleshoot production rates in existing fermentation processes. | |
| CO5 | Analyze the project economics of fermentation production units. | |
| CORE – PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY | CO 1 |
Understand the appropriate drug administration methods and pharmacokinetics. |
| CO 2 |
Gain insight into natural raw materials for drug production and explore potential resources for treating new diseases. |
|
| CO 3 |
Learn various drug design methods using virtual and wet lab techniques, along with the technical details of pre-clinical trials. |
|
| CO 4 | Acquire knowledge of existing drugs and their mechanisms of action. | |
| CO5 | Understand the application of proteins as therapeutic drugs. | |
| CORE- FOOD MICROBIOLOGY | CO 1 | Explain the significance and types of fermented products. |
| CO 2 | Study the advantages and disadvantages of food additives. | |
| CO 3 |
Identify characteristics of foodborne and waterborne microorganisms in food spoilage. |
|
| CO 4 | Gain knowledge of indicator organisms and methods for their control. | |
| CO5 |
Apply traditional food preservation methods and understand the importance of food safety standards and laws in the food industry. |
|
| RESEARCH TECHNIQUES | CO 1 | Gain knowledge of research methodologies in modern biological sciences. |
| CO 2 | Learn the process of article and proposal submission. | |
| CO 3 | Master computational tools and software for research applications. | |
| CO 4 |
Understand biomolecule separation and analytical methods in life science applications. |
|
| CO5 | Be able to characterize biomolecules. | |
| PRACTICAL – III – APPLIED MICROBIOLOGICAL TECHNIQUES | CO 1 | Perform molecular identification of microorganisms. |
| CO 2 | Generate recombinant strains for novel product development. | |
| CO 3 | Maintain and culture animal cell lines. | |
| CO 4 | Establish and manage plant tissue cultures. | |
| CO5 | Virtually assess compound and drug interactions. | |
| ELECTIVE PAPER – MOLECULAR CELL BIOLOGY | CO 1 | Able to link structural organization with cellular functions. |
| CO 2 | Capable of distinguishing between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. | |
| CO 3 | Understand the molecular mechanisms underlying various diseases. | |
| CO 4 | Comprehend the molecular mechanisms of body movement. | |
| CO5 | Explain the process of organism development from embryo to adulthood. | |
| ELECTIVE PAPER -BIOMOLECULAR METABOLISM | CO 1 | Get a distinct idea about the principles of biophysical chemistry. |
| CO 2 | Understand the nature of nucleic acids | |
| CO 3 | Have a knowledge on proteins | |
| CO 4 | Comprehend carbohydrates | |
| CO5 | Know the characteristics of lipids and vitamins | |
| ELECTIVE PAPER – PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY | CO 1 | To understand the basic lab organization and techniques |
| CO 2 |
Able to analyze totipotency, cell and tissue culture and its applications |
|
| CO 3 |
Able to develop the graduate capabilities of knowledge, ability, comprehension and applications of plants in cell& tissue culture |
|
| CO 4 | Capacity to establish a commercial plant tissue culture lab. | |
| CO5 |
To understand and develop stress-tolerant transgenic plants through the application of Genetic Engineering |
|
| ELECTIVE PAPER – ANIMAL BIOTECHNOLOGY | CO 1 |
Understand the environmental conditions and types required for animal tissue culture. |
| CO 2 | Gain knowledge of the requirements for animal cell culture. | |
| CO 3 | Learn the techniques used in animal tissue culture. | |
| CO 4 |
Demonstrate understanding of stem cell characteristics and their significance in medical applications. |
|
| CO 5 | Understand the components involved in in vitro tissue culturing. | |
| ELECTIVE PAPER -BIOINFORMATICS AND NANOBIOTECHNOLOGY | CO 1 | To acquire the knowledge of the fundamentals of Bioinformatics |
| CO 2 | Able to learn various tools to study biomolecules | |
| CO 3 | To remember the basics of omics and its advancement | |
| CO 4 | To understand the basics of nanoscience and nanoparticles | |
| CO 5 | To analyze, characterize and the applications of nanomaterials | |
| ELECTIVE PAPER – ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN LIFE SCIENCES | CO 1 |
Gain knowledge of the basics and principles of ANN and machine learning in life science applications. |
| CO 2 |
Learn about different AI methods in cell biology research and immunological diagnostics. |
|
| CO 3 |
Understand disease diagnostic methods in plant tissue culture and plant-microbe interactions using AI tools. |
|
| CO 4 | Explore the role of AI tools in environmental sensor applications. | |
| CO 5 |
Learn the significance of AI in drug discovery and nanotechnology research. |
|
| SUPPORTIVE PAPERS – MICROBIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY | CO 1 | Basic Design Principles of Fermentor and Its Units |
| CO 2 |
Production of various industrial bioproducts from industrially relevant microbes |
|
| CO 3 |
Able to understand the role of different agricultural beneficiary 0microbes. |
|
| CO 4 | The students will learn the importance of microbial pathogens. | |
| CO 5 |
The students will understand the role of microbes in environmental applications. |
|
| SUPPORTIVE PAPERS – CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY | CO 1 | Able to predict the epidemiology of disease |
| CO 2 |
Identify the proper diagnosis and treatment of various infections caused by pathogens |
|
| CO 3 |
Make appropriate and effective on-the-job professional decisions in the processing of clinical samples. |
|
| CO 4 | Differentiate the proper and inappropriate samples for analysis | |
| CO 5 | The students will learn the basics of blood analysis | |
| SUPPORTIVE PAPERS – PROBIOTICS AND PREBIOTICS | CO 1 | Understand the history of probiotics |
| CO 2 |
Compare and contrast the use of lactic acid bacteria, Bifidobacterium and Propionibacterium as probiotics. |
|
| CO 3 |
Understand the range of proposed probiotics and the challenges in ensuring their safety and efficacy |
|
| CO 4 |
Compare and contrast the mechanisms used by probiotic microorganisms to modulate the host immune responses in the animal and in the human host |
|
| CO 5 |
List the proposed uses of probiotic microorganisms for the prevention or treatment of animal and human diseases. |
| Course Code | Title of the Course | Credits | Hours | Maximum Marks | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Theory | Practical | CIA | ESE | Total | |||
| FIRST SEMESTER | |||||||
| 25MMBC01 | Bacteriology and Mycology | 4 | 60 | 25 | 75 | 100 | |
| 25MMBC02 | Virology and Parasitology | 4 | 60 | 25 | 75 | 100 | |
| 25MMBC03 | Microbial Physiology and Biochemistry> | 4 | 60 | 25 | 75 | 100 | |
| 25MMBC04 | Microbial genetics and recombinant DNA technology> | 4 | 60 | 25 | 75 | 100 | |
| 25MMBE12A | Elective 1 A | 4 | 62 | 25 | 75 | 100 | |
| 25MMBE12B | Elective 1 B | 63 | |||||
| 25MMBS1 | Supportive 1 | 2 | 30 | 12 | 38 | 50 | |
| 25MMBCP01 | Practical I: Basic Microbiological Techniques> | 4 | 90 | 40 | 60 | 100 | |
| Total | 26 | 177 | 473 | 650 | |||
| SECOND SEMESTER | |||||||
| 25MMBC05 | Immunology and o techniques |
4 | 61 | 25 | 75 | 100 | |
| 25MMBC06 | Agricultural Microbiology | 4 | 64 | 25 | 75 | 100 | |
| 25MMBC07 | Biosafety, Bioethics, IPR and Biostatistics> | 4 | 60 | 25 | 75 | 100 | |
| 25MMBC08 | Environmental Microbiology | 4 | 60 | 25 | 75 | 100 | |
| 25MMMBE13A | Elective 2 A | 4 | 62 | 25 | 75 | 100 | |
| 25MMBE13B | Elective 2 B | 62 | |||||
| 25MMBS2 | Supportive 2 | 2 | 30 | 12 | 38 | 50 | |
| 25MMBCP02 | Practical – II: Advanced Microbiological Techniques> | 4 | 90 | 40 | 60 | 100 | |
| Total | 26 | 177 | 473 | 650 | |||
| THIRD SEMESTER | |||||||
| 25MMBC09 | Bioprocess Technology | 4 | 64 | 25 | 75 | 100 | |
| 25MMBC10 | Pharmaceutical Chemistry | 4 | 64 | 25 | 75 | 100 | |
| 25MMBC11 | Food Microbiology | 4 | 60 | 25 | 75 | 100 | |
| 25MMBC12 | Research Techniques | 4 | 60 | 25 | 75 | 100 | |
| 25MMBE14A | Elective 3 A | 4 | 60 | 25 | 75 | 100 | |
| 25MMBE14B | Elective 3 B | 61 | |||||
| 25MMBS3 | Supportive 3 | 2 | 30 | 12 | 38 | 50 | |
| 25MMBCP03 | Practical – II: Applied Microbiological Techniques> | 4 | 90 | 40 | 60 | 100 | |
| Total | 26 | 177 | 473 | 650 | |||
| FOURTH SEMESTER | |||||||
| 25MMBE15A | Elective 4 | 4 | 60 | 25 | 75 | 100 | |
| Project viva voce* | 6 | 60 | 90 | 150 | |||
|
Industrial / Institute visit and Summer Training (Viva voce) ** |
2 | 50 | 50 | ||||
| Total | 12 | 135 | 165 | 300 | |||
| Grand Total | 90 | 666 | 1584 | 2250 | |||
| Value-added Course | 2 | 30 | 50 | ||||
| Job-Oriented Courses Offered | 2 | 30 | 50 | ||||
ELECTIVE COURSES OFFERED
| Semester/ Code No. |
Subject |
Credits |
University examination | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Internal Mark | External Mark | Total Mark | |||
| 25MMBE12A | Molecular Cell Biology | 4 | 25 | 75 | 100 |
| 25MMBE12B | Biomolecular Metabolism | 4 | 25 | 75 | 100 |
| 25MMBE13A | Plant Biotechnology | 4 | 25 | 75 | 100 |
| 25MMB13B | Animal Biotechnology | 4 | 25 | 75 | 100 |
| 25MMB14A | Bioinformatics and Nano-Biotechnology> | 4 | 25 | 75 | 100 |
| 25MMB14B | Good Manufacturing Practices and Quality Assurance> | 4 | 25 | 75 | 100 |
| FINISHING SCHOOL PAPER | |||||
| 25MMBE15A | Artificial Intelligence in Life Sciences> | 4 | 25 | 75 | 100 |
SUPPORTIVE COURSES OFFERED
| Semester | Paper | Subject | Credits | Hours Per week | University examination | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hrs | Max Marks | |||||
| SEMESTER I | 25MMBS1 | Microbial Biotechnology | 2 | 2 | 2 | 50 |
| SEMESTER II | 25MMBS2 | Clinical Microbiology | 2 | 2 | 2 | 50 |
| SEMESTER III | 25MMBS3 | Probiotics and Prebiotics | 2 | 2 | 2 | 50 |
JOB ORIENTED COURSE*
| Paper | Subject | No. of Days | Credits | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max. Marks | ||||
| SEC | Industrial Training Related to Microbiology> | 15 | 50 | 2 |
* The Mark obtained will be added to the four-semester Mark statement. VALUE
ADDED COURSES OFFERED**
| Paper Code | Subject | Hrs. Per week | University examination | Credits | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duration in Hrs. | Max. Marks | ||||
| 25MMBVAC1 | Scientific writing | 2 | 2 | 50 | 2 |
| 25MMBVAC2 | Spirulina cultivation | 2 | 2 | 50 | 2 |
| 25MMBVAC3 | Functional foods | 2 | 2 | 50 | 2 |
| 25MMBVAC4 | Organic Farming | 2 | 2 | 50 | 2 |
| 25MMBVAC5 | EM (Effective microorganisms)> | 2 | 2 | 50 | 2 |
A successful candidate in Microbiology may find placement opportunities in the following sectors
- Healthcare: Diagnostics, Clinical Research, Hospitals
- Pharmaceuticals: Drug Development, Quality Control, Production
- Biotechnology: R&D, Fermentation, Genetic Engineering.
- Agriculture: Bio fertilizers, Bio pesticides, Soil Microbiology
- Food Industry: Food Safety, Quality Assurance, Fermentation Technology.
- Environmental: Waste Management, Bioremediation, Water Testing
- Academia: Teaching, Research, Laboratory Assistance
- Government & Regulatory Bodies: Public Health Labs, Regulatory Affairs, Policy Development
- Industrial Microbiology: Product Development, Process Optimization, QC/QA
Entrepreneurial opportunity / about alumni entrepreneur
The on-campus Atal Incubation Center (AIC) offers a dynamic platform for students with entrepreneurial ambitions to develop their skills and transform innovative ideas into viable life science ventures. Through its supportive ecosystem, the AIC fosters creativity, mentorship, and hands-on experience in startup development.
Higher Education opportunities
M.Sc. Microbiology graduates have diverse higher education opportunities. They can pursue Ph.D. programs in microbiology or related fields like immunology, virology, and biotechnology, followed by post-doctoral research in national or international institutes. Integrated Ph.D. programs are available at premier institutions such as IISc, NCBS, and IITs. Graduates can also explore MPH or MHA for roles in public health and hospital administration. International education with scholarships like DAAD or Fulbright is widely pursued. Additionally, certification courses in genomics, CRISPR, and biostatistics enhance domain-specific skills.