UTEP's microbiology curriculum focuses on chemistry, biology, physics and mathematics to build a strong foundation for medical or graduate school, pharmaceuticals or industry. Students will learn about areas ranging from infectious diseases and immunology to environmental and industrial microbiology, and have many opportunities to do research as an undergraduate. MICROBIOLOGY (including biotechnology and molecular biology) is one of the most rapidly developing sciences. With progress in both basic and applied aspects of the field, employment opportunities have increased in number, and the outlook for the future appears bright. Although it is difficult to predict which areas of microbiology will require the greatest attention in the future, it is clear that health, environment, safety, food science, and industrial development will be important, especially the biotechnological aspects of these. In addition, the need for microbiologists at various levels of the educational and governmental systems will parallel development in these areas. Thus, there will be a bright future for students who prepare themselves thoroughly in microbiology and have a strong background in chemistry, physics, mathematics, molecular biology, and computers.