About the Program
The Graduate Group in Infectious Diseases and Immunity provides an opportunity for the study of the biology of infectious agents, their interaction with human and other hosts, and their relationship with the environment. The PhD program is unique in its emphasis on integrated multidisciplinary training in host-pathogen environmental interactions. Important areas of inquiry include the biology of host-pathogen interactions, molecular and cellular aspects of pathogenesis, the ecology and evolution of disease agents, environmental factors in transmission, intermediate hosts and vectors, the biology of surveillance and epidemiological analysis, vaccine and drug development, and public health practices for disease prevention and control.
The objective of this program is to provide students with research-oriented pursuits that will train them to design and implement independent investigations. The goal is to promote health by the integration of basic research and applied technologies for the development of new approaches for the diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and control of infectious disease in humans.
Students matriculating through this program will acquire expertise in fundamental infectious disease research and thus are well prepared for careers in academia, governmental agencies, and biotechnology. For admission requirements and application process, please visit both the IDI website and the Grad Division website f for details. Application deadline: December 1st for the following year's fall semester admission.
Admissions
Applying for Graduate Admission
Thank you for considering UC Berkeley for graduate study! UC Berkeley offers more than 120 graduate programs representing the breadth and depth of interdisciplinary scholarship. A complete list of graduate academic departments, degrees offered, and application deadlines can be found on the Graduate Division website.
Prospective students must submit an online application to be considered for admission, in addition to any supplemental materials specific to the program for which they are applying. The online application can be found on the Graduate Division website.
Admission Requirements
The minimum graduate admission requirements are:
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A bachelor’s degree or recognized equivalent from an accredited institution;
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A satisfactory scholastic average, usually a minimum grade-point average (GPA) of 3.0 (B) on a 4.0 scale; and
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Enough undergraduate training to do graduate work in your chosen field.
For a list of requirements to complete your graduate application, please see the Graduate Division’s Admissions Requirements page. It is also important to check with the program or department of interest, as they may have additional requirements specific to their program of study and degree. Department contact information can be found here.
Where to apply?
Visit the Berkeley Graduate Division application page.
Doctoral Degree Requirements
Curriculum
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Courses Required | ||
| Group I: Infectious Diseases (2 courses): | ||
| PB HLTH 260A | Principles of Infectious Diseases | 4 |
| And one of the following: | ||
| PB HLTH 262 | Molecular and Cellular Basis of Bacterial Pathogenesis | 3 |
| PB HLTH 265 | Molecular Parasitology | 3 |
| PB HLTH 266B | Zoonotic Diseases | 2 |
| Group II: Immunology (1 course): Student should take PH 263 as far as possible and not both PH 263 and MCB 250 | ||
| PB HLTH 263 | Public Health Immunology | 3-4 |
| or MCELLBI 250 | Advanced Immunology | |
| Group III: Biostatistics (1 courses): | ||
| PB HLTH 142 | Introduction to Probability and Statistics in Biology and Public Health | 4 |
| or PB HLTH 245 | Introduction to Multivariate Statistics | |
| Group IV: Epidemiology (2 courses) | ||
| PB HLTH 250A | Epidemiologic Methods I | 3 |
| PB HLTH 253B | Epidemiology and Control of Infectious Diseases 1 | 3 |
| or PB HLTH 260E | Molecular Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases | |
| Group V: Research (2 courses) | ||
| PB HLTH 293 | Doctoral Seminar (IDI Doctoral Seminar) | 1 |
| PB HLTH 293 | Doctoral Seminar (Doctoral Research Seminar) | 2 |
| In addition to the required courses listed above, students will elect several additional courses appropriate to the student’s area of research interest with the guidance of the Graduate Advisor and other faculty. | ||
| Examples for electives (also includes courses listed above): | ||
| Epidemiologic Methods II [4] | ||
| Infectious Disease Research in Developing Countries [2] | ||
| Outbreak Investigation [2] | ||
| Advanced Biochemistry and Molecular Biology: Macromolecular Reactions and the Cell [4] | ||
| Advanced Cell and Developmental Biology [4] | ||
- 1
IDI PhD students without an epidemiology background are strongly
encouraged to read more about Epidemiology and/or take PB HLTH 250A prior to taking PB HLTH 253B.
Contact Information
Graduate Group in Infectious Diseases and Immunity
5321-15 Berkeley Way West, Berkeley, CA 94720
Phone: 510-642-2613
Program Head
Eva Harris, PhD
500D Li Ka Shing Center
Phone: 510-642-4845