Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology

The UC Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is a research-only degree, carried out under expert supervision and using world-class facilities. At UC you can complete a PhD in over 70 subjects, joining over 1,000 students from more than 60 nations.A PhD involves extensive, sustained, and original research in your chosen subject, with the results being presented in a thesis that will contribute to intellectual knowledge of the field. It is a mark of intellectual ability, self-discipline, and commitment. A PhD prepares you for a number of careers, including as an academic.


Microbiology is the study of organisms such as algae, fungi, bacteria, and viruses that cannot be seen with the naked eye. These microorganisms are abundant and diverse, and they affect humans in both negative and positive ways.

Some microorganisms cause diseases in humans, other animals, or agricultural crops, and are therefore of significance to our biosecurity. Others can be used to benefit humans, such as microbes that can be used to kill insect pests (bio-control) and those that destroy harmful chemicals such as pesticides (bio-remediation). Other microbes are simply essential to the maintenance of all life, such as those that generate oxygen and other critical elements.

This is a broad major, covering bacteria, archaea, eukaryotic microbes and viruses, and environmental, evolutionary, and molecular microbiology.

Enrolment in a PhD requires completion of a research-focused honours or master's degree, at First or Second Class (Division I) Honours or Distinction level (or equivalent qualifications).

Applicants with qualifications from outside Aotearoa New Zealand must have been granted admission to the University. Our admissions team, in consultation with the host department, look at your qualifications and transcripts to ensure that you have the background required to complete a PhD. It is possible that you may be required to complete preparatory courses prior to or after admission into a PhD programme.

IELTS: An average score of 6.5, with a minimum of 6.0 in reading, writing, listening and speaking
TOEFL iBT :Total minimum score of 90, minimum score of 19 in reading, writing and listening