In response to national demand, the IMPG promptly established, in 1994, the first undergraduate course in Microbiology and Immunology in Brazil, with a duration of 4 years (8 semesters), which was recognized by the National Education Council with an A grade (Ordinance 57 of 01/13/2000, published in the Official Gazette of the Union on 01/14/2000). In 2005, aiming to provide greater opportunities for our students within the job market, the Institute decided to change the name of its undergraduate program to Bachelor’s in Biological Sciences: Microbiology and Immunology. In December 2007, the bachelor’s program received the highest rating from the Ministry of Education (MEC), being evaluated with a grade of 5 (five). In 2013, the course was restructured for the first time to address new knowledge, given the dynamic nature of Biological Sciences. Currently, the program consists of 30 mandatory subjects, 6 Supplementary Curriculum Requirements for mandatory supervised internships (including a Thesis Project and the Thesis itself), 320 hours of optional academic activities in the Extension group, 50 hours of optional academic activities in the Complementary Activities group, 120 hours of elective subjects with conditioned choice, and 60 hours of freely chosen elective subjects distributed across 8 semesters (4 years), occurring on a full-time schedule (morning and afternoon), with a total workload of 3540 hours, corresponding to 141 credits.

The curriculum is structured to integrate basic sciences and the specific sciences of the profession, stimulating students from the first semester to develop logical and critical reasoning as well as scientific thinking, while providing exposure to bibliographic research tools and scientific information. To guide students in the development of these activities, the course includes a distinctive 1760 hours dedicated to laboratory practical activities, including practical classes, internships, and the development of a thesis as the final project.

The curriculum covers basic subjects of an undergraduate program in Biological Sciences; addresses the microorganism-host relationship; discusses health/disease, studying the different etiological agents (viruses, bacteria, fungi, and protozoa) of infections in living beings, as well as their laboratory diagnosis; studies Immunology and Immunopathology involved in these processes; focuses on Environmental Microbiology, covering ecology, biodiversity, and pollution; covers Industrial Microbiology, and in the last two semesters, students dedicate themselves to experimental work for the Thesis, which is presented in the final semester as the Graduation Thesis.

This course, a testament to the institution’s pioneering spirit, has produced not only highly qualified professionals in strategic fields such as Environmental Microbiology, Quality Control, and many others, but also prepares students for immediate entry into Postgraduate programs, advancing their effective contribution to the country’s scientific landscape. Our course aims to graduate professionals in Biological Sciences with a solid foundation in Microbiology and Immunology, enabling them to work in laboratories, whether industrial, clinical, or scientific research. Furthermore, these professionals will be equipped to work as consultants in any specialty of Microbiology and Immunology, such as hospital infection control, biological risks involving microorganisms, among others. These professionals will also be qualified to work in microbiological quality control, whether in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, food, disinfectants, sterilizers, etc., overseeing industrial production control or final products. On the other hand, they will be able to follow industrial processes involving biological products and microorganisms, such as fermentation, biotechnological processes, vaccine production, etc.