Microbiology is the study of microscopic organisms, known as microorganisms or microbes, that are usually invisible to the naked eye, including bacteria, protozoa, fungi, viruses and prions. These microbes are critical to all aspects of life on our planet. Microbiology is diverse which is reflected in sub-disciplines such as medical, environmental, food and industrial microbiology. Several modern scientific disciplines including genetic engineering, genomics, bioinformatics, microbial biotechnology, immunology and molecular biology originated from classical microbiology and therefore form an integral part of the teaching and research of microbiology at AIT. An industrial placement during the third year of the programme provides an opportunity to gain valuable experience and establish direct links with industry.