Protists (microbial eukaryotes and related groups) constitute the vast majority of the known eukaryote diversity. This course examines the origin, evolution and diversification of the major protist groups. Lecture topics include recent classification and taxonomic schemes, ecology of important lineages, and relevance to humans. Practical components of the course include the use of microscopy for identification and documentation, sampling techniques, establishment of cell cultures, high-throughput DNA sequencing and genome-scale analyses. At the end of the course the students will have a broad and integrative view of the microbial eukaryote diversity.