Undergraduate Degree

The medical laboratory science major is designed to prepare students for certification in medical laboratory science. The program includes courses in the biomedical laboratory sciences, communications, mathematics and statistics, and medical laboratory sciences coupled with clinical practicum experiences. It is designed to prepare graduates for certification and immediate employment in medical laboratories upon graduation by including a six-month hospital laboratory experience.

The Bachelor of Science degree program in medical laboratory science has been accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences, 5600 N. River Road, Suite 720, Rosemont, Illinois 60018; phone (773) 714-8880.

Admission

Enrollment in the medical laboratory science major is limited. A new cohort is admitted at the end of the spring semester of the junior year. Applications for admission are due by the end of fall semester of the junior year. Applicant interviews are conducted during the spring semester of junior year. Admission decisions for students admitted to the medical laboratory science major are made following review of final grades from spring semester of junior year. 

To be considered for admission, the applicant must meet the following minimum criteria, in addition to the College of Natural Science admission requirements:

1. Have an overall grade-point average of 2.50 or better including courses taken at other institutions.
2. Have a grade-point average of 2.50 or better in the following courses: BLD 204, BLD 213L, BLD 313, and BLD 314L.
3. Have completed BMB 401, MGI 365, MGI 365L, BLD 324, and BLD 434.

Students who present other exceptional credentials, but do not meet the grade-point criterion noted above, may be considered for admission on a provisional basis.

Applications for admission to the medical laboratory science major are reviewed by a committee of faculty. Factors considered by the Admission Committee in the applicant’s review and admission action are: (1) academic record including grade-point averages in science and non-science courses; (2) grades for selected preclinical courses; (3) laboratory science exposure; (4) interview; and (5) compositions. Students who are admitted provisionally and require additional course work to remedy deficiencies may not count this course work towards the fulfillment of degree requirements.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Science Degree in Medical Laboratory Science

1. A minimum of 134 credits is required for the Bachelor of Science degree in Medical Laboratory Science.
2. The University requirements for bachelor's degrees as described in the Undergraduate Education section of this catalog.
   
   The University's Tier II writing requirement for the Medical Laboratory Science major is met by completing Biomedical Laboratory Science 456.  That course is referenced in item 4. b. below.
   
   Students who are enrolled in the College of Natural Science may complete the alternative track to Integrative Studies in Biological and Physical Sciences that is described in item 1. under the heading Graduation Requirements in the College statement.  Certain courses referenced in requirement 4. below may be used to satisfy the alternative track.
3. The requirements of the College of Natural Science for the Bachelor of Science degree. The credits earned in certain courses referenced in requirement 4. below may be counted toward College requirements as appropriate.
4. The following requirements for the major:

   a.	Courses outside Biomedical Laboratory Diagnostics (52 to 59 credits):
   	(1)	All of the following courses (35 credits):
   		BS	161	Cell and Molecular Biology					3
   		BS	171	Cell and Molecular Biology Laboratory					2
   		CEM	141	General Chemistry					4
   		CEM	161	Chemistry Laboratory I					1
   		CEM	162	Chemistry Laboratory II					1
   		CEM	251	Organic Chemistry I					3
   		CEM	252	Organic Chemistry II					3
   		CEM	333	Instrumental Methods and Applications					3
   		MGI	365	Medical Microbiology					3
   		MGI	365L	Medical Microbiology Laboratory					1
   		MGI	465	Advanced Medical Microbiology					3
   		MGI	465L	Advanced Medical Microbiology Laboratory					2
   		PHY	231	Introductory Physics I					3
   		PHY	232	Introductory Physics II					3
   	(2)	One of the following courses (3 credits):
   		MTH	124	Survey of Calculus I					3
   		MTH	132	Calculus I					3
   	(3)	One of the following courses (3 or 4 credits):
   		STT	200	Statistical Methods					3
   		STT	201	Statistical Methods					4
   		STT	231	Statistics for Scientists					3
   		STT	351	Probability and Statistics for Engineering					3
   		STT	421	Statistics I					3
   	(4)	One of the following, either (a) or (b) (4 or 6 credits):
   		(a)	BMB	401	Comprehensive Biochemistry				4
   		(b)	BMB	461	Advanced Biochemistry I				3
   			BMB	462	Advanced Biochemistry II				3
   	(5)	One of the following, either (a) or (b) (4 or 6 credits):
   		(a)	PSL	310	Physiology for Pre-Health Professionals				4
   		(b)	PSL	431	Human Physiology I				4
   			PSL	432	Human Physiology II				4
   	(6)	One of the following courses (3 credits):
   		MGI	201	Fundamentals of Microbiology					3
   		MGI	301	Introductory Microbiology					3
   b.	All of the following Biomedical Laboratory Diagnostics courses (47 credits):
   	BLD	121	Survive and Thrive Freshman Seminar						1
   	BLD	204	Mechanisms of Disease						3
   	BLD	213L	Clinical Laboratory Methods						2
   	BLD	302	Clinical Chemistry						2
   	BLD	313	Quality in Clinical Laboratory Practice						3
   	BLD	314L	Advanced Clinical Laboratory Methods						1
   	BLD	324	Hematology and Hemostasis						3
   	BLD	402	Advanced Clinical Chemistry						4
   	BLD	424	Advanced Hematology and Hemostasis						2
   	BLD	424L	Advanced Hematology, Hemostasis and Urinalysis Laboratory						1
   	BLD	430	Molecular Diagnostics						2
   	BLD	434	Clinical Immunology						3
   	BLD	435	Immunohematology						2
   	BLD	435L	Immunohematology Laboratory						1
   	BLD	445	Medical Laboratory Management						1
   	BLD	456	Medical Laboratory Professionalism (W)						2
   	BLD	471L	Advanced Clinical Chemistry Laboratory						3
   	BLD	473L	Advanced Clinical Hematology and Body Fluids Laboratory						3
   	BLD	475L	Advanced Clinical Immunology and Immunohematology Laboratory						2
   	BLD	477L	Advanced Clinical Microbiology Laboratory						3
   	BLD	479	Professional Behavior in Medical Laboratory Science						1
   	BLD	480	Medical Laboratory Science Examinations I						1
   	BLD	481	Medical Laboratory Science Examinations II						1
   	During the clinical practicum, usually two semesters, the student may be required to relocate and/or commute to a clinical laboratory in an affiliated clinical facility.

 Academic Standards

To progress to the clinical phase of the curriculum, students must earn a grade-point average of 2.50 or higher in MGI 465, MGI 465L, BLD 402, BLD 424, BLD 424L, BLD 430, BLD 435, and BLD 435L. Students who do not meet this progression standard will be dismissed from the medical laboratory science degree and can graduate with a biomedical laboratory science degree.

A specific statement of the policies for the clinical phase is provided in the Student Policies for Medical Laboratory Science Students. These policies are provided to all students upon acceptance to the major, but may be obtained earlier from the Biomedical Laboratory Diagnostics Program, 354 Farm Lane, Room N322, East Lansing, MI 48824. Admitted students are responsible for knowing and adhering to these program policies.