Diagnostic molecular science is the allied health profession whose practitioners specialize in performing medical laboratory tests on DNA and RNA. These tests are used to diagnose and monitor hereditary conditions and acquired diseases such as leukemia and infectious diseases. The diagnostic molecular science major is a professional program designed to prepare students for national certification in diagnostic molecular science qualifying them to work in medical laboratories performing molecular testing. Graduates will also be prepared for positions in research and industrial laboratories. The program includes courses in mathematics and statistics, molecular biology, genetics, chemistry, biochemistry, and clinical laboratory sciences and includes a semester-long practicum experience in clinical and other laboratories. The first phase of the program is the pre-professional and preparatory courses that include the university and college requirements as well as prerequisites to the major courses. The second phase is the on-campus professional (major) courses. The third phase is a clinical practicum in clinical and other laboratories.

Admission as a Junior

Enrollment in the diagnostic molecular science major is limited. A new class is admitted at the junior level each calendar year. Applications for admission must be received by December 1 in the year in which admission is sought.

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

1. Have an overall grade-point average of 2.5.
2. Have completed a minimum of 56 credits which must include the following courses:
   1. Biomedical Laboratory Diagnostics 213.
   2. Chemistry 162, 251, and 252.
   3. Mathematics 116 or equivalent.
   4. Biological Science 161 and 171.

Applications for admission to the diagnostic molecular science major are reviewed by a committee of the faculty. Factors considered by the admission committee in the applicant’s review and admission action are (1) grade-point average in science and non-science courses, (2) grade-point average for selected preclinical laboratory science courses, (3) diagnostic laboratory exposure, (4) interview, and (5) written compositions.

Academic Standards

To progress to the clinical phase of the curriculum, students must earn a 2.0 or higher in Zoology 341, and Biomedical Laboratory Diagnostics 436 and 438.

A specific statement of the policies for the clinical phase is provided in the Student Policies for Diagnostic Molecular 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, 322 N. Kedzie Hall. Admitted students are responsible for knowing and adhering to these program policies.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Science Degree in Diagnostic Molecular Science

1. The University requirements for bachelor’s degrees as described in the Undergraduate Education section of this catalog; 120 credits, including general elective credits, are required for the Bachelor of Science degree in Diagnostic Molecular Science.
   
   The University’s Tier II writing requirement for the Diagnostic Molecular Science major is met by completing Biomedical Laboratory Diagnostics 455. That course is referenced in item 3. 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 3. below may be used to satisfy the alternative track.
   
   The completion of Statistics 200 or 201 referenced in item 3. a. (4) may also satisfy the University mathematics requirement.
2. The requirements of the College of Natural Science for the Bachelor of Science degree.
   
   The credits earned in certain courses referenced in requirement 3. below may be counted toward College requirements as appropriate.
3. The following requirements for the major:

   a.	Courses outside biomedical laboratory diagnostics (46 or 47 credits):
   	(1)	All of the following courses (33 credits):
   		BMB	461	Advanced Biochemistry I			3
   		BMB	462	Advanced Biochemistry II			3
   		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
   		PHY	231	Introductory Physics I			3
   		PHY	232	Introductory Physics II			3
   		ZOL	341	Fundamental Genetics			4
   	(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 (4 credits):
   		PSL	250	Introductory Physiology			4
   		PSL	310	Physiology for Pre-Health Professionals			4
   	(4)	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	421	Statistics I			3
   	(5)	One of the following courses (3 credits):
   		STT	371	Statistical Biology			3
   		STT	422	Statistics II			3
   		STT	464	Statistics for Biologists			3
   b.	All of the following biomedical laboratory diagnostics courses (29 credits):
   	BLD	204	Mechanisms of Disease				3
   	BLD	213	Application of Clinical Laboratory Principles				2
   	BLD	220	Preparing for a Health Professions Career				1
   	BLD	414	Clinical Chemistry Analysis and Practice				3
   	BLD	436	Principles of Diagnostic Molecular Science				2
   	BLD	437	Clinical Applications of Diagnostic Molecular Science				2
   	BLD	438	Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory				2
   	BLD	442	Education and Management in the Clinical Laboratory				2
   	BLD	455	Integrating Clinical Laboratory Science Discipline (W)				2
   	BLD	482	Advanced Diagnostic Molecular Science				2
   	BLD	483	Molecular Diagnostic Experience in Hematopathology and Oncology				2
   	BLD	484	Molecular Diagnostic Experience in Infectious Disease				2
   	BLD	485	Molecular Diagnostic Experience in Inherited and Predictive Genetics				2
   	BLD	486	Molecular Diagnostic Experience in Genotyping and Individual Identification				2
   c.	At least two of the following courses (5 to 7 credits):
   	BLD	324	Fundamentals of Hematology, Hemostasis, and Urinalysis				3
   	BLD	416	Clinical Chemistry				4
   	BLD	424	Advanced Hematology, Hemostasis, and Urinalysis				2
   	BLD	434	Clinical Immunology				3
   	MMG	301	Introductory Microbiology				3
   	MMG	431	Microbial Genetics				3
   	MMG	433	Microbial Genomics				3
   	MMG	445	Microbial Biotechnology (W)				3
   	MMG	463	Medical Microbiology				3
   	ZOL	450	Cancer Biology (W)				3