Academic Programs Catalog

College of Natural Science

Biomedical Laboratory Diagnostics Program

Undergraduate Programs
Medical Laboratory Science

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, MMG 365, MMG 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
        MMG  365 Medical Microbiology  3
        MMG  365L  Medical Microbiology Laboratory  1
        MMG  465 Advanced Medical Microbiology  3
        MMG  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):
    MMG 201 Fundamentals of Microbiology  3
       MMG  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 MMG 465, MMG 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.