Dec 14, 2024  
2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog [Current Academic Year] 
    
2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog [Current Academic Year]

Clinical Laboratory Sciences - Medical Laboratory Science [BS]

Location(s): In-person/hybrid


Graduates of this program earn a Bachelor of Science with a major in Clinical Laboratory Science-Medical Laboratory Science, which can lead to a position as a certified Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS).

Learn

An MLS analyzes blood and body fluids to diagnose disease and monitor health. After completing the math, science, and clinical lab science coursework, the student will be placed in a clinical internship that lasts approximately a semester.

Opportunities

After graduation, students can sit for the BOC exam, leading to certification as a medical laboratory scientist. This healthcare professional performs chemical, hematological, immunological, microscopic, bacteriological, and molecular analyses on patient specimens. MLSs work mainly in hospitals but can also find employment in physician’s offices, private laboratories, public health agencies, pharmaceutical companies, and in academic or industrial research.

This is a STEM-designated program (see OPT Extension).

Certification as a Medical Laboratory Scientist

Once the student has completed the degree requirements for our NAACLS-accredited Medical Laboratory Science Program, they can sit for the Board of Certification exam sponsored by the American Society of Clinical Pathologists.

This four-year curriculum comprises seven semesters of general education, basic sciences, and clinical sciences coursework and includes 17-22 weeks of rotation through an accredited clinical laboratory. 

These rotations may include: Alverno Clinical Labs (Hammond, IN), Corewell Health Dearborn Hospital (Dearborn, MI), Corewell Health Hospital (Farmington Hills, MI), Garden City Hospital (Garden City, MI), Henry Ford Hospital (West Bloomfield, MI), ProMedica Monroe Regional Hospital (Monroe, MI), McLaren Labs (Flint, MI), Michigan Medicine Health System (Ann Arbor, MI), ProMedica Health System (Toledo, OH), Trinity Health (Ann Arbor, MI & Livonia, MI), VA Hospital (Ann Arbor, MI)

These clinical rotation sites are subject to change. A listed site may not be available when a student reaches that point in the curriculum.

Because enrollment in the clinical internship is limited by the size of classes in the affiliated hospitals, enrollment in the program does not ensure continuation and clinical internship placement.

Accreditation

The Medical Laboratory Science program is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences.

National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences
5600 North River Road
Suite 720
Rosemont, IL 60018
773.714.8880
naacls.org 

School Information


Health Sciences 313 Marshall, 734.487.4096 

Olivia Ford, PhD, Director

Advisor Information


Lynne M. Shetron-Rama PhD, MLS (ASCP), Professor, Program Director, 341 Marshall, 734.487.2381

Continuation Criteria


Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the clinical internship, students must meet the following criteria:

  1. Completion of all Clinical Lab Sciences core coursework with a minimum grade of “C” in each course and a cumulative GPA of 2.8 in these courses. Students may retake any CLSC course only once to replace a previously earned grade. A minimum cumulative EMU GPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale.
  2. Completing at least 60 hours of University credit, including 45 credit hours of prerequisite courses, as indicated on the application form. The prerequisite courses may be taken at EMU or other four-year or two-year institutions. Only transfer courses with an earned grade of “B” or higher may be applied to the major.
  3. May not be on probation (administrative, academic, academic dishonesty, or other university-sanctioned probations).
  4. For non-native speakers of English, a TOEFL iBT score of 88 or above.

Application Process

The deadline to apply for continuation is March 15th. The application form and all supporting documentation must be received by this date. Please present your application materials to the Program Director neatly organized into a folder or large envelope. Interviews will be scheduled in April.

The application packet must include the following:

  • Application Form
  • Résumé
  • Transcripts from all colleges attended, including EMU (‘official’ copies are not required)
  • Student Responsibility Form and Professional Skills and Responsibilities Form (See Handbook for both forms)
  • Request recommendations from three references to be sent directly to the Program Director or submitted by the student in a signed and sealed envelope. It is suggested that references should include a science instructor and an employer
  • Personal statement: A 500 to 1000-word essay describing what you think the profession of Medical Lab Science (MLS) is, if you have explored other health professions, and why you chose MLS
  • Documentation that an applicant will have completed all major courses before beginning clinical rotations in the spring of the senior year.
  • TOEFL score report (non-native English speakers only)

If accepted, clinical assignments will be based on your application, references, GPA, interview, student clinical site rankings, and student clinical site preferences. The program does not consider the location of clinical sites when making assignments. Placement in an internship requires that the student carry personal health insurance and have all the necessary vaccinations, a drug screen, and a background check. These requirements are the student’s financial responsibility.

General Education Requirements:


For specific requirements, see General Education  or view the General Education Worksheet [PDF] .  

Major Requirements: 87-91 hours


  • A student must earn a grade of “C” or higher in all courses required for the major. A grade of D, D-, or F in one course in the clinical laboratory sciences major may, upon recommendation by the Program Review Committee, result in dismissal from the program.
  • Only transfer courses with an earned grade of “B” or higher may be applied to the major.
  • A student on probation (administrative, academic, academic dishonesty, or other university-sanctioned probations) may not register for, remain in, or receive credit for science courses or practicum courses within the clinical laboratory sciences program.

Minor Requirement:


This major does not require a minor.

Program Total:


Students must earn a minimum total of 120 credits at the 100-level or above.

Critical Graduation Information


Each undergraduate student will be responsible for fulfilling the requirements (or their equivalents) of the Eastern Michigan University catalog in force at the time of their initial registration at a college or university or a subsequent catalog, including the one in effect at the time of their graduation.

In the event an undergraduate student does not complete the degree requirements within seven years of the date of their original registration at a college or university, the student may be required to have their credits re-evaluated by the academic department(s) of their major/minor in keeping with catalog requirements in force during the year of their graduation.

Minimum requirements for all bachelor’s degrees awarded by Eastern Michigan University

Some majors and minors require more than the minimum in one or more of the areas below; students are urged to consult this catalog for the requirements of their particular programs.

  • Earn a minimum total of 120 credit hours at the 100-level and above.
    • Courses numbered below 100 are not counted toward this degree requirement.
    • At most, eight credit hours of physical education (PEGN) activity courses are counted toward this requirement.
  • Meet the requirements of the General Education program (see information below), including completing a Writing Intensive (GEWI) course in the student’s major.
  • Earn a minimum of 60 credits from a four-year college or university; courses taken at community colleges cannot be used to meet this requirement (Some formal program-to-program articulation agreements modify this requirement. See specific agreements for details).
  • Earn a minimum of 30 credits from courses taken at EMU.
  • Complete 10 of the last 30 hours for the degree from courses taken at EMU.
  • Have a minimum of 30 unique credit hours in their major and 20 unique credit hours in their minor for a total of at least 50 unique credit hours between them. Some majors that require 50 or more hours themselves do not require a minor. A double major automatically satisfies the need for a minor unless one of the two majors requires a specific minor. Students should check the requirements of the selected major in the undergraduate catalog to see if a minor is required. 
  • Earn no more than 60 credit hours in one subject area (prefix). Credits over the 60 maximum will not be counted toward the minimum of 120 credits required for a bachelor’s degree.
  • Earn the minimum number of credits in 300-level and above courses in each major and minor as specified below - these credits must be earned in distinct courses; that is, no course can be used to fulfill this requirement in more than one major or minor.
    • Earn a minimum of 6 credits in 300-level or higher courses at EMU in each minor
    • Earn a minimum of 9 credits in 300-level or higher courses at EMU in each major that requires a minor.
    • Earn a minimum of 15 credits in 300-level or higher courses at EMU in each major that does not require a minor
  • Transfer credit will be awarded for courses taken at colleges and universities that are accredited by one of the recognized regional accrediting bodies only if the courses are college-level (equated to 100-level or above at EMU) and the student earned a “C” (or 2.0 on a 4 point scale) or better. Transfer credit may be awarded on a case-by-case basis for college-level courses in which a “C” (2.0) or better was earned at institutions outside the U.S. or at non-accredited U.S. institutions; individual departments/schools conduct the internal review of such courses within EMU, and additional documentation may be required. Please note: EMU awards only credit for transferred courses; grades are not used to calculate an EMU GPA.
  • Earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 in courses taken at EMU to graduate. In addition, a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 must be reached in each major and minor. Only courses a student takes at EMU and those applied to their major or minor are used to calculate their major and minor cumulative GPAs. (Note: some programs may require a higher GPA - check with your program advisor.)

General Education Requirements - EMU’s General Education Program requires students to choose from a menu of approved courses in several different areas; do not assume that other courses in the same department or similar names will fulfill these requirements. A detailed description of General Education requirements is available in the General Education  section of the catalog.

Students who transferred to EMU may have modified general education requirements based on Michigan Transfer Agreement (MTA) or articulation agreements; consult your academic advisor for additional information.