Medical Laboratory Science

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) post-baccalaureate certificate program prepares students who have earned an undergraduate degree outside of medical laboratory science to become nationally registered medical laboratory scientists and work in clinical laboratory positions. Students that successfully complete the certificate are eligible to sit for the national examination.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

GPA of 2.50 or higher

A minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA is required in all coursework taken at any accredited institution.

Prerequisite Courses

Before starting the professional program, all prerequisite courses or equivalents must be completed with a C- or higher. Ohio State course numbers are shown below.

Biology 1113
Chemistry (CHEM) 1210
Chemistry (CHEM) 1220
Mathematics (MATH) 1148 & 1149 or 1150 or higher
Medical Terminology for the Health Professions Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (HTHRHSC) Health and Rehabilitation Sciences 2500
Microbiology (MICRBIO) 4000.01
Organic Chemistry Sequence (choose one sequence)
Organic Chemistry (CHEM) 2510 and Biochemistry (BIOCHEM) 4511
Biological Chem & Pharmacology (BIOPHRM) 3311 and 3312
Statistics (STAT) 1450.01

Although completing the organic chemistry sequence strengthens an application, students may be admitted before completing both courses. Both courses must be completed before the Autumn semester of the second year in the professional program.

Earned Baccalaureate Degree

An earned baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university. Applicants are responsible for determining that the completed baccalaureate degree meets the guidelines set forth by the ASCP BOC.

Application

The MLS application is available online and must be completed and submitted with all required supplemental documents, if applicable. The Graduate and Professional Admissions Application Guide provides step-by-step instructions on how to start the online application.

Although a personal interview will not be offered, applicants will be asked to outline their knowledge of the profession and personal career goals on the application. The program will give individual consideration in the admission assessment to courses taken and applicant experiences.

Deadline

The MLS program admits students once per year, with students beginning the program in the Autumn semester. The application deadline for Autumn 2025 is January 31, 2025. The professional program will begin on August 26, 2025.

CERTIFICATE REQUIREMENTS

To obtain the certificate, a student must successfully complete all professional coursework with a minimum C- grade required for each course. Students must also maintain a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA in the undergraduate certificate program. Due to the nature of the program, transfer or EM credit cannot meet any certificate course requirements.

Before enrollment in the last required course, a graduation application must be submitted to the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (HRS) Office of Academic Affairs to formally receive the certificate at the end of the semester of course completion. Students who successfully complete the undergraduate certificate program are not eligible to participate in the Honors Program, Research Distinction, Latin Honors designations, and University Commencement, except if they also graduate from a degree-seeking program that same semester. Students will receive a mailed completion document in the form of a certificate after the semester of completion.

The plan demonstrates how students may complete the MLS program in four semesters. During the professional program, the curriculum is more structured and has limited ability to change. The professional curriculum is completed in sequence, and there is no provision for part-time or evening-only enrollment. Students who intend to take prerequisites outside Ohio State may view equivalent courses on Transferology.

Ohio State academic programs are designed to prepare students to sit for applicable licensure or certification in Ohio. If you plan to pursue licensure or certification in a state other than Ohio, please review state educational requirements for licensure and certification and state licensing board contact information for online programs and professional licensure & certification disclosures for on-campus programs.

Begin Professional Coursework in Medical Laboratory Science (MEDLBS)

Autumn, Year 1

MEDLBS 4400 Introduction to the Medical Laboratory Environment (1 credit)
MEDLBS 4405 Introduction to the Medical Laboratory Environment Laboratory (1 credit)
MEDLBS 4500 Phlebotomy (1 credit)
MEDLBS 4505 Phlebotomy Laboratory (1 credit)
MEDLBS 5050 Medical Laboratory Hematology (5 credits)
MEDLBS 5055 Medical Laboratory Hematology Laboratory (2 credits)
MEDLBS 5100 Medical Laboratory Microbiology I (3 credits)
MEDLBS 5105 Medical Laboratory Microbiology I Laboratory (1 credit)
15 Credits Total 

Spring, Year 1

HTHRHSC 4200 Analytical Scientific Writing in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (3 credits)
MEDLBS 5000 Medical Laboratory Microbiology II (3 credits)
MEDLBS 5005 Medical Laboratory Microbiology II Laboratory (2 credits)
MEDLBS 5150 Medical Laboratory Microscopy (2 credits)
MEDLBS 5155 Medical Laboratory Microscopy Laboratory (1 credit)
MEDLBS 5200 Medical Laboratory Immunology (3 credits)
MEDLBS 5205 Medical Laboratory Immunology Laboratory (1 credit)
15 Credits Total 

Autumn, Year 2

MEDLBS 5250 Medical Laboratory Immunohematology (4 credits)
MEDLBS 5255 Medical Laboratory Immunohematology Laboratory (2 credits)
MEDLBS 5300 Medical Laboratory Science Clinical Chemistry (5 credits)
MEDLBS 5305 Medical Laboratory Chemistry Laboratory (2 credits)
MEDLBS 5400 Molecular Techniques in Medical Laboratory Science (2 credits)
15 Credits Total 

Spring, Year 2

HTHRHSC 5300 Management Principles and Human Resources for Health Care Professionals (3 credits)
MEDLBS 5089 Clinical Practice in Medical Laboratory Science (5 credits)
MEDLBS 5350 Professional Issues in Medical Laboratory Science (3 credits)
MEDLBS 5600 Interdisciplinary Studies in Medical Laboratory Science (1 credit)
Elective, if needed to reach 120 credits (0-4 credits)
12-16 Credits Total

Questions?

Contact the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at 614-292-1706 or HRSStudentServices@osumc.edu
Degree requirements and course offerings are subject to changes.
Last updated on: July 1, 2024