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Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Sciences

Program Mission

The mission of the Medical Laboratory Science program of Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University is to educate and form highly skilled servant leaders who model professional ethics and exhibit critical thinking skills in order to serve patients by producing quality laboratory test results.

Program Purpose

The purpose of the Medical Laboratory Science program is to provide the community with cognizant and adept scientists capable of competing and excelling in today’s progressive job market. Graduates of this program will possess the knowledge and skills necessary to become successful in the MLS profession and will be eligible to take the national certification examination offered by the American Society for Clinical Pathologists (ASCP).

Program Goals

The goals of the Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) program are to:

  1. Admit, retain, and graduate a diverse population of academically qualified students
  2. Provide a high-quality educational experience which imparts to the students the knowledge and skills necessary to ensure success as a clinical laboratory professional
  3. Provide the healthcare community with knowledgeable and skilled entry-level practitioner
  4. Promote within the classroom and encourage in the clinical setting the development of: a) Franciscan values as defined by the University mission statement and Ex Corde Ecclesiae, and b) professional ethics and conduct according to the standards of the profession and the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Healthcare Services

Program-Level Student Learning Outcomes (PLOs)

Upon completion of the program, the graduate will be able to:

  1. Apply knowledge of basic and advanced laboratory science concepts and theories to the practice of clinical laboratory medicine.
  2. Evaluate discipline-specific case studies, accurately interpreting the results of laboratory testing.
  3. Competently perform manual and automated laboratory science procedures as an entry-level practitioner.
  4. Demonstrate effective written and oral communication skills within academic and clinical settings.
  5. Demonstrate Franciscan values and professional ethics/conduct within academic and clinical settings.

The applicant must meet the following minimum requirements for admission to the MLS bachelor's degree program:

  1. A minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0
  2. Completion of the following general education requirements and program prerequisites with a grade of "C" or better:
    • ACSM 1110: Academic Seminar (1 credit hour)
    • WRIT 1310: College Writing I (3 credit hours)
    • WRIT 1311: College Writing II (3 credit hours)
    • THEO 1310: Introduction to Theology (3 credit hours)
    • COMM Elective: (3 credit hours)
    • MATH 1315: College Algebra (3 credit hours)
    • MATH 2000 Level (3 credit hours)
    • BIOL 1315: General Biology I (3 credit hours)
    • BIOL 1315L: General Biology I Lab (1 credit hour)
    • BIOL 2310: Human Anatomy and Physiology I (3 credit hours)
    • BIOL 2310L: Human Anatomy and Physiology I Laboratory (1 credit hour)
    • BIOL 2311: Human Anatomy and Physiology II (3 credit hours)
    • BIOL 2311L: Human Anatomy and Physiology II Laboratory (1 credit hour)
    • BIOL 2325: Fundamentals of Microbiology (3 credit hours)
    • BIOL 2325L: Fundamentals of Microbiology Laboratory (1 credit hour)
    • CHEM 1315: General Chemistry I (3 credit hours)
    • CHEM 1315L: General Chemistry Laboratory (1 credit hour)
    • CHEM 1316: General Chemistry II (3 credit hours)
    • CHEM 1316L: General Chemistry II Laboratory (1 credit hour)
    • CHEM 2000 Level: (3 credit hours)
    • Humanities elective: (3 credit hours)
    • Social/Behavioral Science electives: (6 credit hours)
    • Ethics/Philosophy elective: (3 credit hours)
    • MLSC 1110: Introduction to Medical Laboratory Sciences (1 credit hour)
    • MLSC 1310L: Introduction to Laboratory Methods (1 credit hour)

Transfer students who have completed a previous bachelor degree should schedule a meeting with the program director to discuss transfer credits.

Guaranteed Admission - School of Health Professions

There are two ways in which a student can qualify for guaranteed admission into the Medical Laboratory Science program:

  1. A student who enters the University as a freshman is guaranteed admission to the desired program when:
    1. All prerequisite courses toward the desired degree are taken at FranU with at least a grade point average of 3.0 on all prerequisite coursework.
    2. All other minimum admission requirements are met.
  2. A transfer student is guaranteed admission to the desired program when:
    1. More than 30 hours of required coursework in the desired program (including courses that are in progress at the time of application to the University) are transferred in with at least a grade point average of 3.2 in these courses.
    2. A grade point average of at least 3.0 is maintained while completing remaining prerequisite courses at the University.
    3. All other minimum admission requirements are met.

Students transferring in less than 30 hours of coursework may be considered for guaranteed admission. Students falling into this category should call the Admissions office.

Upon entry into the clinical portion of the desired program, ALL students must have successfully completed all program specific admissions requirements.

Semester 1

ACSM 1110Academic Seminar

1
BIOL 1315Biology for Majors I

3
BIOL 1315LBiology for Majors I Lab

1
CHEM 1315General Chemistry I

3
CHEM 1315LGeneral Chemistry I Lab

1
MATH 1315College Algebra

3
WRIT 1310College Writing I

3
Total Credit Hours:15

Semester 2

BIOL 2310Human Anatomy and Physiology I

3
BIOL 2310LHuman Anatomy and Physiology I Lab

1
CHEM 1316General Chemistry II

3
CHEM 1316LGeneral Chemistry II Lab

1
THEO 1310Intro to Theology

3
WRIT 1311College Writing II

3
Total Credit Hours:14

Semester 3

BIOL 2311Human Anatomy and Physiology II

3
BIOL 2311LHuman Anatomy and Physiology II Laboratory

1
CHEM 2XXX
Chemistry 2000 Level Course

3
XXXX
Communications Elective

3
XXXX
Humanities/Fine Arts Elective

3
XXXX
Social/Behavioral Sciences Elective

3
Total Credit Hours:16

Semester 4

BIOL 2325Fundamentals of Microbiology

3
BIOL 2325LFundamentals of Microbiology Lab

1
MATH 2XXX
Math 2000 Level Course

3
MLSC 1110Introduction to Medical Lab Science

1
MLSC 1310LIntroduction to Laboratory Methods

1
XXXX
Ethics/Philosophy Elective

3
XXXX
Social/Behavioral Sciences Elective

3
Total Credit Hours:15

Semester 5

MLSC 3710Urinalysis and Body Fluids

1
MLSC 3710LUrinalysis and Body Fluid Laboratory

1
MLSC 3715LMycology Parasite and Virology Laboratory

1
MLSC 3720Clinical Immunology and Serology

3
Total Credit Hours:6

Semester 6

MLSC 3725Immunohematology

3
MLSC 3725LImmunohematology Laboratory

1
MLSC 3730Clinical Biochemistry I

3
MLSC 3730LClinical Biochemistry Laboratory

1
MLSC 3740Clinical Hematology I

3
MLSC 3740LClinical Hematology Laboratory

1
MLSC 3750Clinical Microbiology I

3
MLSC 3750LClinical Microbiology Laboratory

1
Total Credit Hours:16

Semester 7

MLSC 4730Clinical Biochemistry II

3
MLSC 4740Hematology II

3
MLSC 4750Clinical Microbiology II

3
MLSC 4755Genetics

1
MLSC 4756Molecular Diagnostics

2
MLSC 4765LClinical Diagnosis Laboratory

2
MLSC 4780Management and Laboratory Operations

3
Total Credit Hours:17

Semester 8

MLSC 4785Immunohematology Practicum

5
Total Credit Hours:14

Semester 9

MLSC 4786Clinical Chemistry Practicum

5
MLSC 4787Hematology Practicum

5
MLSC 4788Clinical Microbiology Practicum

5
MLSC 4910Seminar

1
Total Credit Hours:16

Total Credit Hours for Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Sciences = 120

Social/Behavioral Sciences Electives may be taken from ANTH, ECON, HIST, POLI, PSYC, SOCI, WRIT

Ethics/Philosophy Electives may be taken from PHIL 2315, PHIL 2320, THEO 3345, THEO 3350, THEO 3360

Humanities/Fine Arts Electives may be taken from ART, ENGL, MUSI, HIST, HUMN, PHIL, THEO

The Bachelor of Science degree in MLS is conferred upon students when the following conditions are met, in addition to the general requirements for graduation:

  1. Completion of 120 semester credit hours, including the required core curriculum program prerequisites and program courses
  2. A cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher on all college work with grades of C or better in all courses leading to the Bachelor of Science degree in MLS
  3. Fulfillment of the residency requirement of Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University (see Academic Policies section), with 2 service learning projects
  4. Clearance of all indebtedness to the University, including the return of all materials borrowed from the University library

Licensure

Students successfully completing the program are eligible to take the national certification examination. Graduation from Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University with a Bachelor’s degree in MLS is not dependent upon taking or passing a national certification examination.

However, obtaining state licensure and employment is dependent on passing a national certification examination.

Requirements for professional licensure and certification can vary by state and can change without notice. All students should consult the state licensing body in the state in which they reside or seek to be licensed to ensure that the degree they earn will meet requirements for licensure in that state.

https://franu.edu/offices-services/distance-education/licensure-disclosures

Accreditation

The Medical Laboratory Science Program is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Medical Laboratory Sciences, 5600 N River Rd., Suite 720, Rosemont, IL 60018; 773-714-8880.