Medical Laboratory Science :

Minors and Certificates

Why study Medical Laboratory Science : ?

The University of Cincinnati Medical Laboratory Science Online certificate is designed for students who have already earned a bachelor's degree in a science discipline or who will complete one prior to starting the program who are interested in becoming a medical laboratory scientist MLS(ASCP). The program consists of medical laboratory science courses and clinical rotations required for NAACLS-accredited Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) programs.

Graduates of the NAACLS accredited MLS program are prepared for the Board of Certification (BOC) exam sponsored by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) and eligible for the Medical Laboratory Scientist, MLS (ASCP) credential through route 1. 

Medical laboratory scientists are allied health professionals who participate in patient care by performing laboratory procedures that assist in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases. The analysis performed by medical laboratory scientists include chemistry, microbiology, hematology, immunology, toxicology, blood banking and molecular procedures. Laboratory scientists perform manual and automated procedures and utilize laboratory information computer systems to analyze and transmit patient data. Medical laboratory scientists are also responsible for the quality control and quality assurance procedures in the laboratory.

The education of a medical laboratory scientist combines a curriculum common to most undergraduate majors in the medical field with a clinical program designed to produce individuals who possess a high level of technical proficiency.

The Medical Laboratory Science online certificate will admit a new cohort of students each semester (fall, spring, summer). Prospective students will apply in the semester preceding their intended starting term. 

This program is designed for part-time students and is traditionally completed in 7 semesters. There is an option to complete the coursework on an accelerated schedule. Course start dates staggered throughout a 15-week semester.

Students complete all of the coursework online with the exception of clinical rotations. Didactic coursework is delivered in an asynchronous online format. Students will participate in corresponding practicum rotations in clinical laboratories to gain hands-on technical proficiency and professional experience. 

Students arrange their own clinical placements, usually at laboratories where they are working, within their workplace's network, or at laboratories within their community. Locations and schedules vary.

Students may also apply for life experience credit to reduce or eliminate clinical rotation hours. Contact an Enrollment Services Advisor for more information.

The most recent program outcomes can be found on the Program Outcomes  page.

State Authorization 

Federal regulations require the University of Cincinnati to publicly disclose whether completion of certain programs that lead or may lead to professional licensure or certification would meet a given state’s educational requirements for a specific professional license or certification required for employment in an occupation (regardless of whether the program is on-ground, online, or hybrid).  To learn whether a University program meets a given state’s educational requirements, please visit the University of Cincinnati State Authorization webpage. 

Admission Requirements

Admission is open to students with a baccalaureate degree from an institutionally accredited college/university with a major in biological science, chemistry or a related area.

Prior coursework should provide a strong foundation in biology, anatomy and physiology, chemistry, biochemistry or organic chemistry, microbiology, immunology, and molecular biology. *

The baccalaureate degree must be completed to be admitted.

Students may be required to take prerequisite coursework as a condition of their admission.

A college-level microbiology course with an in-person lab is a required prerequisite course for admissions.*

A college-level statistics course is a required prerequisite course for admissions.*

Two professional references are required; one must be from a current lab supervisor. Reference forms are submitted through the application system.

A 2.5 cumulative GPA is recommended for admission into the certificate program; however, students with lower averages may apply and will be considered for admission on a competitive basis. 

* UC does not accept courses from online course providers such as Coursera, Sophia Learning, Portage Learning, Straighterline, Study.com, etc, for college transfer credit.

To learn more about our admission requirements, please visit UC Online's MLS Admission Requirements page. Our Admissions Office is happy to work with you to answer any questions you may have and help determine your eligibility. To confirm you qualify for this program, please contact our enrollment team at onlineenrollment@uc.edu or (833) 556-8611 for assistance.

Ranked in the "Top 20 Best Jobs" in the Jobs Rated Almanac, MLS/MLTs have expanded career options. Hospitals, reference and research labs, industry and public health facilities all currently have open positions for qualified applicants.

With laboratories across the nation facing shortages of medical laboratory scientists, there has never been a better time to earn your MLS certificate and advance your career – according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, medical laboratory scientist jobs are projected to grow 11% from 2020 to 2030, faster than the average for all occupations. 

Opportunities After Graduation:

The information provided is sourced from a third party, Lightcast. Their product, called Career Coach, combines extensive labor market data from Lightcast and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. It provides insights on industry, occupation, compensation, and projected growth for each profession. Economic and workforce information is available for various geographic regions. Some careers may require additional training or education.

  • The University of Cincinnati has online enrollment services advisors (ESAs) available to help learners complete their application and get started in the Online Certificate of Science in Medical Laboratory Science program.  If you have not already, please use the request information form to be connected to an ESA today! 

  • Upon starting the program, a dedicated student success coordinator (SSC) will be assigned to all students to help them achieve their academic goals. You will be introduced to your SSC as your first semester approaches, and they will be your primary liaison to the university all the way through program completion. 

  • In order to apply to the University of Cincinnati as a transfer student, learners must submit a transfer application form and have official transcripts sent directly to UC from all prior institutions they’ve attended. 

  • To request these transcripts, please contact your previous institution’s registrar and ask them to send the official transcript to the University of Cincinnati via an approved electronic method such as Parchment, eScrip-Safe, National Student Clearinghouse, or similar services. This is the preferred method. If electronic submission isn’t available, transcripts may be mailed to the Office of Admissions at: 

University of Cincinnati 

Office of Admissions 

PO Box 210091 

Cincinnati, OH 45221 

  • This undergraduate certificate program cannot be declared as a major since its admission requirements include completion of a bachelor's degree from an institutionally accredited college/university with a major in biological science, chemistry or a related area. It also requires prerequisite courses (see Admission Requirements), To see if you are eligible to declare this program, please contact an enrollment advisor at (833) 556-8611. 

  • Past UC students who have not attended any other institutions since their departure can apply to be readmitted to the university and enter the online MLS program by following the readmission instructions found on the Office of the Registrar’s website. Past UC students who attended another institution after leaving UC must apply as a transfer student: see instructions in the Transferring to UC section. 

This is an online program and does not meet federal requirements for international students planning to attend on a visa. International students with questions should contact UC's International Services at 513-556-4278. 

Explore unique opportunities, faculty, and resources available in Clinical and Health Information Sciences

Application Deadlines

Deadlines can be found on UC Online's MLS Academic Calendar page. 

The University of Cincinnati and all regional campuses are accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

 

This program is accredited through the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS): 5600 N. River Rd., Suite 720, Rosemont, IL 60018; Phone 773-714-8880; Fax 773-714-8886; info@naacls.org.

Contact Information

Online Medical Laboratory Science Program
University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, OH 45267-0394
(833) 556-8611
onlinerecruitment@uc.edu

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Program Code: 35CRT-MLSC-C2-.MLSC-DL