The Master of Science in Medical Laboratory Science degree programs seeks to provide the student with skills and knowledge for professional enhancement. Graduates of the programs may be candidates for positions as laboratory managers, education coordinators, hospital or college/university medical laboratory science faculty members, researchers, departmental supervisors, etc.
The Department of Medical Laboratory Science offers two programs leading to the master’s degree in medical laboratory science. One program is for the individual who possesses certification as a medical laboratory scientist from a recognized national (American) certifying agency. This certification is an entrance requirement. The program for a certified medical laboratory scientist may be completed totally online.
The second program is for the individual who does not hold certification as a medical laboratory scientist from a recognized national certifying agency. This program includes a medical laboratory science practicum that allows the individual to become eligible to take a national certification examination. To exit this program, the student must make a score on a nationally recognized certification examination that is deemed satisfactory by the graduate medical laboratory science faculty.
Admission Requirements
For both programs, in addition to meeting the general requirements of the Graduate School and university as stated in this Bulletin, the applicant must submit official scores from the GRE (all sections) and three letters of recommendation. Letters of recommendation should be from persons qualified to assess the applicant’s readiness for graduate study and should be sent to the Graduate School. Students admitted will receive either regular or conditional admission, as described earlier in this Bulletin. Students admitted on conditional basis must make a grade point average of at least 3.0 the first semester on specific courses designated by the department faculty (specifically on the first nine (9) hours of coursework numbered 500 or above or on all coursework taken while completing this nine (9)-hour requirement). Regardless of previous college experience, if English is not the native language of any student, evidence of English proficiency must be provided prior to admission into the graduate program. The following agencies and scores meet the department’s requirement: computer-based TOEFL, 213; internet-based TOEFL, 79; IELTS, 6.5.
To receive maximum consideration, graduate applications for the fall semester should be received by the department by April 15, and applications for the spring semester should be received by November 1.
Plan of Study. Students must submit their signed, official Plan of Study Form to the Graduate School by the end of the second semester they are enrolled. The Plan of Study Forms are available at www.usm.edu/graduateschool/planofstudy.php - click on the “Plan of Study” link.
Integrity Assurance Program (IAP)
All faculty holding Regular or Associate graduate faculty status must complete IAP training modules required by the Graduate School and their departments. All graduate students must complete the training modules required by the Graduate School and their departments the first semester they are enrolled in graduate school. The policy and training information can be found on the following website: http://www.usm.edu/research/research-and-scholarly-integrity-assurance-program
Program Requirements
A minimum of thirty (30) semester hours of coursework, excluding hours awarded for thesis, is required for the thesis option. A minimum of thirty-six (36) semester hours of coursework is required for the nonthesis option. In addition, individuals who do not hold certification at admission must complete a practicum of forty-six (46) hours. If a student has a felony conviction, the student may not be able to complete this degree because the student may not be able to perform the clinical experience. A minimum of eighteen (18) semester hours must be in courses numbered 600 or above. All coursework will be designated and approved by the student’s graduate committee during the first semester of the program and must include 18 hours of graduate coursework with a MLS prefix. Students selecting the thesis option are required to write a thesis under the direction of a medical laboratory department faculty member on a subject approved by the student’s graduate committee. The student’s graduate committee is composed of a chair and two members recommended by the department chair and appointed by the Graduate School. A student in the graduate curriculum requiring the practicum is allowed a maximum of 9 hours of grades at the C level. The student in the graduate curriculum who does not require the practicum may only have 6 hours of grades at the C level. If a student exceeds these maximum levels, the student may not continue in the graduate program. A student who earns a D or F may not continue in the graduate program. Upon completion of coursework, all students must pass oral and written comprehensive examinations. Additionally, a student selecting the thesis option must successfully present an oral defense of the master’s thesis. Students must have at least a 3.0 GPA to graduate.
Nonmajor master’s students must obtain permission from the instructor to register for MLS 502 , MLS 502L , MLS 504 , MLS 504L , MLS 506 , MLS 506L , MLS 515 . Registration for practicum-level courses is limited as described in this Bulletin.
Continuous Enrollment Requirement: Students must meet the requirement specified in the front section of this Bulletin.
