The Clinical Medical Laboratory Science program prepares students for professional practice in diagnostic clinical laboratories. Through rigorous coursework, laboratory instruction, and supervised clinical experiences, students develop the knowledge and technical skills required to perform, analyze, and evaluate diagnostic tests on human specimens.
Students develop competencies in laboratory procedures, quality assurance, and the evaluation of test results to ensure the accuracy and reliability of laboratory data for clinical decision making.
Graduates are prepared for national certification and entry into the profession as medical laboratory scientists, supporting accurate diagnosis, disease monitoring, and patient care. Career opportunities exist in a variety of settings, including hospital laboratories, reference laboratories, physician office laboratories, public health laboratories, blood centers, transplant laboratories, and government agencies, as well as other related healthcare and diagnostic environments.
Clinicians rely heavily on Medical Laboratory Science professionals to provide critical diagnostic information essential for disease prevention, detection, and therapeutic monitoring.
Core Areas of study within the curriculum include hematology, clinical chemistry, diagnostic microbiology, immunohematology, immunology, and laboratory operations, with concepts of molecular diagnostics integrated throughout upper-level courses, ensuring that students develop competency in both traditional and molecular-based laboratory methods. Students develop competencies in high-complexity laboratory testing, quality assurance and quality control, laboratory safety, instruments operation and troubleshooting, and all phases of testing, including pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical processes. They also gain proficiency in laboratory information systems and laboratory workflow management.
Applicants are encouraged to review the Technical Standards and Program Requirements before applying to the Clinical Medical Laboratory Science Program. These standards describe the essential abilities required to successfully complete the curriculum and participate in classroom, laboratory, and clinical education experiences. Students must be able to meet these standards, with or without reasonable accommodation.
The Technical Standards address a range of essential competencies required for participation in classroom, laboratory, and clinical education experiences. These standards help ensure that students can perform program-related activities safely, effectively, and professionally throughout their educational training.
The program complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and applicable university policies. Applicants who may require reasonable accommodations are encouraged to contact the Lamar University Accessibility Resource Center as early as possible. Accommodation requests are reviewed on an individual basis, and approved accommodations are implemented in accordance with university policies and applicable laws.
Admission to the Medical Laboratory Science Program is based on program requirements and accreditation standards. Applicants must satisfy all admission requirements to be considered for acceptance into the program.
To be eligible for admission, applicants must meet the following requirements:
Please note that admission may be competitive, and not all qualified applicants may be accepted due to limited clinical placement capacity.
Follow the steps below to complete your application:
Applications are accepted until October 30th, 2026, and if selected, interviews will be scheduled in November.
Additional requirements
In addition to tuition and fees, MLS students are responsible for the following expenses: