Sandra R. Berman School of Nursing and Health Professions
Program Coordinator: Lara Biagiotti, M.S. MLS(ASCP)CM
Description
Stevenson University offers the Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT) to Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS) option for ASCP board-certified laboratory professionals interested in obtaining a bachelor’s degree in Medical Laboratory Science (MLS). The curriculum is offered in 8-week sessions and is designed to enable online, part-time learners to complete the baccalaureate degree in MLS while taking one course at a time, or as full-time students taking four courses each semester.
The MLT to MLS option is a concentrated program designed for board-certified medical laboratory professionals currently employed in a full-service clinical laboratory, which allows the fulfillment of the program’s clinical placement requirements. This program option is concentrated and designed for the highly motivated, self-directed Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT) who is able to participate in independent learning activities. MLTs who hold ASCP certification but are not employed in a full-service clinical laboratory will be required to complete clinical practicum courses (MLS 431, MLS 432, MLS 433 and MLS 434). The Stevenson University Medical Laboratory Science program is fully accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS).
Qualified MLTs must successfully complete a total of 120 credits, of which 30 credits must be taken at Stevenson University. MLTs may transfer prerequisite and college core courses, but the MLT to MLS major requirements (30 credits) must be completed at Stevenson University. Students who take courses at other higher education institutions are required to submit official transcripts at the completion of their courses in order to obtain credit for these courses.
Stevenson University will award 12 upper-division Medical Laboratory Science credits for the practicum courses (MLS 431, MLS 432, MLS 433, and MLS 434) to ASCP board-certified Medical Laboratory Technicians who are actively employed in a full-service clinical laboratory.
The MLT to MLS Option at Stevenson University partners with several community colleges across the state, and more partnerships are being developed. Please check the website for updates. In order to increase MLTs' accessibility to baccalaureate education, partnerships are in place with the following colleges:
• Anne Arundel Community College
• College of Southern Maryland
• Community College of Baltimore County
Transfer guides allow Medical Laboratory Technicians to complete up to 70 credits at the community college.
Prior to enrolling in the MLT to MLS Option, the student will be required to:
• Complete the online application
• Submit an official transcript demonstrating successful completion of an Associate Degree in Medical Laboratory Technology (MLT)
• Submit official transcripts from every institution attended
• Submit official primary source verification of active MLT(ASCP) or MLT(ASCPi) Certification, including certification number and expiration date. This request can be made on the ASCP website: https://www.ascp.org/content/board-of-certification/verify-credentials/#how-to-verify. The verification should be emailed directly to the SUO Enrollment Counselor (select “Sending to a Third Party by Email” and enter the Enrollment Counselor’s email address),
• Eligibility to waive clinical practicum courses requires a signed attestation from the student with signatures from the laboratory managers from each discipline area of the clinical laboratory in which they are working.
Students must complete program requirements, 30 institutional credits and 120 credits to earn the Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Science. Stevenson University will accept a maximum of 70 transfer credits from a regionally-accredited community college and 90 credits from a regionally-accredited four-year institution. Please contact an enrollment counselor for further details.
The medical laboratory science program is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences. (NAACLS); 5600 North River Road, Suite 720, Rosemont, IL 60018-5119; 773-714-8880, naacls.org.
Graduates of the medical laboratory science program earn a Bachelor of Science degree and are eligible to take the national certification examination for medical laboratory scientists offered by the American Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Certification (ASCP-BOC).
Outcomes
Upon completion of the Bachelor of Science degree, graduates will be able to:
- Demonstrate proficiency in performing the full range of clinical laboratory tests in the contemporary clinical laboratory.
- Evaluate test systems and diagnostic algorithms in terms of diagnostic value, compliance outcomes, and cost-effectiveness.
- Evaluate the results of laboratory analyses for accuracy and validity, and correlate laboratory data to disease processes.
- Apply the principles and practices of quality assurance/quality improvement as applied to the pre-analytical, analytical, and post- analytical components of laboratory services.
- Exhibit the ethical and professional behaviors required within the healthcare delivery system.
- Communicate effectively orally, in writing, and through laboratory information systems in order to consult with members of the healthcare team, to provide patient education and customer service, and to interact with external parties.
- Use research design/practice skills to evaluate published studies and investigate clinical laboratory issues/problems.
- Exhibit an understanding of the concepts and principles of laboratory management such as human resource management, finance, operations, regulatory compliance, performance improvement, critical pathways and clinical decision-making.
- Demonstrate understanding of education techniques and terminology to train/educate users and providers of laboratory services.
- Seek national certification as a Medical Laboratory Scientist and pursue employment within this field or a related field or continue to post-graduate education.
Policies
1. The lowest acceptable grade is a "C" in all program requirements.
2. No student, regardless of major, will be permitted to take a science, math, or MLS course unless they earn a grade of "C" or better in all prerequisite courses.
3. Students must earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.8 to be admitted into the Medical Laboratory Science program. Once admitted to the MLT to MLS program, students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.8 the major to remain in good standing.
4. Probation: The student who earns a cumulative GPA of less than 2.8 will be notified, in writing, by the Program Coordinator that they are on probation in the Medical Laboratory Science program.
5. Dismissal: If the student's cumulative GPA remains less than 2.8 for two semesters (consecutive or not), the student will be notified, in writing, by the Program Coordinator that they have been dismissed from the Medical Laboratory Science program. Students dismissed from the program are not eligible for re-admission.
Medical Requirements
Students who are not currently employed in a full-time capacity as an MLT will require clinical placement in a practicum experience at a full-service clinical laboratory facility to fulfill the clinical requirements of the MLT to MLS program.
Students enrolled in the program who must complete the clinical practicum courses will be required to provide proof of vaccination and/or proof of immunity to the following:
Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR), Hepatitis B (HBV), Tdap and COVID-19. In addition, documentation will be required of the following:
- Documentation of personal medical insurance.
- Documentation of a negative tuberculosis screening test (Quantiferon, PPD or chest x-ray)
- Seasonal influenza vaccine
- Background Check and Drug Screen
It is the student’s responsibility to ensure all medical requirements are met prior to beginning any clinical experiences. Failure to provide acceptable documentation of medical requirements may result in the student being ineligible to participate in clinical practicum courses.
Program Completion
Upon satisfactory completion of the required program of study, the student will be awarded a Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Science. The granting of the degree is not contingent upon passing any external certification examination.
National Certification Examination
Program graduates are eligible to take the national certification examination for Medical Laboratory Scientists offered by the American Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Certification (ASCP-BOC).
As stated in the University’s non-discrimination policy, the University does not discriminate on the basis of health or disability.
Stevenson is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to meet the needs of students with documented disabilities without fundamentally altering essential components of the program. Requests for accommodations should be initiated with Accessibility and Disability Services in the Center for Student Success. Disability Services will engage in the interactive process with the applicant/student and consult with the appropriate medical laboratory science program faculty members as necessary to determine accommodations on an individualized case-by-case basis. To be considered for an accommodation, applicants and students will be required to submit documentation of their disability that meets the guidelines established by Disability Services.
Requirements
The courses listed below are required for completion of the bachelor’s degree in medical laboratory science. Students must also complete the requirements for the Stevenson Educational Experience (SEE). Specific pre- and co-requisites for each course are listed in the course descriptions.
Major Requirements
| GEN 200 | Writing and Research for the Adult Learner | 3 credits |
| BIO 217 | Principles of Biochemistry | 3 credits |
| BIO 222 | Human Anatomy | 4 credits |
| BIO 230 | Genetics | 3 credits |
| BIO 230L | Genetics-Laboratory | 1 credit |
| BIO 322 | Human Physiology | 3 credits |
| BIO 322L | Human Physiology-Laboratory | 1 credit |
| ENG 152 | College Writing II | 3 credits |
| MATH 136 | Introduction to Statistics | 4 credits |
Major Requirements - 2nd Group
The following major requirements may be fulfilled by the successful completion of the Associate degree in Medical Laboratory Technology with an approved program transfer agreement:
| BIO 112 | Principles of General Biology | 3 credits |
| or | |
| BIO 113 | General Biology I: Cell Biology and Genetics | 3 credits |
| BIO 113L | General Biology I Laboratory: Cell Biology and Genetics | 1 credit |
| BIO 203 | Microbiology | 3 credits |
| BIO 203L | Microbiology-Laboratory | 1 credit |
| CHEM 114 | General Chemistry I with Problem Solving | 3 credits |
| or | |
| CHEM 115 | General Chemistry I | 3 credits |
| CHEM 115L | General Chemistry I Laboratory | 1 credit |
| CHEM 116 | General Chemistry II | 3 credits |
| CHEM 116L | General Chemistry II Laboratory | 1 credit |
| MLS 210 | Principles of Laboratory Science | 3 credits |
| MLS 310 | Hematology I | 3 credits |
| MLS 310L | Hematology I Laboratory | 1 credit |
| MLS 311 | Communication and Cultural Competence in Health Care | 3 credits |
| MLS 315 | Clinical Mycology, Parasitology and Virology | 2 credits |
| MLS 320 | Urinalysis and Body Fluids | 2 credits |
| MLS 320L | Urinalysis and Body Fluids Laboratory | 1 credit |
| MLS 325L | Clinical Chemistry I Laboratory | 1 credit |
| MLS 330 | Clinical Microbiology I | 3 credits |
| MLS 330L | Clinical Microbiology I Laboratory | 1 credit |
| MLS 335 | Clinical Laboratory Management | 3 credits |
| MLS 338 | Molecular and Immunologic Diagnostics | 3 credits |
| MLS 405 | Transfusion Medicine | 4 credits |
| MLS 410 | Hematology II | 3 credits |
| MLS 420 | Clinical Microbiology II | 4 credits |
| MLS 425 | Clinical Chemistry II | 3 credits |
| MLS 430 | Professional Research and Writing | 4 credits |
Major Requirements - 3rd Group
Students who hold active MLT(ASCP) or MLT(ASCP) certification and are employed in a full-service clinical laboratory may fulfill the following program requirements:
| MLS 431 | Clinical Chemistry Practicum | 3 credits |
| MLS 432 | Clinical Hematology Practicum | 3 credits |
| MLS 433 | Clinical Microbiology Practicum | 3 credits |
| MLS 434 | Clinical Immunohematology Practicum | 3 credits |
Major Requirements - 4th Group
The following program requirements may be completed at another accredited college or university and transferred to Stevenson University. Students must submit official transcripts upon the completion of the course with a grade of "C" or higher for credit to be awarded.
BIO 217 Principles of Biochemistry
BIO 230 and BIO 230L Genetics with Lab
MATH 136 Introduction to Statistics
BIO 222 Human Anatomy (may be fulfilled by Anatomy & Physiology I)
BIO 322 and BIO 322L Human Physiology and Lab (may be fulfilled by Anatomy & Physiology II)
Social Science (6 credits from two different disciplines)
Humanities (12 credits from three different disciplines)
Fine Art (3 credits)
Communication Intensive (3 credits)
Course Descriptions
See Medical Laboratory Course Descriptions