This program is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS).
5600 N River Rd., Suite 720
Rosemont, IL 60018
(773) 714-8880
Program Description
The clinical laboratory plays a major role in diagnostic medicine. Graduates of the Program in Clinical Laboratory Science (medical technology) analyze patient specimens for indications of disease. Results of these tests are used by the physician in confirming the patient diagnosis and in prescribing therapy. Academic preparation for a career in clinical laboratory science is a four-year baccalaureate degree, including a clinical preceptorship. Two years of prerequisite courses in chemistry, mathematics, biology, microbiology, and liberal arts precede a two-year professional component dealing specifically with clinical laboratory science. The professional program combines didactic instruction with student laboratory experience, followed by clinical practice in affiliated laboratories.
The TTUHSC Clinical Laboratory Science program culminates in the Bachelor of Science degree in Clinical Laboratory Science. Graduates of the program are eligible to sit for a national certification examination.
TTU Honors College students accepted into the CLS program may complete honors college credit in the School of Health Professions and graduate with the honors designation.
Special Features
Candidates seeking a degree in clinical laboratory science have the option of pursuing the Bachelor of Science in clinical laboratory science tract offered at the Lubbock campus or the second degree online tract for students who already hold a Bachelor of Science degree. A third tract is available for students who wish to earn a certificate in clinical laboratory science. All three tracts are eligible to sit for the national certification in clinical laboratory science through the American Society of Clinical Pathology Board of Certification (BOC).
Some states require additional state licensure (California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Montana, Nevada, New York, North Dakota, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and West Virginia). Since each state has its own set of rules and guidelines, you must contact the licensure agency in each state for information about these requirements which can be found at https://www.ascp.org/content/board-of-certification/verify-credentials.
Essential Functions
To successfully complete didactic, laboratory, and clinical/fieldwork/preceptorship portions in the CLS programs, an individual must meet the following essential functions with or without accommodations:
- Mobility: The student must have adequate gross mobility in order to maneuver in a timely and safe fashion throughout the department. The student must be able to lift his or her arms above shoulder height in order to place or remove items of ten pounds or less from shelves. The student must be able to bend over at the waist or squat (waist and knees) in order to place and remove items of ten pounds or less from drawers and cabinets.
- Manual Dexterity: The student must have adequate fine motor skills to be able to manipulate small objects in a safe and precise manner. Examples would include (but are not limited to) being able to operate a computer keyboard; dial a telephone; handle cuvettes, sample cups, pipette tips, and reagent vials; pick up glass slides from table top, manipulate tools and instruments used in the clinical laboratory (including a microscope and pipettes); collect specimens, and use a pen or pencil in order to communicate effectively in writing for coursework and clinical/fieldwork/preceptorship to ensure patient/client safety.
- Auditory Acuity: The student must be able to hear well enough to respond to significant sounds in a clinical lab. Examples would include (but are not limited to) being able to hear signals generated from instrumentation that may indicate normal operating status, critical sample value, or equipment malfunction, and being able to hear and follow verbal instruction from a coworker or supervisor in order to ensure patient safety. (National Patient Safety Goals NPSG)
- Verbal Communication Skills: The student must be able to orally communicate professionally to persons on the telephone or other health care workers listening specifically, to the student in person to ensure patient safety. (National Patient Safety Goals NPSG)
- Visual Acuity to read, write, discern colors, and use a microscope: The student must have adequate eyesight such that he/she can recognize and distinguish gradients of color (such as on a urine reagent strip and special stains), read numbers and words either on a video display screen, computer printout, or legible handwriting, and interpret lines and points on graphs and charts to ensure patient safety.
- Intellectual, Conceptual, Integrative, and Quality Skills: The student must possess the ability to develop and exhibit organizational problem solving skills. Specifically, the student must have the ability to measure, calculate, analyze, interpret, synthesize, and evaluate data; have the ability to learn to perform duties and assignments in a timely manner while under stress and in a variety of settings; exhibit the maturity to accept feedback and demonstrate professional conduct in the classroom, laboratory, and at the preceptorship site.
- Social Behavior Skills: Demonstrate respect for individual, social, and cultural differences in fellow students, faculty, staff, patients, clients, and patients’/clients’ families during clinical/fieldwork/preceptorship/and academic interactions. Demonstrate flexibility and the ability to adjust to changing situations and uncertainty in academic and clinical/fieldwork/ preceptorship situations. Conduct oneself in an ethical and legal manner, demonstrating honesty, integrity, and professionalism in all interactions and situations.
Admission to the Bachelor of Science in Clinical Laboratory Science Program
This program begins in August of each year. Third year students (juniors) seeking admission must have the required number of semester hours of credit for admission. All courses must be completed prior to beginning the professional program. A personal interview is the final part of the admissions review.
Application Process
Applications are considered on a rolling basis for acceptance into the professional program. Individual applications are reviewed once materials have been received; therefore, it is in the applicant’s best interest to complete their application, including submission of required documentation, as early as possible. Fulfillment of the basic requirements does not guarantee admission. The following is required for an individual to be considered for the CLS program:
- Completion of the Texas Common Core, Information on the Texas Common Core curriculum can be found at https://www.ttuhsc.edu/health-professions/admissions/texas-common-core.aspx.
- Specific prerequisite courses must be completed before application to the professional phase of the Clinical Laboratory Science program.
- A minimum overall GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale and a grade of “C” or better in each standard science prerequisite course is required. GPA calculations are based on the required courses.
Applicants who meet the above listed requirements and are deemed competitive candidates for admission will be invited to TTUHSC for an interview. The admissions committee selects the most qualified applicants for admission by considering the following: cumulative GPA, prerequisite science GPA, interview scores, student essay, and other factors.
Prerequisite Course Requirements
Students wishing to enter the Clinical Laboratory Science program should choose either the standard, pre-med or pre-PA option. Substitution of courses may be authorized by the Program Director.
Texas Common Core Requirements (42 minimum hours)
Information on the Texas Common Core curriculum can be found at https://www.ttuhsc.edu/health-professions/admissions/texas-common-core.aspx.
STANDARD OPTION SCIENCE PREREQUISITES* |
| Credit Hours |
General Chemistry I with lab | 4 |
General Chemistry II with lab | 4 |
Biology I or A&P I with lab | 4 |
Biology II or A&P II with lab | 4 |
Microbiology with lab | 4 |
Intro to Organic or Organic Chemistry I with lab | 4 |
| Genetics or science elective | 3-4 |
| Total Hours = 27 |
*These hours may be included as part of your Texas Common Core. |
|
Pre-Med Option Prerequisites
The pre-med mentor program is designed to provide direction to students interested in attending medical school following the completion of a degree in clinical laboratory science. The primary purpose of this program is to help the student, by means of meetings and counseling, to prepare for and apply to medical school. Preparation for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), the admission interview, and other aspects of personal preparation are considered. The goal of this program is to provide to those students with both academic and professional potential the best opportunity to successfully gain admission to medical school.
STANDARD PREREQUISITES PLUS THE FOLLOWING: |
Required Course | Semester Hours |
Organic Chemistry II | 4 |
Physics I & II | 8 |
Calculus I or Statistics | 3 |
Biochemistry | 4 |
*Must verify with medical school of choosing as prerequisites vary per school. |
|
Pre-Physician Assistant Option Prerequisites
STANDARD PREREQUISITES PLUS THE FOLLOWING: |
Required Course | Semester Hours |
Anatomy & Physiology | 8 |
Organic Chemistry or Biochemistry | 4 |
Genetics | 4 |
Psychology | 3 |
*Must verify with PA school of choosing as prerequisites vary per school. |
|
| GPA: Minimum 3.0 overall & science GPA (as calculated by CASPA) |
|
| GRE |
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*For additional requirements for the Pre-Med and Pre-PA options, please visit our website (http://www.ttuhsc.edu/health-professions/) or contact the Office of Admissions and Student Affairs 806.743.3220 or health.professions@tttuhsc.edu.
- All science courses must be intended for science majors
- Prerequisite courses completed in the last 7 years are preferred
- Required prerequisite courses must be taken at a regionally accredited US or Canadian college or university. Transfer credit from a school outside the US or Canada will not apply to the required prerequisite courses.
Bachelor of Science in Clinical Laboratory Science (CLS) Master of Science in Healthcare Administration (MSHA) Dual Track
The Master of Science in Healthcare Administration (MSHA) track within the clinical laboratory science program (CLS) will prepare graduates for entry-level practice and management in the clinical laboratory with a strong foundation in management theories and practices specifically related to leading and managing a clinical laboratory.
Qualifications
A candidate for the MSHA program must meet prerequisite requirements for the standard option within the CLS program and have been accepted into the CLS program. The minimum overall GPA for a candidate to be considered for the MSHA track is an overall 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 GPA scale. The candidate will apply to the MSHA program in the spring semester of their first year enrolled in the CLS program.
Bachelor of Science in Clinical Laboratory Science Program Curriculum
The following courses are offered once each year in the semester listed and must be taken in sequence unless granted permission by the course director and Program Director. The course plan is the same for the standard, pre-med and pre-PA options.
FIRST YEAR (JUNIORS) |
Fall Semester Courses | Credit Hours |
HPCS 3110 Professional Issues in CLS | 1 |
HPCS 3400 Clinical Chemistry I | 4 |
HPCS 3405 Clinical Bacteriology I | 4 |
HPCS 3455 Principles of Immunology | 4 |
| Total Hours = 13 |
Spring Semester Courses | Credit Hours |
HPCS 3450 Clinical Chemistry II | 4 |
HPCS 3460 Clinical Bacteriology II | 4 |
HPCS 3470 Clinical Hematology I | 4 |
HPCS 4405 Molecular Diagnostics | 4 |
| Total Hours = 16 |
SECOND YEAR (SENIORS) |
Summer II Semester Courses | Credit Hours |
HPCS 3310 Urinalysis & Body Fluids | 3 |
HPCS 4300 Applied Research & Statistics | 3 |
HPCS 4420 Laboratory Management | 4 |
HPCS 4455 Parasitology/Mycology | 4 |
| Total Hours = 14 |
Fall Semester Courses | Credit Hours |
HPCS 3465 Immunohematology | 4 |
HPCS 4385 Clinical Correlations | 3 |
HPCS 4480 Hematology II | 4 |
HPCS 4440 Clinical Preceptorship I | 4 |
| Total Hours = 15 |
Spring Semester Courses | Credit Hours |
HPCS 4105 Senior Seminar | 1 |
HPCS 4741 Clinical Preceptorship II | 7 |
HPCS 4842 Clinical Preceptorship III | 8 |
| Total Hours = 16 |
Total Hours Required (Standard Option) | Credit Hours |
Prerequisites | 58 |
Professional Curriculum | 74 |
| Total Hours = 131 |
Total Hours Required (Pre-Med Option) | Credit Hours |
Prerequisites | 69 |
Professional Curriculum | 74 |
| Total Hours = 142 |
Total Hours Required (Pre-PA Option) | Credit Hours |
Prerequisites | 58 |
Professional Curriculum | 74 |
| Total Hours = 131 |
During professional studies, students are required to adhere to all program policies and academic and behavioral guidelines as outlined in the Student Handbook and Clinical Preceptorship Manual.
CLS/MSHA Dual Track Curriculum
Students accepted into the MSHA program will be required to complete 36 semester hours to meet degree requirements. This will include 27 hours of core requirements within the MSHA program, 7 credit hours of requirements within the Clinical Laboratory Science program, and 3 credit hours within the Molecular Pathology program.
MSHA CORE COURSES |
| HPHA 5306 Healthcare Delivery System |
HPHA 5307 Human Resource Management in Healthcare
|
HPHA 5310 Health Law & Ethics
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HPHA 5311 Healthcare Finance
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HPHA 5312 Strategic Planning & Marketing in Healthcare
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HPHA 5313 Healthcare Economics & Policy
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HPHA 5314 Healthcare Administration Capstone (final course in the program)
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HPHA 5330 Health Informatics & Data Analytics
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Choose one of the following electives: |
HPHA 5318 Organizational Behavior in Healthcare
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HPHA 5320 Health Insurance & Reimbursement
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HPHA 5321 Healthcare Operations & Supply Chain Management
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| HPHA 5322 Quality, Patient Safety & Risk Management |
CLS CORE COURSES |
HPCS 4420 Laboratory Management
|
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| HPCS 4300 Applied Statistics & Research |
|
MP CORE COURSE |
| HPMP 5301 Management of the Molecular Clinical Laboratory |
Matriculation of the CLS to MSHA program FIRST YEAR and SECOND YEAR are spent completing prerequisites for CLS program, as well as completing Texas Common Core curriculum.
THIRD YEAR (1st year in CLS Program) |
Fall Semester Courses | Credit Hours |
HPCS 3400 Clinical Chemistry I | 4 |
HPCS 3405 Clinical Bacteriology I | 4 |
HPCS 3455 Principles of Immunology | 4 |
HPCS 3110 Professional Issues in CLS | 1 |
| Total Hours = 13 |
Spring Semester Courses | Credit Hours |
HPCS 4305 Molecular Diagnostics | 3 |
HPCS 3450 Clinical Chemistry II | 4 |
HPCS 3460 Clinical Bacteriology II | 4 |
HPCS 3470 Hematology I | 4 |
| Total Hours = 15 |
Apply to the TTUHSC MSHA Program (April 1st Deadline).
FOURTH YEAR (2nd year in CLS Program) |
Summer II Semester Courses | Credit Hours |
HPCS 3110 Urinalysis & Body Fluids | 3 |
*HPCS 4300 Applied Research & Statistics | 3 |
*HPCS 4420 Laboratory Management | 4 |
HPCS 4455 Parasitology/Mycology | 4 |
| Total Hours = 14 |
Summer Semester Courses | Credit Hours |
HPHA 5307 Human Resources Management | 3 |
| Total Hours = 3 |
Fall Semester Courses | Credit Hours |
HPCS 4385 Clinical Correlations | 3 |
HPCS 3465 Immunohematology I | 4 |
HPCS 4480 Hematology II | 4 |
HPCS 4440 Clinical Preceptorship | 4 |
| Total Hours = 15 |
Spring Semester Courses | Credit Hours |
HPCS 4741 Clinical Preceptorship II | 7 |
HPCS 4842 Clinical Preceptorship III | 8 |
HPCS 4105 Senior Seminar | 1 |
| Total Hours = 16 |
Complete Requirements for BSCLS.
FIFTH YEAR (MSHA courses & one MP course) |
Summer Semester Courses | Credit Hours |
HPHA 5306 Healthcare Delivery System | 3 |
HPHA 5310 Health Law & Ethics | 3 |
HPHA 5312 Strategic Planning & Marketing | 3 |
| Total Hours = 9 |
Fall Semester Courses | Credit Hours |
HPHA 5311 Healthcare Finance (Fall I or II) | 3 |
HPHA 5313 Healthcare Economics & Policy (Fall I or II) | 3 |
HPHA 5330 Health Informatics & Data Analytics (Fall I or II) | 3 |
| Total Hours = 9 |
Spring Semester Courses | Credit Hours |
| *HPMP 5301 Management of the Molecular Lab | 3 |
HPHA 5314 Healthcare Administration Capstone (Spring I or II)
| 3 |
And choose one of the following (to be taken in the Spring I or II term): |
| HPHA 5318 Organizational Behavior in Healthcare | 3 |
| HPHA 5320 Health Insurance & Reimbursement | 3 |
| HPHA 5321 Healthcare Operations & Supply Management | 3 |
| HPHA 5322 Quality, Patient Safety & Risk Management | 3 |
| Total Hours = 9 |
*Dual Credit Courses
Failure to comply with the CLS/MSHA dual degree plan will result in the loss of dual credits for HPCS 4420 and HPCS 4300. Examples of noncompliance include failure to maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 (CLS classes), setting out a semester, or not taking the allotted number of hours.
