Major map compass icon
2022-2023

Medical Laboratory Sciences (degree completion program for MLTs), Bachelor of Science (G3 AAS Pathway and accelerated masters)

VCU

Community college:
Associate of Applied Science: Medical Laboratory Technology (Virginia Community College System)
Virginia Community College System
Program description

Medical laboratory scientists’ critical role on the health care delivery team is to provide physicians laboratory data, essential information for making decisions related to diagnoses and treatment. Due to emerging technologies and knowledge of the human condition, the profession of medical laboratory sciences is forever challenging and rewarding.  The shortage of medical laboratory scientists in the workforce has ensured job opportunities for graduates and plentiful student scholarship offerings.

 

The program includes classroom, laboratory, and hands-on experiences. Students participate in multiple full-time clinical laboratory rotations at facilities in the Richmond, Charlottesville, Tidewater, and Abingdon areas, including VCU Health, Central Virginia VA Health Care system, University of Virginia Health System, Bon Secours Health Partners Laboratory, and more.

 

Medical laboratory scientists receive training in the following areas: clinical chemistry, the study of chemical reactions that occur in normal and diseased processes; hematology, the study of the cellular elements of the blood and blood-forming tissues and hemostatic mechanism; urine and body fluids analysis, the study of principles and practices of urinalysis, kidney function, and analyses of cerebrospinal fluid and other body fluids; microbiology, the study of microbiological aspects of infectious disease and the isolation and identification of pathogenic bacteria; immunohematology, the application of theory and principles of blood banking, cell typing, compatibility testing and antibody identification; and immunology, the study of the immune system and the serological and molecular techniques used for diagnosing infectious disease. 

 

Upon graduation students are eligible to take the national examination for medical laboratory scientists given by the Board of Certification of the American Society for Clinical Pathology.

Career opportunities

Medical laboratory scientists and medical technologists perform laboratory testing in various settings to diagnose, monitor and treat diseases. Most medical laboratory personnel work in hospital laboratories. Many are also employed by private physicians, medical groups, public health and environmental laboratories, research facilities, pharmaceutical and biomedical companies, universities, industrial medical laboratories, molecular diagnostic laboratories and the armed forces. On the job, you would:


  • Conduct analysis of body fluids, such as blood or urine, using microscopes, automated instruments, and manual techniques to detect abnormalities or diseases.
  • Analyze the results of tests or experiments to ensure conformity to specifications, and high quality test results, using special mechanical or electrical devices.
  • Set up, maintain, calibrate, clean, and test sterility of medical laboratory equipment.

With a master's or doctoral degree, you could also manage a medical laboratory, perform clinical and translational research, or teach clinical laboratory science courses in a postsecondary environment.

Bachelor-level job titles
  • Biomedical Laboratory Officer
  • Clinical Laboratory Scientist
  • Medical Laboratory Scientist
  • Medical Technologist
  • Occupational Health and Safety Technologist
  • Quality Control Analyst
  • Research and Development Scientist
  • Sales or Technical Representative
Graduate and professional level job titles
  • Laboratory Manager/Supervisor
  • Lead Scientist
  • Molecular and Cellular Biologist
  • Teaching and Research Faculty
Contact information

 

VCU Transfer Center

Telephone: (804) 827-1349

Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu

Transfer Advising Request

VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist


Office of Admissions

Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638

Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.

Guaranteed transfer admission requirements

No guaranteed admission, but successful applicants will have:

  • Completion of associate degree (A.A.S. in Medical Laboratory Technology)
  • Minimum GPA of 2.0
  • Complete all general education and science prerequisite courses with a minimum grade of "C.
  • Submit documentation of active MLT national certification.
  • Review admission requirements here.
Highest level of math required
  • MATH 151
Science required
  • 5+ additional science courses
Foreign language requirements
  • No
Additional tuition/fees
  • Yes
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
  • 2.5+ cumulative GPA to apply, 2.0+ cumulative GPA to progress

Transfer major map
Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
Major map compass icon
2022-2023

Medical Laboratory Sciences (degree completion program for MLTs), Bachelor of Science (G3 AAS Pathway and accelerated masters)

Virginia Community College System (Associate of Applied Science: Medical Laboratory Technology)

MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
Explore Year 1
  • Schedule an appointment with your community college advisor to map out your associate degree course plan.
  • Enroll in a SDV student success course.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges and utilize tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Explore GRASP financial aid resources and submit the FAFSA on time.
  • Check on G3 funding for your AAS program.
  • Identify a mentor in a diversity organization.
  • Attend diversity-focused events on your community college campus and in your community (e.g., international festival).
  • Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
  • Create a weekly and monthly budget.
  • Prepare for a career after college by creating a brand for yourself.
  • Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
  • Practice independent living skills such as money and time management, self-care, and personal responsibility.
Experience Year 2
  • Be prepared for academic challenges. Use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Meet with your community college advisor to finalize plans to complete your associate degree.
  • Submit a transfer advising request to the VCU Transfer Center.
  • Research scholarship opportunities and explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant.
  • Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
  • Research housing options for next year.
  • Attend a talk or other event sponsored by the VCU Medical Laboratory Sciences department, consider joining a VCU club, or meeting with VCU students to make professional and personal connections.
  • Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or department-related events.
  • Check out the VCU Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (OMSA) and follow @vcuomsa.
  • Find out about VCU REAL and learn about REAL graduation requirement.
  • Attend Career & Internship Fairs throughout the year.
  • Acquire career related experience (e.g., job, internship, organization involvement).
  • If your GPA is 3.5 or higher, consider applying for the VCU Honors College.
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Schedule an appointment with your community college advisor to map out your associate degree course plan.
  • Enroll in a SDV student success course.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges and utilize tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Explore GRASP financial aid resources and submit the FAFSA on time.
  • Check on G3 funding for your AAS program.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Identify a mentor in a diversity organization.
  • Attend diversity-focused events on your community college campus and in your community (e.g., international festival).
  • Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Create a weekly and monthly budget.
  • Prepare for a career after college by creating a brand for yourself.
  • Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
  • Practice independent living skills such as money and time management, self-care, and personal responsibility.

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Be prepared for academic challenges. Use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Meet with your community college advisor to finalize plans to complete your associate degree.
  • Submit a transfer advising request to the VCU Transfer Center.
  • Research scholarship opportunities and explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
  • Research housing options for next year.
  • Attend a talk or other event sponsored by the VCU Medical Laboratory Sciences department, consider joining a VCU club, or meeting with VCU students to make professional and personal connections.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or department-related events.
  • Check out the VCU Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (OMSA) and follow @vcuomsa.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Find out about VCU REAL and learn about REAL graduation requirement.
  • Attend Career & Internship Fairs throughout the year.
  • Acquire career related experience (e.g., job, internship, organization involvement).
  • If your GPA is 3.5 or higher, consider applying for the VCU Honors College.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.

Recommended courses
Major map compass icon
2022-2023

Medical Laboratory Sciences (degree completion program for MLTs), Bachelor of Science (G3 AAS Pathway and accelerated masters)

Virginia Community College System (Associate of Applied Science: Medical Laboratory Technology)

Virginia Community College System courses
Course Title Equivalent course Credits Requirements
A.A.S. in Medical Laboratory Technology Students who earn this associate degree before enrolling at VCU will be eligible for a waiver of VCU's general education requirements.
SDV 100 or 101 College Success Skills UNIV 101 1 Elective
ENG 111 College Composition I Note: students with credit for AP English Language and Composition will only receive credit for UNIV 111 at VCU and should take ENG 112 to fulfill the VCU composition requirement. UNIV 111-112 3 General education (admission prerequisite)
ENG 112 College Composition II UNIV 200 3 General education (admission prerequisite)
MTH 161 Precalculus I MATH 141 3 General education (admission prerequisite)
Biology Select one of the following: BIO 101 or BIO 145 BIOL/Z 151 or BIOL/Z 201 4 Major (admission prerequisite)
CHM 111 General Chemistry I CHEM/Z 101 4 Major (admission prerequisite)
Humanities Humanities/Fine Arts (select from courses in history, philosophy, political science, religion, foreign languages, literature, or art history/arts) VCU equivalent 3 General education (admission prerequisite)
Social science Social science (select from courses in anthropology, economics, geography, psychology, sociology or social sciences) VCU equivalent 3 General education (admission prerequisite)
Complete requirements for the AAS degree 42 Elective
Credits completed for AAS degree 66
Additional science prerequisites An MLT (CLT) applicant must have a minimum of 44 non-MLT semester hours of transferable credit for admission as a full-time student (38 hours for part-time admission).
Biology An additional 8 credits of Biology (BIO 101-102 or BIO 141-142) VCU equivalents 8 Major (admission prerequisite)
Chemistry An additional 8 credits of chemistry (CHM 112 and CHM 241/245) CHEM/Z 102 + CHEM/Z 301 8 Major (admission prerequisite)
Total additional credits 16
VCU will award proficiency credits to students admitted to the program after completion of the AAS degree. The total number of proficiency credits awarded to students for upper-level course requirements will be determined by VCU after transfer through challenge examinations or exemptions based on documented competencies in required laboratory skills.
VCU courses
Course Title Credits Requirements
Your GPA Doesn't Transfer With You Although you worked hard to earn your grades at your current institution, they will only be considered by VCU for an admission decision. Once you enroll at VCU, your GPA will reset to 0.0, and your new GPA will be determined by your level of success in your classes at VCU.
CLLS 301 Hematology (students will be eligible for 1.5 proficiency credits for this course) 2 to 3.5 Major
CLLS 302 Abnormal Hematology 4 Major
CLLS 304 Urine and Body Fluid Analysis (students will be eligible for .5 proficiency credits for this course) 1.5 to 2 Major
CLLS 306 Immunohematology (students will be eligible for 2 proficiency credits for this course) 2.5 to 4.5 Major
CLLS 307 Introduction to Pathogenic Microbiology 3 Major
CLLS 308 Pathogenic Bacteriology (students will be eligible for 2 proficiency credits for this course) 3 to 5 Major
CLLS 310 Clinical Immunology (students will be eligible for 1 proficiency credit for this course) 3.5 to 4.5 Major
CLLS 311 Clinical Chemistry and Instrumentation I (students will be eligible for 2 proficiency credits for this course) 3 to 5 Major
CLLS 312 Clinical Chemistry and Instrumentation II (students will be eligible for 1 proficiency credit for this course) 4 to 5 Major
CLLS 337 Clinical Education (students will be eligible for 1 proficiency credit for this course) 0 to 1 Major
CLLS 407 Interpretive Immunohematology 2.5 Major
CLLS 408 Advanced Microbiology 2 Major
CLLS 409 Interpretive Hematology 2 Major
CLLS 410 Advanced Clinical Chemistry and Instrumentation 2 Major
CLLS 411 Principles of Education/Management 3 Major
CLLS 412 Senior Seminar 1 Major
CLLS 483 Biochemistry Practicum (students will be eligible for 3 proficiency credits for this course) 0 to 3 Major
CLLS 485 Hematology Practicum (students will be eligible for 3 proficiency credits for this course) 0 to 3 Major
CLLS 493 Clinical Microbiology Practicum (students will be eligible for 3 proficiency credits for this course 0 to 3 Major
CLLS 494 Miscellaneous Clinical Practicum (students will be eligible for 3 proficiency credits for this course 0 to 3 Major
CLLS 496 Blood Bank Practicum (students will be eligible for 3 proficiency credits for this course 0 to 3 Major
CLLS 438 Research Paper (optional) 0 to 1 Major
Credits completed at VCU 40 to 66
Minimum number of credits required for bachelor's degree 125