MLS Categorical Curriculum
The coursework for each categorical certificate is offered completely online.
A proctor may be required for portions of certain courses, such as exams. Certain courses have required, corresponding clinical rotations that are completed at an accepted, affiliated clinical site. If a student chooses to complete more than one certificate, duplicate courses (Examples: MLS 220, MLS 416, MLS 449) are only taken once. In some circumstances, courses can be transferred if equivalent to meet curricular requirements. If a student chooses to complete all four single-area certificates (Clinical Chemistry, Hematology, Immunohematology, and Microbiology), MLS 450 Advanced Clinical Applications (1 cr.) will also be a required course.
Required Courses
Clinical Chemistry Certificate
| Class Prefix | Course Name | Credit Hour(s) |
| MLS 220 | Introduction to Clinical Laboratory Practice | 2 |
| MLS 340 | Introduction to Molecular Diagnostics | 1 |
| MLS 411 | Clinical Chemistry I | 2 |
| MLS 415 | Clinical Urinalysis & Body Fluids I | 2 |
| MLS 416 | Clinical Immunology & Molecular Diagnostics | 1 |
| MLS 420 | Clinical Laboratory Practice | 2 |
| MLS 421 | Clinical Chemistry II | 2 |
| MLS 425 | Clinical Urinalysis & Body Fluids II | 2 |
| MLS 431 | Clinical Chemistry & Urinalysis III* | 2 |
| MLS 449 | Capstone in MLS | 3 |
Total Number of Credit Hours: 19
* Course includes a clinical performance module (bench rotation and evaluation)
Successful completion of this certificate qualifies the student for the ASCP Chemistry
(C) Categorical BOC exam.
Clinical Hematology Certificate
| Class Prefix | Course Name | Credit Hour(s) |
| MLS 220 | Introduction to Clinical Laboratory Practice | 2 |
| MLS 332 | Introduction to Clinical Hematology | 3 |
| MLS 340 | Introduction to Molecular Diagnostics | 1 |
| MLS 412 | Clinical Hematology & Hemostasis I | 3 |
| MLS 415 | Clinical Urinalysis and Body Fluids I | 2 |
| MLS 416 | Clinical Immunology & Molecular Diagnostics | 1 |
| MLS 420 | Clinical Laboratory Practice | 2 |
| MLS 422 | Clinical Hematology & Hemostasis II | 3 |
| MLS 432 | Clinical Hematology & Hemostasis III* | 2 |
| MLS 449 | Capstone in MLS | 3 |
Total Number of Credit Hours: 22
* Course includes a clinical performance module (bench rotation and evaluation)
Successful completion of this certificate qualifies the student for the ASCP Hematology
(H) Categorical BOC exam.
Clinical Immunohematology (Blood Banking) Certificate
| Class Prefix | Course Name | Credit Hour(s) |
| MLS 220 | Introduction to Clinical Laboratory Practice | 2 |
| MLS 226 | Introduction to Clinical Immunology | 3 |
| MLS 340 | Introduction to Molecular Diagnostics | 1 |
| MLS 413 | Clinical Immunohematology I | 2 |
| MLS 416 | Clinical Immunology & Molecular Diagnostics | 1 |
| MLS 420 | Clinical Laboratory Practice | 2 |
| MLS 423 | Clinical Immunohematology II | 2 |
| MLS 433 | Clinical Immunohematology III* | 2 |
| MLS 449 | Capstone in MLS | 3 |
Total Number of Credit Hours: 18
* Course includes a clinical performance module (bench rotation and evaluation)
Successful completion of this certificate qualifies the student for the ASCP Blood
Bank (BB) Categorical BOC exam.
Clinical Microbiology Certificate
| Class Prefix | Course Name | Credit Hour(s) |
| MLS 220 | Introduction to Clinical Laboratory Practice | 2 |
| MLS 334 | Introduction to Clinical Microbiology | 3 |
| MLS 340 | Introduction to Molecular Diagnostics | 1 |
| MLS 414 | Clinical Microbiology I | 3 |
| MLS 416 | Clinical Immunology & Molecular Diagnostics | 1 |
| MLS 420 | Clinical Laboratory Practice | 2 |
| MLS 424 | Clinical Microbiology II | 3 |
| MLS 434 | Clinical Microbiology III* | 2 |
| MLS 449 | Capstone in MLS | 3 |
Total Number of Credit Hours: 20
* Course includes a clinical performance module (bench rotation and evaluation)
Successful completion of this certificate qualifies the student for the ASCP Microbiology
(M) Categorical BOC exam.
Clinical Core Certificate (Combination of Clinical Chemistry & Hematology Certificates)
| Class Prefix | Course Name | Credit Hour(s) |
| MLS 220 | Introduction to Clinical Laboratory Practice | 2 |
| MLS 332 | Introduction to Clinical Hematology | 3 |
| MLS 340 | Introduction to Molecular Diagnostics | 1 |
| MLS 411 | Clinical Chemistry I | 2 |
| MLS 412 | Clinical Hematology & Hemostasis I | 3 |
| MLS 415 | Clinical Urinalysis & Body Fluids I | 2 |
| MLS 416 | Clinical Immunology & Molecular Diagnostics | 1 |
| MLS 420 | Clinical Laboratory Practice | 2 |
| MLS 421 | Clinical Chemistry II | 2 |
| MLS 422 | Clinical Hematology & Hemostasis II | 3 |
| MLS 425 | Clinical Urinalysis & Body Fluids II | 2 |
| MLS 431 | Clinical Chemistry & Urinalysis III* | 2 |
| MLS 432 | Clinical Hematology & Hemostasis III* | 2 |
| MLS 449 | Capstone in MLS | 3 |
Total Number of Credit Hours: 30
* Course includes a clinical performance module (bench rotation and evaluation)
Successful completion of this certificate qualifies the student for the ASCP Chemistry
(C) and Hematology (H) Categorical BOC exams.
Program Schedule Options
Typically, students that are working while completing the program take an average of 3-4 semesters to complete a single certificate. Students that are not working while complete the program take an average of two semesters to complete a single certificate. The categorical program coordinator will work with each student individually to develop a program of study (program schedule) that will accommodate student requests, clinical site availability, and appropriate course sequence.
Note that the UND academic calendar consists of three semesters per year:
- Spring: January thru mid-May, typically 16 weeks
- Summer: Mid-May thru first week in August, typically 12 weeks
- Fall: Mid August to Mid-December, typically 16 weeks
Most courses are available every semester and most programs can begin any semester (with the exception of the 2-semester option, which cannot begin in the summer term).