School of Medicine & Health Sciences

MLT/CLT to B.S. in MLS

The MLS program offers on-campus and online options for students who have educational training as a Medical/Clinical Laboratory Technician (MLT/CLT).

Earn Your MLS Degree 100% Online

The MLT to MLS online route within the UND MLS Program allows experienced working professionals to complete degree requirements while remaining in their current position. The online MLT to MLS route does not require an on-campus component. Our MLT to MLS route advisor, Allison Waswick, works with each student individually to create an unique program of study that is built around each student's needs.

MLT Routes of Study

On-campus

This route of study is for students who have graduated from a NAACLS accredited MLT program but want to attend classes on-campus in a traditional format. Please refer to the Traditional Route page for further information.

Online

To be eligible for this route, students must meet all of the following criteria:

  • Individuals must have earned a degree from a NAACLS accredited MLT program
  • Have earned national certification as a MLT/CLT (ASCP or AMT)
  • Be employed in a clinical laboratory as an MLT that is willing to sponsor your clinicals
  • Be accepted by the University of North Dakota as an undergraduate student

All courses are available online with no required on-campus time at UND.

Plan of Study

Students will create an individualized plan of study with the MLT to MLS route advisor. To graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in Medical Laboratory Science, all plans must include:

  • 122 total semester credit hours (including transferred credits)
    • 30 semester hours must be completed at UND
  • 36 hours of upper level coursework
  • Completion of UND's Essential Study Requirements
  • Completion of UND MLS Professional Program courses

Transfer of Prior Coursework

The following guidelines are used to assist our program advisor in the evaluation of your MLT educational background:

  • Transfer credits may allow the waiver of several science courses in the professional curriculum.
  • Each student's record is evaluated and a recommendation is made to UND's Registrar regarding the number of credits to be transferred and the waiver of prerequisite science courses.
  • A specific outline for the number of credits that will transfer has been incorporated into articulation agreements with numerous regional technical and community colleges

Admission to MLS Professional Program

Admission is on a competitive basis. Admission to UND does not guarantee admission into the UND MLS Professional Program. The MLT to MLS advisor will work with each student to determine when they are eligible to apply to the MLS Professional Program. For a complete listing of admission policies, please refer to the MLS Undergraduate Handbook.

Application to the professional program must meet the following criteria in order to be eligible to submit a program application:

  • Completion of required pre-professional curriculum
  • Cumulative GPA of ≥2.8 on a scale of 4.0.
  • A maximum of two required pre-professional science and/or math courses with an initial grade of D or F can be repeated before entrance into the MLS Professional Program curriculum
  • A maximum of one letter grade of D is allowed to remain on a transcript for either a required pre-professional math or science course.
  • A final grade of C or higher must be earned in all required pre-professional MLS courses
  • A maximum of one required pre-professional MLS course can be repeated
  • No previous dismissals from MLT/CLT or MLS/CLS/MT program coursework.

Frequently Asked Questions

If interested in seeing a potential program of study, please email any unofficial transcripts to Allison Waswick, the MLT to MLS route coordinator. Due to the varied number of courses students in this route bring into UND, each program of study is individualized with the help of the MLT to MLS route coordinator.

Previous coursework that transfers into UND can be used to fulfill Essential Studies as well as science and math prerequisites.

Students in the MLT to MLS route each have an individual program of study. With that, students only need to take one course in the fall and spring semesters to stay enrolled at UND. Students can take courses in the summer as well, but this is not required. On average, MLT to MLS students take 1-3 classes per semester.

Clinicals in the MLT to MLS route are competency based and are done at the student's workplace. If the student is already meeting all objectives in a clinical area, such as hematology or chemistry, no rotation will be required in that area. If a student is not meeting all objectives in a clinical area, the student, the MLT to MLS route coordinator, and the student's supervisor will work to make a clinical rotation to fulfill the student's needs.

The MLT to MLS route coordinator will work with each student to determine when to apply to the UND MLS Program. To apply to the MLS program, students should have all Essential Studies and pre-professional coursework completed. Prerequisite coursework can be completed at UND and/or can be transferred into UND.

Example of MLT Program Articulation

The UND MLS program has active articulation agreements with several MLT programs. The articulation agreement is created to assist students with transferring of coursework from an accredited MLT program to UND. If your NAACLS accredited MLT program would like to articulate with the UND MLS program please contact:

Dr. Brooke Solberg
UND MLS Program Director
brooke.solberg@UND.edu

Active articulation agreements can be found on the UND Registrar's website.

Contact Information

Allison Waswick, MS, MLS(ASCP)CM
Education Specialist, Dept. of Medical Laboratory Science
University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences
1301 N. Columbia Road Stop 9037
Grand Forks, ND 58201
P: 701.317.0832 (Can send and receive text messages)
F: 701.777.2404
allison.waswick@UND.edu

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