University of Montana Catalog 2023-2024

Medical Laboratory Science B.S.

Bachelor of Science - Medical Laboratory Science

General Education Requirement

Information regarding these requirements can be found in the General Education Section of the catalog. 

Summary

Lower-Division Biology Courses8
Required Courses Outside the Major8
Tracks70-83
4 + 1 Track
3 + 1 Track
Advanced College Writing Requirement
Total Hours86-99

 

Degree Specific Credits: 86 (4+1), 99 (3+1) 

Required Cumulative GPA: 2.0

Note: A Medical Laboratory Science degree prepares students to perform various chemical, histological, and microbial laboratory procedures used in the diagnosis, study, and treatment of disease. Students with this degree seek employment in hospital laboratories, physicians' offices, and health departments. For clinical practice, a student must be certified through the Board of Registry by completing a one-year clinical practicum.

Lower Division Biology Courses

Note: Either BIOB 160N (C- or better) or BCH 110/BCH 111 (C- or better) or BIOH 112 (B- or better) must be taken as a prerequisite for BIOB 260, unless a student has AP Biology credit.

Complete all of the following courses:
BIOB 260Cellular and Molecular Biology4
BIOB 272Genetics and Evolution4
Total Hours8

Minimum Required Grade: C-


Required Courses Outside the Major

Mathematics - Calculus

Complete one of the following courses:4
Applied Calculus
Calculus I
Total Hours4

Minimum Required Grade: C-

Mathematics - Statistics

Complete the following course:
STAT 216Introduction to Statistics4
Total Hours4

Minimum Required Grade: C-


Medical Laboratory Science; Track: 4 + 1

Note: The 4+1 track is the more flexible option, in which students complete the four years of the Bachelor's degree on the UM campus. Students may apply to a clinical practicum program anywhere in the country.

Required Major Courses for Medical Laboratory Science 4 + 1 Track

Complete all of the following courses:
BCH 380Biochemistry4
BIOB 410Immunology3
BIOB 411Immunology Laboratory2
BIOH 365
BIOH 366
Human Anatomy and Physiology for Health Professions I
and Human Anatomy and Physiology for Health Professions I Laboratory
4
BIOH 405Hematology3
BIOM 360General Microbiology3
BIOM 361General Microbiology Lab2
BIOM 402Pathogenic Microbes3
BIOM 403Pathogenic Microbes Laboratory2
BIOM 407Clinical Diagnosis2
BIOM 408Clinical Diagnosis Lab1
BIOM 427General Parasitology2
BIOM 428General Parasitology Lab2
BIOM 435Virology3
Total Hours36

Minimum Required Grade: C-

Chemistry

Complete all of the following courses:
CHMY 141N
CHMY 142N
College Chemistry I
and College Chemistry I Lab
5
CHMY 143N
CHMY 144N
College Chemistry II
and College Chemistry II Lab
5
CHMY 221
CHMY 222
Organic Chemistry I
and Organic Chemistry I Lab
5
CHMY 223
CHMY 224
Organic Chemistry II
and Organic Chemistry II Lab
5
CHMY 311Analytical Chemistry-Quantitative Analysis4
Total Hours24

Minimum Required Grade: C-

Physics

Complete one of the following Physics sequences:10
Algebra- and Trigonometry-based Physics:
College Physics I
and College Physics I Laboratory
College Physics II
and College Physics II Laboratory
Calculus-based Physics:
Fundamentals of Physics with Calculus I
and Physics Laboratory I with Calculus
Fundamentals of Physics with Calculus II
and Physics Laboratory II with Calculus
Total Hours10

Minimum Required Grade: C-


Medical Laboratory Science; Track: 3 + 1

Note: The 3+1 track is the faster option, as the clinical practicum year is part of the degree. Three years are spent on the UM campus, and then the clinical practicum year with the Montana University System Medical Laboratory Training program (or with one of our affiliated programs) is the fourth year of the Bachelor's degree. Note: this degree requires a total of 130 credits.

Required Major Courses for Medical Laboratory Science 3 + 1

Complete all of the following courses:
BCH 380Biochemistry4
BIOB 410Immunology3
BIOH 365
BIOH 366
Human Anatomy and Physiology for Health Professions I
and Human Anatomy and Physiology for Health Professions I Laboratory
4
BIOH 405Hematology3
BIOM 360General Microbiology3
BIOM 361General Microbiology Lab2
BIOM 402Pathogenic Microbes3
BIOM 403Pathogenic Microbes Laboratory2
BIOM 427General Parasitology2
BIOM 428General Parasitology Lab2
BIOM 435Virology3
Total Hours31

Minimum Required Grade: C-

Required Professional Practicum

Note: The student must apply for the professional practicum to one of our affiliated programs during the autumn prior to enrollment. To be competitive for this practicum, a student must be in good academic standing with a minimum GPA of ~3.0, and demonstrate a commitment to the clinical laboratory profession. For more information, visit the Medical Laboratory Sciences website. Contact Dr. Mike Minnick to apply for the practicum.

Complete all of the following courses:
BIOH 470Summer Clinical Laboratory12
BIOH 471Professional Training I13
BIOH 472Professional Training II12
Total Hours37

Minimum Required Grade: C-

Chemistry

Complete all of the following courses:
CHMY 141N
CHMY 142N
College Chemistry I
and College Chemistry I Lab
5
CHMY 143N
CHMY 144N
College Chemistry II
and College Chemistry II Lab
5
CHMY 221
CHMY 222
Organic Chemistry I
and Organic Chemistry I Lab
5
Total Hours15

Minimum Required Grade: C-


Advanced College Writing Requirement

Rule: 

  • Complete the equivalent of a full writing course (either three 1/3 writing courses or one 2/3 writing course + one 1/3 writing course or one complete writing course).
  • To meet the Advanced College Writing Requirement, Medical Laboratory Science 4+1 students take BIOB 410 (a 1/3 writing course) and BIOB 411 (a 2/3 writing course).
  • To meet the Advanced College Writing Requirement, Medical Laboratory Science 3+1 students take two 1/3 writing courses (BIOB 410 and BIOM 402). The Advanced College Writing Requirement is completed with one more course, chosen from any of the following. (BIOB 411 is recommended by clinical practicum programs).

1/3 Advanced Writing Courses 

BCH 482Advanced Biochemistry II3
BIOB 410Immunology3
BIOB 425Advanced Cellular & Molecular Biology3
BIOB 483Phylogenics and Evolution3
BIOE 403Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy4
BIOE 409Behavior & Evolution Discussion1
BIOE 428Freshwater Ecology5
BIOM 402Pathogenic Microbes3
BIOO 320General Botany5
BIOO 434Plant Physiology Lab1
BIOO 470Ornithology4
BIOO 475Mammalogy4

Minimum Required Grade: C-

2/3 Advanced Writing Courses

BCH 486Biochemistry Research Lab3
BCH 499Senior Thesis/Capstone3-6
BIOB 411Immunology Laboratory (recommended)2
BIOB 499Undergraduate Thesis3-6
BIOE 342Field Ecology5
BIOE 371General Ecology Lab (equivalent to 271)2
BIOM 411Experimental Microbial Genetics Lab1
BIOM 499Undergraduate Thesis3-6

Minimum Required Grade: C-

Complete Advanced Writing Course

BIOH 462Principles of Medical Physiology3
BIOM 420Host-Microbe Interactions3
Minimum Required Grade: C-