Graduate Program

Degree Offered

  • Master of Science in Clinical Laboratory Sciences (M.S.)

Program Requirements

Admission and Student Information

Formal admission to the University is an initial requirement for admission to the Master of Science in Clinical Laboratory Sciences degree program. Acceptance into the program is based on the recommendations of the Admissions Committee and Clinical Laboratory Sciences Director.

Up to five students are admitted each year into the Master of Science in Clinical Laboratory Sciences program. A good academic record is essential, but it does not guarantee acceptance. Screening of applications for Fall admission begins on June 15th each year. All application materials and letter of intent must be received by June 15th in order to be considered for Fall admission. Students are admitted once a year, with classes beginning in the Fall semester. Students must have an acceptable baccalaureate degree and have at least a 3.0 on the last 50 credit hours or total of their bachelor degree program. Six basic areas are considered in the selection process:

  1. Earned baccalaureate degree (B.S. in Medical Laboratory Sciences preferred)
  2. ASCP (U.S.) Certified Medical Laboratory Scientist/Clinical Laboratory Scientist
  3. The student’s academic record
  4. Three letters of Reference
  5. Life Experiences
  6. Personal Interview

UNM Graduate Program applications are available on the Graduate Studies Web site.

Deadline: All application materials are due no later than June 15th. Admission is for the Fall semester of the same year of application. Those applicants who are provisionally selected are notified in early July. All applicants are notified of their admission status. Selection is given to qualified persons regardless of their race, color, religion, national origin, age, qualified disability or military involvement. Equal opportunity for admission is given to all qualified applicants.

Advisement and Interview sessions are scheduled through the program of Medical Laboratory Sciences. Call the office at (505) 272-5434 for an appointment.

Graduation Requirements:

  • Satisfactory completion of all graduate courses.
  • Students who have completed graduate-level course work (at a B level or higher) at an accredited institution other than UNM may apply for the credit(s) to be transferred.
  • Students must maintain a 3.00 GPA or higher.
  • Students must complete the Master’s Apprenticeship Requirement in an approved laboratory.
  • All work toward a Master’s degree, including transferred course work must be completed within a seven-year period.
  • Students must inform their graduate unit in writing of their intention to graduate at the end of a particular semester by submitting a “Notification of Intent to Graduate” letter.
  • Unanimous recommendation for graduation by the full-time faculty of the Medical Laboratory Sciences Graduate program, the Department of Pathology and the School of Medicine.

Master of Science in Clinical Laboratory Sciences

Program Curriculum

The Master of Science in Clinical Laboratory Sciences degree program follows a required six-semester graduate level curriculum, which begins each year during the fall semester. Resources limit each class size to no more than five students. In addition to tuition, housing, books and other usual school expenses, student fees of $500.00 per semester cover lab supplies and special course fees. Fees are subject to change on a yearly basis. Students are responsible for transportation fees to and from externships at off campus sites. The CLS master’s degree program is a professional degree that does not require a written thesis, but instead a one-year apprenticeship program with a mentoring laboratory, clinical or education site; provided mainly through the research/clinical/education faculty of the Department of Pathology at the University of New Mexico.

  Credit
Hours
Prerequisites 
BIOC *423 Introductory Biochemistry (if taken three or more years prior to application to CLS program) 3
CHEM **301
-and-
CHEM **302
Organic Chemistry 6
CHEM 303L
-and-
CHEM 304L
Organic Chemistry Laboratory 2
MATH 150 Pre-Calculus Mathematics 3
MATH 162 Calculus I 4
  Core Requirements  
BIOM 507 Advanced Molecular Biology 4
BIOM 508 Advanced Cell Biology 4
BIOM 511 Intensive Introductory Biochemistry I 4
BIOM 555 Problem-Based Research Bioethics 1
MEDL 500 Selected Topics in Laboratory Medicine 2
MEDL 550 Laboratory Management Seminar 2
PH 538 Public Health Biostatistical Methods I 3
**Electives   6
  Masters Degree Non-thesis Plan  
MEDL 600 Clinical Lab Sciences Masters Degree Apprenticeship Program 10
 Total 36
  **Elective Courses:  
  Techniques:  
BIOM 522 Experimental Design and Methods in Molecular and Cellular Biosciences 3
BIOL 547 Advanced Techniques in Light Microscopy 4
  Neurosciences:  
BIOM 509 Principles of Neurobiology 3
BIOM 532 Neurochemistry 3
BIOM 533 Neurophysiology and Neuroanatomy 4
BIOM 535 Seminar: Neuroscience 1
  Cell Biology/Physiology  
BIOM 510 Physiology 3
BIOM 515 Cancer Biology 3
BIOL 510 Ecological and Evolutionary Genomics 4
BIOL 544 Genomes and Genomic Analyses 3
BIOL 545 Biology of Toxins 3
  Immunology/Infectious Disease:  
BIOM 514 Immunobiology 3

Courses

MEDL 121. A Career in Laboratory Science. (1)



MEDL 234. Introduction to Clinical Immunology. (3)



MEDL 300L. Introduction to Medical Laboratory Sciences. (2)



MEDL 310. Introduction to Clinical Chemistry. (3)



MEDL 311L. Introduction to Clinical Chemistry Lab. (2)



MEDL 315L. Clinical Serology. (2)



MEDL 320. Introduction to Clinical Hematology/Hemostasis. (4)



MEDL 321L. Clinical Hematology/Hemostasis Lab. (2)



MEDL 330. Introduction to Clinical Microbiology. (3)



MEDL 331L. Introduction to Clinical Microbiology Lab. (2)



MEDL 340L. Introduction to Clinical Immunohematology. (2)



MEDL 350L. Clinical Urinalysis. (2)



MEDL 351. Basic Clinical Chemistry Rotation. (3)



MEDL 352. Basic Hematology/Hemostasis Rotation. (3)



MEDL 355. Clinical Urinalysis Rotation. (1)



MEDL 410L. Advanced Clinical Chemistry. (3)



MEDL 420L. Advanced Clinical Hematology/Hemostasis. (3)



MEDL 430. Advanced Clinical Microbiology. (3)



MEDL 431L. Advanced Clinical Microbiology Lab. (2)



MEDL 432L. Clinical Parasitology. (2)



MEDL 440L. Advanced Clinical Immunohematology. (2)



MEDL 445. Clinical Management and Education. (2)



MEDL 451. Advanced Clinical Chemistry Rotation. (1)



MEDL 452. Advanced Hematology and Hemostasis Rotation. (2)



MEDL 453. Clinical Microbiology Rotation. (5)



MEDL 454. Clinical Immunohematology Rotation. (4)



MEDL 463. Laboratory Operations and Laboratory Mathematics. (2)



MEDL 498. Research Honors. (1 to a maximum of 3 Δ)



MEDL 499. Special Topics in Medical Laboratory Sciences. (2 to a maximum of 4 Δ)



MEDL 500. Selected Topics in Pathology. (1 to a maximum of 2 Δ)



MEDL 550. Lab Management Seminar: Selected Topics. (1 to a maximum of 2 Δ)



MEDL 600. Clinical Lab Sciences Master's Degree Apprenticeship Program. (1-4 to a maximum of 10 Δ)



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Office of the Registrar

MSC 11 6325
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131

Phone: (505) 277-8900
Fax: (505) 277-6809