Clinical Laboratory Sciences (MS)

The Master of Science in Clinical Laboratory Sciences with an emphasis in Molecular Diagnostics is a non-thesis program designed to produce future leaders and advanced professionals in the clinical laboratory. The program’s primary goal is to provide advanced education in technical, management and regulatory skills to students who are already CLS-licensed or CLS-license eligible.

In this program, students will be prepared to modify systems and procedures in an effort to make the clinical lab more efficient and cost-effective while still emphasizing the importance of obtaining accurate and reproducible patient results. In addition, when the need for more complex and sophisticated testing arises, they will be prepared to critically examine the issues and develop and/or apply new, cutting-edge, molecular technologies that most effectively meet the requirements of an ever-evolving medical “landscape”. Examples of molecular diagnostic techniques covered by this program include nucleic acid and protein extraction, gel electrophoresis, PCR, fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH), NGS, and DNA and RNA microarray technology.

Although this degree is not thesis-based, students are expected, in their last semester, to carry out a research project that focuses on a specific issue or problem that currently exists in the clinical lab. The research proposal must be approved by a research supervisor. Upon completion of the program, students must submit a written report and give an oral presentation of their findings to faculty, students, and guests.

Program Learning Outcomes

Students completing a Master’s degree in Clinical Laboratory Sciences will have acquired:

1. Knowledge of CLS laws and regulations, ethical practices, financial management strategies, and laboratory utilization in a clinical lab setting.
2. The ability to evaluate effectiveness of current quality system practices in the clinical lab and devise alternative quality control (QC) and/or quality assurance (QA) measures when necessary.
3. The skills necessary to evaluate and implement molecular diagnostic techniques used in the clinical lab.
4. The ability to devise and carry out a research scheme designed to test an original hypothesis pertaining to a current issue in the CLS field.
5. The ability to analyze and evaluate research data and explain, both orally and in journal article format, its relevance to the general field of interest.
6. The ability to generate clear and concise written protocols for various CLS procedures.

Clinical Laboratory Sciences (MS) Requirements

1. Completion of 30 units of the program, with a minimum grade of a 'B' or Pass.
2. Completion of an original research project approved by a research supervisor.
3. Successful completion of both a written and oral presentation of a research project.

The program will be taught primarily by faculty in the Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. Transfer credits of 3-6 units may be accepted for students who have completed similar graduate level courses at another accredited institution.

Required Courses

BIO 5200	Advanced Molecular Biotechnology	3.00 units
BIO 5600	Scientific and Technical Writing	3.00 units
CLS 5000	Current Issues in Clinical Laboratory Sciences	3.00 units
CLS 5110	Clinical Laboratory Laws, Regulations, Accereditations and Ethics	3.00 units
CLS 5120	HY: Clinical Lab Finance Management and Utilization	3.00 units
CLS 5200	Quality Systems	3.00 units
CLS 5225	Technical Project Management	3.00 units
CLS 5410	Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory I	3.00 units
CLS 5420	Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory II	3.00 units
CLS 5700	Masters Research Project	3.00 units

Total Credit Hours: 30