Welcome to the Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) Admissions Module. Please watch the video to ensure that you are eligible before deciding to apply to our highly competitive and infinitely rewarding program.
DO NOT call the MLS Department Office BEFORE taking the quiz, as the most frequently asked questions will be answered there.
Before moving on to the next steps, we encourage all prospective students to watch the video below. It provides an essential overview of Medical Laboratory Science and a brief introduction into what the profession entails. Take a moment to watch — you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the path ahead.
Laboratory testing is the single highest-volume medical activity affecting Americans, with 13 billion laboratory medicine tests conducted every year in the US alone. These tests drive about two-thirds of all medical decisions made by doctors and other health care professionals. Simply put, every time you enter a hospital or health care facility for care, your life is in the hands of a Medical Laboratory Professional.
The medical laboratory scientist has a broad background in the sciences and may find employment in hospital and clinic laboratories, public health laboratories, and research laboratories. With experience, the medical laboratory scientist becomes an indispensable top level laboratory worker, a supervisor, a specialist, a researcher, a salesperson, or an educator. The State of Texas does not have occupational licensure for MLS/CLS professionals. However, an individual's criminal conviction could hinder employment opportunities at some hospital and reference labs.
Job opportunities for medical/clinical laboratory scientists are excellent, with more openings than available job seekers. Employment is expected to grow at a much faster than average rate. (Reference: United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2023-2024 edition). Our students frequently have job offers prior to graduation. Evening and night shifts are in high demand and may be the first acute care positions open for new graduates.
It is important to note that while this degree is an excellent foundation, it is not the preferred undergraduate degree for those interested in biomedical research or forensic science.
Texas State University offers a four-year curriculum leading to a Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Science. The program is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences, 5600 N. River Road, Suite 720, Rosemont, IL 60018, (773) 714-8880. NAACLS Standards for Accredited and Approved Programs see marketable skills description and list on pages 9-10 and curriculum requirements pages 14-16.
The Texas State MLS program is a 2+2 program. This means that the first two years of your education are core courses and prerequisites. The requirements during the first two years of study include courses in biology, chemistry, and mathematics along with courses in the humanities and social and behavioral sciences.
The junior and senior years combine clinical experiences in the affiliated clinical laboratories with advanced academic study in the MLS disciplines. You will have four (4) mandatory clinical preceptorships in the areas of Hematology, Clinical Chemistry, Immunohematology, and Microbiology. Plus, you may have other preceptorships. Since class size is limited due to the availability of space in the clinical affiliates, admission to the program is competitive and not all who apply will be accepted.
If accepted into the MLS program, be prepared for an interesting, rigorous and time-consuming degree.
Students are on the San Marcos campus in Encino Hall during their junior fall and spring semesters roughly from 8am-5pm.
During the fall semester of their senior year, students are on-campus roughly from 8am-5pm most days.
During the Senior Spring and Summer, the students' time will be split between clinical affiliates and campus. The student must be able to travel to locations in the Central Texas area. The students have four mandatory rotations that are normally 2 or 3 weeks in duration. In addition, the student will have mandatory enrichment experiences during the Spring and Summer semester. Between rotations the students will return to campus for additional coursework and testing.
The MLS Program has four teaching laboratories, a computer laboratory, and a molecular diagnostics laboratory. The program has a LabDaq laboratory information system, Beckman-Coulter CQ genetics analyzer, Cell-Dyn 3200 hematology analyzer, Pointe 180 chemistry analyzer, and other laboratory instruments found in a modern clinical laboratory. However, our most important resources are our faculty who have educational and clinical experience in a variety of settings.
Graduates are eligible to take a national certification examination as a Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS) of the Board of Certification of the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) or a Medical Technologist (MT) through the American Medical Technologists (AMT).
The MLS student must be able to:
Provide reliable transportation to class in San Marcos, Texas.
Provide reliable transportation to/from clinical affiliate in cities that include (but are not limited to) San Antonio, Austin, Luling, Seguin, Georgetown, Round Rock, Lakeway, Kyle, and New Braunfels
The MLS student must be able to:
Observe laboratory demonstrations in which biologicals are tested for their biochemical, hematological, immunological, microbiological, and histochemical components.
Characterize the color, odor, clarity, and viscosity of biological, reagents, or chemical reaction products.
Employ a clinical grade binocular microscope to discriminate among the structural and color (hue, shading, and intensity) differences of microscopic specimens.
Read and comprehend text, numbers, and graphs displayed in print and on a video monitor.
The MLS student must be able to freely and safely move about a laboratory:
Reach laboratory bench tops and shelves, patients lying in hospital beds or patients seated in specimen collection furniture.
Perform moderately taxing continuous physical work, often requiring prolonged sitting, over several hours.
Maneuver phlebotomy and culture acquisition equipment to safely collect valid laboratory specimens from patients.
Control laboratory equipment (i.e. pipettes, inoculating loops, test tubes) and adjust instruments to perform laboratory procedures.
Use an electronic keyboard to operate laboratory instruments and calculate, record, evaluate, and transmit laboratory information.
The MLS student must be able to:
Read and comprehend technical and professional materials.
Follow verbal and written instructions in order to correctly and independently perform laboratory test procedures.
Clearly instruct patients prior to specimen collection.
Effectively, confidentially, and sensitively converse with patients regarding laboratory tests.
Communicate with faculty members, fellow students, staff, and other health care professionals verbally and in a recorded format.
Independently prepare papers, prepare laboratory reports, and take paper, computer, and laboratory practical examinations.
The MLS student must be able to:
Possess these skills: comprehension, measurement, mathematical calculation, reasoning, integration, analysis, comparison, self-expression, and accept criticism.
Be able to exercise sufficient judgment to recognize and correct performance.
The MLS student must be able to:
Manage the use of time and be able to systematize actions in order to complete professional and technical tasks with realistic constraints.
Possess the emotional health necessary to effectively employ intellect and exercise appropriate judgment.
Provide professional and technical services while experiencing the stresses of task-related uncertainty and a distracting environment.
Be flexible, creative, and adapt to professional and technical change.
Recognize potentially hazardous materials, equipment, and situations and proceed safely in order to minimize risk of injury to patients, self, and nearby individuals.
Adapt to working with unpleasant biologicals.
Support and promote the activities of fellow students and of health care professionals. Promotion of peers helps furnish a team approach to learning, task completion, problem solving, and patient care.
Be honest, compassionate, ethical, and responsible. The student must be forthright about errors or uncertainty.
Critically evaluate her or his own performance, accept constructive criticism, and look for ways to improve. The student must be able to evaluate the performance of fellow students and tactfully offer constructive comments.
Admission to Texas State University. University application deadlines are different than the MLS Program deadline. Potential applicants are encouraged to complete the University process early to facilitate review of transcripts during the MLS program application process. As a transfer student, you want to apply for the Fall semester when you plan to start the MLS program if accepted. The only time you would apply for an earlier semester is if you plan on transferring to Texas State earlier and take classes before beginning the MLS program.
A minimum overall GPA and science GPA of 2.50 is required; however, an overall GPA and a science GPA of 3.0 is recommended in order to be competitive in the application process.
Science courses require a minimum of a "C" or higher.
Students may only have a maximum of the nine remaining prerequisite hours, with no remaining credit hours in prerequisite science and mathematics courses prior to beginning the MLS Program. While students are encouraged to complete all prerequisite courses prior to admission, the MLS course sequence only offers 10 hours in the first fall semester and 11 hours in the first spring semester. Thus, students requiring 12 hours for full-time status in the first year of our program, you will need to save two liberal arts courses to meet this 12h requirement.
Beginning Fall 2017, financial aid will only pay for classes required to get the MLS.
If you are enrolled in prerequisite courses when you apply, you may receive "Conditional Acceptance" into the MLS program. If you drop a prerequisite course before you begin the program, you may forfeit your spot at the discretion of the MLS faculty and staff. If you have a "D or F" in an MLS prerequisite course, you technically do not qualify for admission until the grade is replaced. Please contact the MLS office if you want to apply and you have this situation.
For any questions, please contact the MLS Program at medlabsci@txstate.edu.
Completion of this Admissions Module.
You must upload your application by the DEADLINE of FEBRUARY 15th.
Currently, the MLS program is not doing interviews with applicants. However, an interview may be required for selected candidates with admission committee and/or program chair.
Other requirements (e.g. immunizations, background check, and drug testing) are necessary before starting classes in the fall and clinical placements during the second year of the program but only taken AFTER you have been accepted.
Community Standards for criminal background checks were developed in conjunction with the CLS Advisory Committee to meet clinical agency compliance with Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) standards pertaining to human resource management. JCAHO requires verification of competency of all individuals who have direct contact with patients or employees; this includes students attending clinical rotations in the facility. Competency extends beyond technical skills to an individual's criminal history.
Criminal background checks for all currently enrolled and newly admitted MLS students will be implemented MLS students must successfully complete one criminal background checks in August before starting the program. Students will be given specific directions from the program about how to obtain the background check. A urine drug screen is required before starting clinical rotations in the January of the second year in the program. DO NOT complete a criminal background check or urine drug screen until requested by the MLS department. These tests must be completed using the PreCheck.
Please carefully and fully review the following form which you will be required to sign and submit if accepted to the Texas State University Medical Laboratory Science Program.
Click Here for Background Check Acknowledgement Form
Cost of the criminal background checks and urine drug test will be the responsibility for any students enrolled in the MLS Program.
If you are accepted into the MLS Program, you will receive an acceptance email or letter. After accepting your admission into the MLS Program, you will receive information via email on steps to complete and pay for your background check. The background check information is normally sent in late July or early August.
The State of Texas does not have licensure for CLS/MLS professionals. However, the following states do have licensure: Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Montana, Nevada, New York, North Dakota, Puerto Rico, Tennessee, and West Virginia. A criminal conviction may hinder an applicant's ability to get a license in these states. In addition, employment in Texas in some hospitals labs and reference labs could be precluded due to certain criminal convictions in an applicant's background.
Each student admitted to the MLS Program is required to have Health Reports (Addendum A and Addendum C) completed by a Licensed Health Care Provider.
The reports will indicate completion of immunizations for poliomyelitis, measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, meningitis, annual TB test or chest X-ray or blood titer, varicella, and Hepatitis B.
If you do not know when you had your last flu shot just leave the box blank. Students should get their flu shots in each fall semester while in the MLS program.
We would like you to include confirmation of receiving the COVID-19 vaccination.
If you have not submitted a scanned copy of your COVID-19 vaccination card, please bring it with you to the MLS orientation. A copy of your vaccination card should be submitted in addition to the two Health Forms. You do NOT have to have a Health Report done prior to submitting your application.
If you are accepted, you will need to complete (signed by a healthcare professional) this initial Health Report by July 31st. If you are unable to meet this deadline, please contact the MLS office.
It is recommended that all students have health insurance coverage. Many students have private insurance or are still covered under their parent's plans. For those who do not have coverage, Texas State University offers an optional insurance policy that is accepted by the Student Health Center. For more information regarding the student health insurance plan, call 512-245-2161 or go to the Student Health Website.
Entrance into this program is competitive. There is a minimum GPA requirement of 2.5 for overall and science GPA; however, 3.0 is recommended to be competitive.
Students should have completed the following five prerequisite courses prior to submitting the MLS application:
Students may only have a maximum of the nine remaining prerequisite hours, with no remaining credit hours in prerequisite science and mathematics courses prior to beginning the MLS Program. While students are encouraged to work on completing prerequisite courses prior to admission, the MLS course sequence only offers 10 hours in the first fall semester and 11 hours in the first spring semester. Thus, students requiring 12 hours for full-time status in the first year of our program, should save two liberal arts courses to meet this 12-hour requirement.
Currently, financial aid will only pay for classes required to complete the MLS degree. Please contact the College of Health Professions advising office or Financial Aid and Scholarships if you have questions.
If you are enrolled in prerequisite courses when you apply, you may receive "Conditional Acceptance" into the MLS program. If you drop a prerequisite course or make a "D or F" before you begin the program, you may forfeit your spot at the discretion of the CLS faculty and staff. Final acceptance will be given or denied after Spring grades are available for review. Preference will be given to those applicants that have completed all of the science prerequisites before applying.
CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE TX STATE TRANSFER COURSE EQUIVALENCY GUIDE
If you have already finished one Bachelor's degree, use this guide to determine what prerequisite courses you need.
CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE TX STATE TRANSFER COURSE EQUIVALENCY GUIDE
The Social and Behavioral Sciences are needed by many of our second degree students. This is especially true of students that are coming in with out-of-state degrees. Some will be able to find classes that cover the history requirements; however, most will need to take the two government classes after starting our program or from a Texas community college. You can find courses through the course catalog. There are also some courses offered online or through correspondence.
Financial aid will only pay for classes required to get the MLS degree.
Once you have been accepted into the program, you will begin MLS Courses. You will progress through the Junior and Senior year with your cohort of usually 20 students.
If you have successfully completed all of your prerequisite courses and pass all of the following courses with a "C" or better, you will graduate in August of your second year with a Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Science.
Although not taught in a separate course, phlebotomy will be taught and practiced in three courses during your two years in our MLS program.
Note: It is difficult to work during your Senior year (particularly Spring and Summer) due to clinical rotation and classroom requirements.
Successful program progression requires students to complete each semester in a lock-step sequence with a grade of "C" or higher in all major (MLS) courses. According to MLS program policy, students with a grade of less than a "C" in a MLS course will be stepped out of the program and must reapply to the program the following academic year. To be considered for program readmission, all original program admission criteria and an approved schedule for retaking courses must be met. In addition, a student may repeat a MLS course only once. If the student does not earn a grade of at least "C" upon repeating the course, the student cannot continue in the program.
You will be proud of your degree because you will earn it. There is a great deal of diversity in the field, where you can work, and what you can do using this degree as a foundation!
Students are not required to perform service work for the program or its clinical affiliates. Hours of assignment during clinical rotation courses (MLS 4463 and MLS 4465) will vary among the clinical facilities; however, the hours are typically from 6:00 to 8:00 am to 3:00 to 5:00 pm but may be subject to change. Students are not routinely scheduled for weekends or evenings, however, clinical experiences may include evening assignments as part of the educational process. If included, this assignment replaces a daytime assignment and is supervised by clinical faculty.
Students may be given the opportunity to work in the clinical laboratory in the evenings or on weekends as long as it doesn’t conflict with a clinical rotation assignment. Working in a clinical laboratory outside of regular academic hours is non-compulsory for students. These opportunities are optional and students are considered employees of the institution during these hours.
While in clinical rotations, students are NOT considered employees of the institution, even if they work there at other times. Students are not entitled to any compensation, employee benefits, or worker's compensation while participating in the clinical education experience.
1. Phlebotomy, as a required part of coursework.
2. Recruitment activities (Bobcat Days, MLS Insight Day, high school or other visits about our program) required as part of coursework.
3. Volunteering for health fairs to perform laboratory tests, bone marrow donor recruitment, and blood drives.
4. Volunteering for school or departmental service, such as ambassadors or giving tours to prospective students.
5. Any other activity that is voluntary, whether professional points are available or not.
Texas State MLS students are informed of the service work policy at orientation and prior to attending clinical rotations. The clinical faculty are made aware of the policy by the clinical coordinator and Chair/Program Director. Often, clinical affiliates are reminded of this policy if a student is employed at their lab.
This policy is available on the MLS website, Student Handbook, and included in email messages to clinical preceptors from the Texas State MLS Program Clinical Coordinator and other MLS faculty as appropriate.
You will be contacted via email by a MLS faculty or staff member within 2 weeks of completion of the MLS Admissions Module Quiz and application submission. You will be notified by hard-copy letter and/or email of your acceptance or denial.
Selection is based on your overall GPA, Science GPA (Chemistry I and II for Science majors, Biology I and II for Science majors, and College Algebra), and application (essays).
If not accepted this year, you are welcome to schedule a meeting with an MLS faculty to discuss how to improve your application for future submissions.
If you have questions regarding classes, registration, carrying a minor, basic financial aid, etc. directly related to the MLS Program at Texas State. Please contact the College of Health Professions Advising Center at 512-245-3506 or via email at hpadvising@txstate.edu.
If after meeting with the Pre-MLS advisor, you still have questions, please contact the MLS staff member who will provide you with information regarding applications and/or the MLS Program. An appointment can be arranged with one of the MLS faculty.
