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Medical Laboratory Science

MLT to MLS Bachelors Degree Track

The Medical Laboratory Science Department at WSSU offers the MLT to MLS Distance Learning Program for graduates of an accredited Medical Laboratory Technology (MLT) program seeking a bachelors degree in Medical Laboratory Science. Students must be certified as a medical laboratory technician for acceptance into the WSSU MLT to MLS Distance Learning Program. The MLS courses are delivered online for the convenience of students working full-time. Campus visits are welcomed but not required for this program.

For further information on the compliance requirements please visit the WSSU State Authorization page. Military students interested in the MLT to MLS distance learning program should contact Ms. Lelita Roberts-McKelvin.

The courses for the Bachelors in Medical Laboratory Science are a combination of General Education, Pre-Professional, and Professional courses. If you are a graduate from an accredited college or university you are exempt from the WSSU general education course requirements. This is also true if you have earned an associate of arts (AA) or associate of science (AS) degree from a North Carolina community college. Graduates from a North Carolina community college who have earned an associate of applied science (AAS) degree are NOT exempt from the WSSU General Education requirements. Some of your MLT coursework transfers to WSSU to partially meet general MLS Pre-Professional, Education Elective Courses and Professional course requirements.

The MLT to MLS Distance Learning degree is earned by completing two phases:

  • Pre-Professional Phase (non-clinical coursework) - includes completion of the general education course requirements and the pre-professional MLS prerequisites.
  • Professional Phase (clinical coursework) - includes completion of the MLS clinical courses and clinical practicums.

    * Note: most students are eligible for transfer of clinical practicums with the MLT associate degree and professional certification.

Thank you for your interest in WSSU's MLT to Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) Distance Learning (DL) Program. Please visit the WSSU Admissions web page for information for applying to WSSU. The MLS DL Program is an upper level baccalaureate program to which you apply after completing the general education and MLS preprofessional course requirements. Those interested in applying to the MLS DL Program should do the following.

1. Complete your required General Education and MLS preprofessional course requirements before applying to the MLS DL Program.

You should apply to the MLS program when you have started classes in the last semester of your general education and/or the MLS preprofessional course prerequisites. If you apply to WSSU to complete your general education course requirements, then please be aware that you may not be able to take all your needed courses online at WSSU. However, you should be able to find courses that will meet the requirements as a student at WSSU by taking courses through UNC Online.

You may also choose to complete your WSSU general education course requirements at your local community college before applying to WSSU. If you have earned an AA or AS degree from a North Carolina community college or a bachelors degree from any accredited university, you are not required to complete the WSSU general education course requirements. The WSSU MLS preprofessional course requirements are required of all students regardless of a previous degree. Preprofessional courses can be taken concurrently while completing any general education course requirements. Although the general education and preprofessional courses may be taken at the accredited university or college of your choice, be sure that you are taking college transferable courses and that these courses meet WSSU equivalent courses.

2. Apply to the MLS DL program when you start the last term of your prerequisite/general education courses.

Before you can be considered for acceptance into the WSSU MLS DL program you must have submitted the following to the Department of Medical Laboratory Science; attention Ms. Sandra Dowd.

  • Proof of Certification as an MLT
  • 3 copies of the Recommendations Form
  • Signed copy of the Essentials Form
  • Personal Information Form

Forms can be obtained from the MLS DL office or under Featured Links on the MLS DL web page.

Please be aware that your transcripts submitted to the Admissions Office will be entered by the WSSU Office of the Registrar into your WSSU Banner Transcript. UCaLL (University College and Life Long Learning) officially evaluates your WSSU Banner Transcript. MLS advisers cannot officially evaluate your transcripts.

As a transfer student you must complete a total of 60 credit hours of general education courses. As a part of the sixty credit hours, you must have completed 1 course in each of 7 Areas of Knowledge (AK). The AK's are: Fine Arts, History, Literature, Social or Behavioral Science, Natural Science, Mathematics, and Foreign Language/Culture. Some of your MLS prerequisites meet an AK. For example the requirements for biology and chemistry courses belong to the Natural Science AK. Statistics meets the Mathematics AK. Also helpful is that up to 30 credit hours from your MLT courses are transferable as General Electives. These may not show initially on your WSSU Banner Transcript but can be requested as needed. After completing the 7 AK and the MLS preprofessional courses you should not need to take additional general education courses to meet the 60 credit hour requirement due to the MLT General Elective transfer courses.

* Students receiving their medical laboratory training in the military should contact the Distance Learning Program Coordinator before beginning the application process.

Outcomes:

  1. Winston-Salem State University Medical Laboratory Science Program is the largest contributor of minority graduates to the laboratory workforce in the state of North Carolina.
  2. In the past three years, over 95% of WSSU MLS graduates have found jobs within six months after graduating.

The program is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Medical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS), 5600 N. River Road, Suite 720, Rosemont, IL 60018. (Phone) 773-714-8880, (FAX) 773-714-8886.

Mission Statement

The mission for the Medical Laboratory Science Department at Winston-Salem State University is to provide students with the appropriate education and training to develop entry-level competencies in all routine areas of the medical laboratory.

The Medical Laboratory Science program is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS) and meets educational requirements for all states.