About the Program

Mission Statement

The Medical Laboratory Sciences Program of the Department of Laboratory Sciences in the College of Health  Professions is dedicated to providing students with the appropriate education necessary for the development of entry-level competencies in all areas of the routine clinical laboratory.  Graduates of the Medical Laboratory Sciences Program will be prepared to sit for entry-level national certification examinations in the discipline and will be prepared to practice as ethical and competent professionals.  In keeping with the mission of the College of Health Professions, the Medical Laboratory Sciences Program will also be actively involved in scholarly activities and professional service including the development and delivery of continuing education to appropriate clinical laboratory professionals.

The traditional on-campus and the extended internship Medical Laboratory Sciences programs offer a full-time or part-time track beginning each fall semester.

The full-time track for both options requires 17 months to complete, while the part-time track requires 29 months to complete. Students admitted to the on-campus and extended internship MLS Program may be admitted in the fall of each year.

The MLS Extended Internship allows individuals interested in pursuing education for medical laboratory sciences without the requirement for relocation. The program includes completion of virtual lectures and laboratory courses with extended clinical internships at an affiliated hospital. Applicants must be living in an area accessible to a facility that is willing to host students for these extended internships.

The program also offers an MLT-to-MLS distance track that is designed for medical laboratory technicians (MLTs) certified by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) or equivalent agency.  The MLT-to-MLS track can be completed in three, four or five semesters. Upon completion of the full-time, part-time, or MLT-to-MLS track, a Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Sciences is awarded.

The program also offers a non-degree option for those students not desiring a Bachelor of Science degree.  Certification as an MLT or equivalent is preferred for non-degree students. The maximum number of credits that may be taken in this option is 24 hours.

Graduates are eligible to apply for certification examinations given by national agencies and for licensure in some states.  The granting of the B.S. degree is not contingent upon the student’s performance on any type of external certification or licensure examination.

The traditional program consists of 69 credits of prerequisite course work and 51 credits in the medical laboratory sciences curriculum for a total of 120 credits. The extended internship program consists of 65 credits of prerequisite course work and 55 credits in the medical laboratory sciences curriculum for a total of 120 hours. The MLT-to-MLS track consists of 75 credits of prerequisite and MLT coursework and 45 credits of MLS coursework for a total of 120 credits.

Admission Factors

Admission to the program is competitive and based on the following criteria:

  • Academic achievement
  • Academic aptitude
  • Leadership and professionalism
  • Written and oral communication

Clinical Affiliates

The Medical Laboratory Sciences program works with institutions in the following cities to provide clinical rotation opportunities for our students:  Little Rock, Pine Bluff, Texarkana, Hot Springs, Conway, Fort Smith, Fayetteville, Mt. Home, Batesville, Monticello, and Searcy.  A list of specific sites are:

  • Arkansas Blood Institute
  • Arkansas Children’s Hospital
  • Arkansas Department of Health & Human Services
  • Baptist Health
  • Baxter Regional Medical Center
  • Central AR Veterans Healthcare System(VA)
  • CHI St. Vincent’s Infirmary Medical Center – Hot Springs
  • CHI St. Vincent’s Infirmary Medical Center – Little Rock
  • Christus St. Michael Health System
  • Conway Regional Medical Center
  • Drew Memorial Health System
  • Jefferson Regional Medical Center
  • Mercy Medical Center – Fort Smith
  • UAMS
  • VA Medical Center – Fayetteville
  • Washington Regional Medical Center
  • White River Medical Center

Medical Laboratory Sciences students are strongly encouraged to complete the hepatitis B vaccine series. Contact the department for further information.