Clinical Laboratory Science - Bachelor of Science (BS)

(College of Science and Health)

Clinical laboratory science admission policy

Admission to the clinical laboratory science major is on a competitive basis. Students apply for admission early in the spring semester of the academic year just prior to the beginning of their professional studies, typically in the sophomore year. Formal acceptance into the major, effective at the beginning of the fall semester, is based on the submission of an application for admission to the major, personal recommendations, review of academic performance, and an interview with the program admission committee. A minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.75 is strongly recommended.

Admission to clinical requirement

The application process for the clinical year is similar to the process required for acceptance to the clinical laboratory science major. Acceptance into a practicum is not guaranteed by the university. The affiliated practicum sites with UWL are accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS).

During the clinical component, in an accredited program, students will register for (or be allowed to transfer in from Mayo Clinic or Hennepin Healthcare’s MLS program) the equivalent of, at minimum, 31 UWL credits. The clinical phase routinely begins in late August with anticipated graduation the following spring. Graduates of the program are eligible to sit for certification examinations offered by national certification agencies.

NAACLS accredited affiliates of UWL:

  • Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota1
  • Hennepin Healthcare, Minneapolis, Minnesota1
  • Ascension St. Elizabeth Hospital, Appleton, Wisconsin
  • Aspirus Wausau Hospital, Wausau, Wisconsin
  • Marshfield Laboratories, Marshfield, Wisconsin

UWL is affiliated with the University of North Dakota, an accredited program, which provides access to many other hospital affiliates throughout the upper Midwest.

1

Clinical laboratory science students who select to complete the required clinical at Mayo Clinic or Hennepin Healthcare enroll at the practicum site rather than at UW-La Crosse. The courses taken during the clinical meet UW-La Crosse CLI program requirements. The student must request an official transcript be sent to UW-La Crosse from the clinical site. Upon successful completion of the clinical and all other graduation requirements, the students are awarded a Bachelor of Science degree from UW-La Crosse. Mayo Clinic and Hennepin Healthcare grant a Certificate of Completion for their program. 

Graduation requirements

Core courses in the pre-professional curriculum must be completed with a grade of "C" or above. UWL students must meet all university graduation requirements including those for general education, college core, and university degree requirements. However, students in the clinical laboratory science major are exempt from the College of Science and Health core requirements.

Curriculum

93-105 credits including clinical phase

Pre-professional curriculum (39-46 credits)

All pre-clinical lab science program majors are strongly encouraged to take CLI 120 Introduction to Clinical Laboratory Science

Biology core:
BIO 105General Biology4
BIO 306Genetics4
BIO 312Human Anatomy and Physiology I4
BIO 313Human Anatomy and Physiology II4
Chemistry core:
CHM 103General Chemistry I5
CHM 104General Chemistry II5
Select one of the following:5-8
Fundamental Organic Chemistry
and Fundamental Organic Chemistry Laboratory
Organic Chemistry Theory I
and Organic Chemistry Theory II
and Fundamental Organic Chemistry Laboratory
Organic Chemistry Theory I
and Organic Chemistry Theory II
and Organic Chemistry Laboratory
Microbiology core:
MIC 230Fundamentals of Microbiology4
Math core:4-8
College Algebra (or placement above MTH 150)
Elementary Statistics
Total Credits39-46

Pre-clinical lab science program students must have completed a substantial portion of these requirements in the semester that they apply for formal admission to the clinical lab science program major. Students who lack only a few credits are encouraged to consult the clinical lab science program advisor to determine when they should apply.

Professional curriculum (54-59 credits)

Preclinical phase (on campus):
CLI 395Urinalysis and Body Fluids2
CLI 410Clinical Hematology3
CLI 420Immunohematology3
CLI 440Clinical Parasitology1-4
or BIO 406 Parasitology
CLI 461Capstone in Clinical Laboratory Science1
MIC 310Immunology3
MIC 407Pathogenic Bacteriology4
MIC 410Immunology Laboratory2
Select one of the following:4-6
Fundamental Biochemistry
Biochemistry I: Macromolecules
and Biochemistry II: Metabolism and Genetic Information
Clinical phase (at an accredited hospital):
CLI 450Clinical Chemistry6
CLI 455Clinical Hematology/Hemostasis6
CLI 460Clinical Immunohematology6
CLI 465Clinical Immunology2
CLI 470Diagnostic Microbiology8
CLI 480Laboratory Management and Education3
Total Credits54-59

The following courses are recommended to complement the clinical laboratory science major:

CLI 484Laboratory Management2
MIC 420Introductory Virology3
MIC 421Virology Laboratory2
BIO 413Medical Mycology3
BIO 435Molecular Biology3
BIO 436Molecular Biology Laboratory1
BIO 466Human Molecular Genetics3
BIO 424Human Endocrinology3
CLI 495Independent Study in Medical Laboratory Science1-3
CLI 496Special Topics in Clinical Laboratory Science1-3
MIC 416Prokaryotic Molecular Genetics4
MIC 454Mechanisms of Microbial Pathogenicity2
ECO 110Microeconomics and Public Policy3
PHL 201Ethical Theory and Practice3

All students must complete the general education, college core (waived for clinical laboratory science majors), major/minor, and university degree requirements in order to qualify for a degree. The easiest way to track all of these requirements is to refer to the Advisement Report (AR) found in the Student Information System (WINGS) Student Center. All enrolled students have access to the AR.  

Baccalaureate degree requirements

Candidates for the Bachelor of Arts or the Bachelor of Science degrees must accomplish the following:

  1. Fulfill the general education requirements.
  2. Complete at least one ethnic studies (diversity) course.
  3. Complete the courses prescribed by the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee for the degree desired in the respective school or college.
  4. Earn a minimum of 120 semester credits with at least a 2.00 cumulative GPA.1, 2
  5. At least 40 credits must be earned in 300/400 level courses. Transfer courses earned or transferred at the 300/400 level apply to this requirement.
  6. Complete major and minor requirements with at least a 2.00 GPA1, 2 in each major and minor (and concentration or emphasis, if selected).
  7. A minimum of 30 semester credits in residence at UWL is required for graduation. (See undergraduate resident requirement.)
  8. Submit an application for graduation via the "Apply for Graduation" link in the WINGS Student Center as soon as the student has registered for his or her final semester or summer term in residence. December and winter intersession graduates should apply by May 1. May and summer graduates should apply by December 1.
1

Grade point average requirements for some programs will be considerably higher than 2.00. Re-entering students may be required to earn credits in excess of the 120 needed for graduation in any curriculum in order to replace credits earned in courses in which the content has changed substantially in recent years. Each case will be judged on its own merit.

2

The grade point average recorded at the time the degree is awarded will not be affected by future enrollment.

No degree will be awarded unless all requirements are fulfilled and recorded within 30 days after the official ending date of each term.

Below is a sample degree plan that can be used as a guide to identify courses required to fulfill the major and other requirements needed for degree completion. A student's actual degree plan may differ depending on the course of study selected (second major, minor, etc.). Also, this sample plan assumes readiness for each course and/or major plan, and some courses may not be offered every term. Review the course descriptions or the class timetable for course offering information.

The sample degree plans represented in this catalog are intended for first-year students entering UWL in the fall term. Students should use the Advisement Report (AR) in WINGS and work closely with their faculty advisor(s) and college dean’s office to ensure declaration and completion of all requirements in a timely manner.

General Education Program
The general education curriculum (Gen Ed) is the common educational experience for all undergraduates at UWL. Sample degree plans include Gen Ed placeholders to ensure completion of the general education requirements. Courses may be rearranged to fit the needs or recommendations of the student’s program of study. Gen Ed courses may be taken during winter term (January between the semesters) and summer to reduce the course load during regular terms (fall and spring). Students should consult with their advisor and/or the college academic services director in their college/school for assistance with course and schedule planning. Refer to the general education requirements for more specific details.

At least 40 credits of the 120 credits required must be earned at the 300/400-level. 

Note: New students and transfer students with less than 12 credits earned are required to take FYS 100 First-Year Seminar (3 cr.) during one of their first two semesters at UWL.

This sample degree plan does not establish a contractual agreement. It identifies the minimum requirements a student must successfully complete, to qualify for a degree, in a format intended to assist the student in planning their academic career. Actual degree plans may differ.

Two sample plans are provided below. The first plan is for students who have placed into MTH 151 Precalculus or higher, and the second example is for students who need MTH 150 College Algebra in their first semester.

Sample Plan 1 - students who placed into MTH 151 or higher

Year 1
FallCreditsSpringCredits 
CHM 103 (if math placement>MTH 150; Gen Ed Natural Lab Science)5CHM 1045 
STAT 145 (Gen Ed Math)4BIO 105 (Gen Ed Natural Lab Science)4 
CST 110 (Gen Ed Literacy-Oral)3CLI 1201 
FYS 100 (Gen Ed First-Year Seminar)3ENG 110 or 112 (Gen Ed Literacy-Written)3 
 Gen Ed Arts2-3 
 15 15  
Year 2
FallCreditsSpringCredits 
BIO 3124Apply for admission to Clinical Lab Science Program  
MIC 2304MIC 3103 
Gen Ed Arts2-3BIO 3134 
MTH 151 (Gen Ed Math)4CHM 3004 
Gen Ed World History3CHM 3021 
 Gen Ed Minority Cultures3 
 17 15  
Year 3
FallCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
MIC 4102MIC 4074CLI 4611
CLI 4103CLI 3952CLI 4203
CHM 3254BIO 3064 
Gen Ed Humanistic Studies3CLI 4401 
Gen Ed Health & Well Being3Gen Ed Self & Society3 
 Gen Ed Global Studies3 
 15 17 4
Year 4
FallCreditsSpringCredits 
Clinical Education at Hospital Site Clinical Education at Hospital Site  
CLI 4506CLI 4606 
CLI 4556CLI 4708 
CLI 4652  
CLI 4803  
 17 14  
Total Credits: 129

Sample Plan 2 - students taking MTH 150 in first semester

Year 1
FallCreditsSpringCredits 
BIO 105 (Gen Ed Natural Lab Science)4CHM 103 (Gen Ed Natural Lab Science)5 
MTH 150 (Gen Ed Math)4STAT 145 (Gen Ed Math)4 
CST 110 (Gen Ed Literacy-Oral)3CLI 1201 
FYS 100 (Gen Ed First-Year Seminar)3ENG 110 or 112 (Gen Ed Literacy-Written)3 
Gen Ed Arts2-3Gen Ed Arts2-3 
 16 15  
Year 2
FallCreditsSpringCredits 
CHM 1045Apply for admission to Clinical Lab Science Program  
BIO 3124MIC 3103 
MIC 2304BIO 3134 
Gen Ed World History3CHM 3004 
 CHM 3021 
 Gen Ed Minority Cultures3 
 16 15  
Year 3
FallCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
MIC 4102MIC 4074CLI 4611
CLI 4103CLI 3952CLI 4203
CHM 3254BIO 3064 
Gen Ed Humanistic Studies3CLI 4401 
Gen Ed Health & Well Being3Gen Ed Self & Society3 
 Gen Ed Global Studies3 
 15 17 4
Year 4
FallCreditsSpringCredits 
Clinical Education at Hospital Site Clinical Education at Hospital Site  
CLI 4506CLI 4606 
CLI 4556CLI 4708 
CLI 4652  
CLI 4803  
 17 14  
Total Credits: 129