Biology Medical Laboratory Science Option Bachelor of Science Degree
Students with a 2.5 GPA or higher can apply for a final year of professional training to earn a degree in Biology/Medical Laboratory Science Option from MSU Billings. Total credits required for graduation are 120. Students in this program will take an additional three semesters of courses through one of our affiliate institutions. With proper planning and advising, it is possible for students to begin their professional training after their junior year. These additional semesters are necessary because professional training programs approved by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science (NAACLS, www.naacls.org) are 12 months in duration.
All students desiring to become a certified Clinical Laboratory Scientist must take a national certification examination upon completion of the year of professional training.
Required Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Requirements | 31 | |
| Students should consult with an academic advisor before registering for General Education courses in order to minimize the number of courses needed to satisfy the requirements of the major. 1 | ||
| Professional Medical Lab Training Core | 37 | |
| Biology Requirements | ||
| BIOB 160 | Principles of Living Systems * | 3 |
| BIOB 161 | Principles Living Systems Lab * | 1 |
| BIOB 260 | Cellular & Molecular Biology | 3 |
| BIOB 261 | Cellular & Molecular Biol Lab | 1 |
| BIOB 375 | General Genetics | 3 |
| BIOB 376 | General Genetics Lab | 1 |
| BIOB 410 | Immunology | 3 |
| BIOB 499 | Senior Thesis/Capstone | 1 |
| BIOH 301 | Human Anatomy & Physiology I | 3 |
| BIOH 302 | Human Anatomy & Phys I Lab | 1 |
| BIOH 311 | Human Anatomy & Physiology II | 3 |
| BIOH 312 | Human Anatomy & Phys II Lab | 1 |
| BIOH 405 | Hematology | 3 |
| BIOH 406 | Hematology Lab | 1 |
| BIOM 250 | Microbiology for Hlth Sciences | 3 |
| BIOM 251 | Microbiology Hlth Sciences Lab | 1 |
| BIOM 400 | Medical Microbiology | 3 |
| BIOM 401 | Medical Microbiology Lab | 1 |
| Subtotal | 36 | |
| Chemistry Requirements 2 | ||
| CHMY 141 | College Chemistry I * | 4 |
| CHMY 142 | College Chemistry I Lab * | 1 |
| CHMY 143 | College Chemistry II | 4 |
| CHMY 144 | College Chemistry II Lab | 1 |
| CHMY 211 | Elements of Organic Chemistry | 3 |
| CHMY 212 | Elements of Organic Chem Lab | 1 |
| BCH 380 | Biochemistry | 3 |
| BCH 381 | Biochemistry Lab | 1 |
| Highly recommended but not required | ||
| Analytical Chem-Quant Analysis | ||
| Analyticl Chm Lab-Quant Anlsys | ||
| Subtotal | 18 | |
| Mathematics/Statistics Requirement | ||
| STAT 216 | Introduction to Statistics * | 4 |
| Physics Requirements | ||
| PHSX 205 | College Physics I * | 3 |
| PHSX 206 | College Physics I Lab * | 1 |
| Total Minimum Credits | 120 | |
- 1
The following General Education courses also satisfy requirements in the major: BIOB 160, BIOB 161, CHMY 141, and STAT 216.
- 2
NOTE: Students wishing to obtain a minor in Chemistry will need to take CHMY 311, CHMY 312, CHMY 321, CHMY 322, CHMY 323, CHMY 324 instead of CHMY 211, CHMY 212.
- *
May satisfy General Education requirements.
Courses in the professional training core (BIOH 470, BIOH 471 Fall Semester, and BIOH 472 Spring Semester) will be taught at an affiliated institution, which include Montana State University-Bozeman; University of North Dakota, Grand Forks; Sacred Heart School of Medical Technology, Spokane, Washington; or the Colorado Center for Medical Laboratory Science, Aurora ( msudenver.edu/ccmls). The training and credits from all four programs will allow students to fulfill the requirements needed to take the national examinations to become certified clinical laboratory scientists or medical technologists. All students enrolled at each training program site will remain MUS students at their respective institutions.
Certain courses in this program have prerequisites; students should check the course descriptions for required prerequisites.
Suggested Plan of Study
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| First Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| BIOB 160 & BIOB 161 | Principles of Living Systems and Principles Living Systems Lab | 4 |
| CHMY 141 & CHMY 142 | College Chemistry I and College Chemistry I Lab | 5 |
| General Education | 6 | |
| Total | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| CHMY 143 & CHMY 144 | College Chemistry II and College Chemistry II Lab | 5 |
| BIOM 250 & BIOM 251 | Microbiology for Hlth Sciences and Microbiology Hlth Sciences Lab | 4 |
| General Education | 6 | |
| Total | 15 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| BIOB 260 & BIOB 261 | Cellular & Molecular Biology and Cellular & Molecular Biol Lab | 4 |
| BIOH 301 & BIOH 302 | Human Anatomy & Physiology I and Human Anatomy & Phys I Lab | 4 |
| STAT 216 | Introduction to Statistics | 4 |
| General Education | 3 | |
| Total | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| CHMY 211 & CHMY 212 | Elements of Organic Chemistry and Elements of Organic Chem Lab | 4 |
| BIOB 375 & BIOB 376 | General Genetics and General Genetics Lab | 4 |
| BIOH 311 & BIOH 312 | Human Anatomy & Physiology II and Human Anatomy & Phys II Lab | 4 |
| Total | 12 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| BCH 380 & BCH 381 | Biochemistry and Biochemistry Lab | 4 |
| PHSX 205 & PHSX 206 | College Physics I and College Physics I Lab | 4 |
| General Education | 6 | |
| Total | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| BIOB 410 | Immunology | 3 |
| BIOB 499 | Senior Thesis/Capstone | 1 |
| BIOH 405 & BIOH 406 | Hematology and Hematology Lab | 4 |
| BIOM 400 & BIOM 401 | Medical Microbiology and Medical Microbiology Lab | 4 |
| Total | 12 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Summer, Fall, Spring | ||
| Professional Core | v37 | |