MSU Billings Catalog

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

General Education Requirements31
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 Core37
Biology Requirements
BIOB 160Principles of Living Systems *3
BIOB 161Principles Living Systems Lab *1
BIOB 260Cellular & Molecular Biology3
BIOB 261Cellular & Molecular Biol Lab1
BIOB 375General Genetics3
BIOB 376General Genetics Lab1
BIOB 410Immunology3
BIOB 499Senior Thesis/Capstone1
BIOH 301Human Anatomy & Physiology I3
BIOH 302Human Anatomy & Phys I Lab1
BIOH 311Human Anatomy & Physiology II3
BIOH 312Human Anatomy & Phys II Lab1
BIOH 405Hematology3
BIOH 406Hematology Lab1
BIOM 250Microbiology for Hlth Sciences3
BIOM 251Microbiology Hlth Sciences Lab1
BIOM 400Medical Microbiology3
BIOM 401Medical Microbiology Lab1
Subtotal36
Chemistry Requirements 2
CHMY 141College Chemistry I *4
CHMY 142College Chemistry I Lab *1
CHMY 143College Chemistry II4
CHMY 144College Chemistry II Lab1
CHMY 211Elements of Organic Chemistry3
CHMY 212Elements of Organic Chem Lab1
BCH 380Biochemistry3
BCH 381Biochemistry Lab1
Highly recommended but not required
Analytical Chem-Quant Analysis
Analyticl Chm Lab-Quant Anlsys
Subtotal18
Mathematics/Statistics Requirement
STAT 216Introduction to Statistics *4
Physics Requirements
PHSX 205College Physics I *3
PHSX 206College Physics I Lab *1
Total Minimum Credits120
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 470BIOH 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

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 Education6
Total15
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 Education6
Total15
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 216Introduction to Statistics4
General Education3
Total15
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
Total12
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 Education6
Total14
Spring
BIOB 410Immunology3
BIOB 499Senior Thesis/Capstone1
BIOH 405
BIOH 406
Hematology
and Hematology Lab
4
BIOM 400
BIOM 401
Medical Microbiology
and Medical Microbiology Lab
4
Total12
Fourth Year
Summer, Fall, Spring
Professional Corev37