Students who previously completed the MDS certificate program at UNC-Chapel Hill and are interested in completing the Master’s Degree can transfer some of their course credits to the Master's Degree program.

The University policy on the transfer of credits from the MDS certificate program to the MDS program is as follows:

1. All students must participate in and be accepted through a competitive application and admissions process to the degree program.
2. The total number of academic credits transferred shall not exceed 40% of the total required for the master’s degree.
3. All grades earned in the transferred courses will be included in the calculation of the academic eligibility in the degree program.
4. Transferred credit shall not be included in the residence credit calculation.

The MDS program is 32 credits for students with certification as a CLS /MT and 38 credits for students without CLS or MT certification.  The maximum number of MDS certificate credits that can be transferred from the certificate program for CLS/MT students is 13 (40% of 32).  For students without CLS/MT certification, the maximum number of credits that can be transferred from the certificate program is 15 (40% of 38).   The following courses from the MDS certificate program are eligible for transfer to the Master's Degree program:

Course Number            Title                                                               Credits
CLSC 610               Clinical Laboratory Methods                                     3
CLSC 710               Principles of Molecular Diagnostics                           3
CLSC 720               Applications of Molecular Diagnostics                       3
CLSC 720L             Molecular Diagnostic Techniques Laboratory            3
CLSC 650               Clinical Laboratory Administration                            2
CLSC 740               Clinical Rotation in Molecular                                    4

During the admissions process, the MDS admissions committee will work with the applicant to select the best courses to transfer to the MDS program. See sample credit transfer plans, below.

Sample Transfer Credit Plan for MDS certificate graduate with CLS/MT certification

*Students who are certified as CLS(NCA), MT(ASCP), or MLS(ASCP)^CM are not required to take CLSC 610 or CLSC 650.

Sample Transfer Credit Plan for MDS certificate graduate without CLS/MT certification