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The Division of Clinical Laboratory Science at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill offers a Bachelor’s Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science (CLS program) and a Master’s Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science. There is currently one available track in the Master’s Degree: the Medical Laboratory Science track (MLS graduate program).

Student holds a culture up to a light

The CLS program prepares professionals who are competent in performing and interpreting a wide variety of laboratory tests used in health care and other settings, ensuring the quality and validity of results, and explaining the appropriate use and meaning of tests to other health care professionals. It is a two-year program covering the major areas of clinical laboratory science: hematology, hemostasis, microbiology, chemistry, immunohematology and immunology. In the first year of the program, students take lecture and laboratory courses emphasizing the principles and procedures involved in laboratory testing. The second year involves advanced coursework and clinical laboratory rotations in area hospitals. The CLS program culminates in a bachelor of science degree (BSCLS).

The UNC-CH CLS program is fully accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science (NAACLS), 5600 North River Road, Suite 720; Rosemont, IL 60018.

The MLS graduate program prepares certified laboratory professionals for leadership roles in the clinical laboratory, research, and teaching. It is an on-line program that can be completed in as little as two years. The final course is a Capstone project in which the student uses information from all their courses to address a problem or important issue in the clinical laboratory profession. Depending on a student’s interests, the project may be in laboratory education, laboratory operations, or advanced laboratory practice. The MLS graduate program culminates in a master’s degree (MCLS-MLS).