B.S. in Medical Laboratory Sciences

Tarleton State Medical Laboratory student holding their diploma.

Overview

One of the largest face-to-face programs of its kind in the United States, the accredited medical laboratory science bachelor’s program at Tarleton is a 4 semester, university-based professional degree program. This means you complete three years of required undergraduate course work at Tarleton or another college or university, then transfer to Tarleton’s Fort Worth campus for a professional year of medical laboratory science training.

The 16-month cohort program includes a period of intensive study in lecture classes and basic laboratory and instrumentation techniques, with graduate-level coursework, followed by a period of clinical practice. Program graduates will be awarded a Professional Certificate from Tarleton and are eligible to take the national MLS Board of Certification exam through the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP).

Our accredited bachelor’s degree program in medical laboratory science will prepare you as a certified laboratory professional for leadership roles. Work in an exciting, changing field with new techniques and technologies for a meaningful career in health care.

Our program graduates excel at combining theoretical knowledge with clinical training to achieve results. If you love math and science, are fascinated by the human body and enjoy solving puzzles, a career as a laboratory professional may be right for you. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately 20,800 openings for clinical laboratory technologists and technicians are projected each year over the next decade, including positions created as professionals retire or leave the occupation. National workforce studies by the American Society for Clinical Pathology also continue to identify shortages and recruitment challenges within the medical laboratory profession. These workforce needs create strong career opportunities for graduates in hospitals, reference laboratories, clinics, public health laboratories, research facilities, and other healthcare settings.

Medical Laboratory Sciences Program Benefits

  • Our accredited bachelor’s degree program in medical laboratory science has a proven track record of educating undergraduate students to become contributing members of the laboratory profession. In recent years, graduates of Tarleton State University’s Medical Laboratory Science program have achieved consistently high national certification pass rates and strong employment outcomes, with the vast majority of graduates obtaining employment in the profession or pursuing continued education shortly after graduation
  • Medical laboratory science offers strong career opportunities in Texas and nationwide. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for clinical laboratory technologists and technicians was $62,930 nationally in 2025. In Texas, the median annual wage was approximately $59,300

Courses

The first period of our bachelor’s degree program in medical laboratory science focuses on intensive course work and basic training in medical technology instrumentation and manual techniques. Explore topics in immunohematology (blood banking), clinical microbiology, hematology and hemostasis, urinalysis, laboratory management and more.

Visit the University Catalog

More About the Program

  • Earn an accredited bachelor's degree with certification

The Tarleton State University Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) program is fully accredited by NAACLS, the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences.

  • Get hands on training in your area of specialty

Undergraduate students in the accredited MLS BS degree program are guaranteed placement for clinical rotations. We work with over 30 area laboratories to offer you a clinical practicum experience that best fits your interests and goals.

  • Don't wait for graduate school to make an impact with research

Undergraduate research is built into the curriculum. We provide several opportunities throughout the bachelor’s degree program to get involved with research, with possibilities for presenting research posters at professional conferences in Texas and the United States.

  • Gain a multi-national view of the clinical laboratory

As an MLS major, you may be able to broaden your education, expand learning opportunities and enhance your college experience by studying abroad.

  • Learn from PhD-level faculty in lectures, labs and research

Our faculty are highly trained medical laboratory professionals who bring decades of combined experience in clinical and diagnostic laboratories to the classroom. Their expertise spans multiple areas of laboratory medicine, allowing students to connect classroom concepts with real-world clinical practice. Through hands-on laboratory instruction, extensive clinical experiences, innovative coursework, and opportunities for scientific research, our faculty prepare students with the knowledge, technical skills, and professional experience needed to succeed in today’s medical laboratory profession.

  • Get help paying for college

Medical laboratory science majors may qualify for program scholarships, in addition to private and university scholarships and federal financial aid.

  • MLS Dual Degree

Tarleton’s BS/MLS dual degree program features an integrated curriculum that allows you to earn your bachelor’s degree with certification and master’s degree in medical laboratory science in the same length of time as it would take to earn your bachelor’s. Students have to meet certain eligibility requirements and standards to get accepted into this program.

  • Student Activities

Join student and professional organizations such as the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science and the American Society for Clinical Pathology for educational, professional development and networking opportunities.

Medical Laboratory Sciences Career Outcomes

  • Medical Laboratory Scientist
  • Clinical Laboratory Technologist
  • Senior Medical Laboratory Scientist

Medical Laboratory Sciences Admissions Requirements

Admission to some outreach locations, excluding select programs in Fort Worth, requires a minimum of 24 transferable credit hours, a 2.0 GPA and that a student be TSI complete. Contact the Medical Laboratory Sciences Department 300 E. 15th Street, Suite 600, Fort Worth, TX 76102 682-703-7133, LEB-604 akelly@tarleton.edu

B.S. in Biology
B.S. in Biomedical Science
BAT Health Professions Technology