Medical Lab Science (3+1) (BS)

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Mississippi

Program Overview

The Medical Laboratory Science, B.S. at the University of Mississippi prepares students for careers in diagnostic laboratory science, combining biological sciences, chemistry, microbiology and health-related study with a pathway into professional clinical training. It suits students interested in laboratory-based healthcare, biomedical research and diagnostic testing, with opportunities to progress into clinical laboratory education and national credentialing examinations.

Curriculum Structure:

Year 1:

Students build their scientific and academic foundation through general education and introductory laboratory sciences. Key coursework includes Bisc 160/161 – Biological Sciences I + Lab, Bisc 162/163 – Biological Sciences II + Lab, and Chem 105/115 – General Chemistry I + Lab, alongside first-year writing and mathematics requirements.

Year 2:

The curriculum develops stronger preparation in the biological and laboratory sciences, with students completing courses such as Bisc 333 – General Microbiology and additional biology, chemistry, mathematics and general education requirements. This stage prepares students for the competitive application to the professional clinical phase of the program.

Year 3:

In the 2+2 pathway, students who are accepted into the professional Medical Laboratory Science program progress to clinical-level coursework at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, including lectures, laboratory training and clinical rotations. In the 3+1 pathway, students remain at Ole Miss for a third year and complete coursework including Bisc 414 – Immunology and Serology before progressing to the final clinical year at North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo.

Year 4:

The final stage is focused on professional clinical preparation rather than standard Oxford-campus coursework. Students in the 2+2 pathway complete the professional MLS phase at UMMC, while 3+1 students complete their clinical year at North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo, gaining practical experience through clinical laboratory training.

Focus Areas:

Medical laboratory science, clinical laboratory science, hematology, immunohematology, clinical microbiology, clinical chemistry, clinical immunology, body-fluid analysis, molecular diagnostics, biomedical research, diagnostic procedures, laboratory information systems.

Learning Outcomes:

Diagnostic laboratory procedures, analysis of body fluids, microbiological and biological analysis, laboratory research, data interpretation, clinical laboratory techniques, professional communication, laboratory management, development of diagnostic procedures, preparation for national credentialing examinations.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation):

Ole Miss lists Medical Laboratory Science among the programs accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). The B.S. pathway is also designed to prepare graduates for national credentialing examinations.

Reputation (Employability):

Ole Miss describes Medical Laboratory Science as a pathway into a high-growth area of healthcare, with career possibilities across hospitals, laboratories, biomedical companies, public health, forensic medicine, healthcare administration, education, sales and consulting. The university also provides Health Professions Advising support, including prerequisite planning, application assistance, tutoring and interview preparation.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The Medical Laboratory Science pathway at the University of Mississippi combines foundational laboratory science at the Oxford campus with professional clinical training. In the 2+2 pathway, students who are competitively admitted to the University of Mississippi Medical Center’s MLS program complete lectures, laboratory training and clinical rotations in selected hospitals; the 3+1 pathway similarly places students in a 12-month clinical year at North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo. This gives students direct exposure to areas such as clinical microbiology, hematology, immunohematology, serology/immunology and clinical analysis of fluids.

Key program-specific experiential opportunities include:

Biological science laboratories: Students complete Bisc 160/161 – Biological Sciences I + Lab and Bisc 162/163 – Biological Sciences II + Lab, developing laboratory experience alongside their foundational biology coursework.
Microbiology laboratory preparation: Bisc 333 – General Microbiology is a required course for the Medical Laboratory Science emphasis, giving students focused preparation in microbiological science before professional clinical training.
Clinical laboratory training: The 2+2 pathway includes professional lectures, laboratory instruction and clinical rotations in selected hospitals through the University of Mississippi Medical Center.
Clinical laboratory disciplines: The 3+1 clinical year includes Liba 410 Med Lab: Urinalysis, Liba 411 Med Lab: Serology/Immunology, Liba 412 Med Lab: Clinical Microbiology, Liba 413 Med Lab: Hematology, Liba 414 Med Lab: Clinical Analysis of Fluids and Liba 415 Med Lab: Immunohematology.
Clinical rotations: During the 3+1 professional year, students undertake rotations in Microbiology/Immunology, Hematology/Urinalysis, Immunohematology and Clinical Rotation, providing direct experience in clinical laboratory settings.
Laboratory management and education: Liba 416 – Med Lab: Management/Education introduces principles used in supervising clinical laboratories and educating health-profession students.
Professional clinical environments: The 2+2 route places the clinical phase at University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, while the 3+1 route places the final clinical year at North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo. Access to these clinical phases is competitive.
Health Professions Advising Office: Students receive academic advising to ensure prerequisite coursework is completed and can access tutoring, application assistance, mock interviews and support in identifying appropriate medical laboratory science programs.

Facilities & Resources:At Ole Miss, students begin the pathway with laboratory-based coursework in the biological and chemical sciences on the Oxford campus. The program's professional clinical resources extend beyond Oxford: the 2+2 pathway uses the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson for its professional MLS phase, while the 3+1 pathway uses North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo for the final clinical year. These settings provide access to professional laboratory instruction and clinical rotations directly connected to medical laboratory science.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The Medical Laboratory Science, B.S. prepares students for professional laboratory careers involving diagnostic testing, laboratory management, biomedical research and public health. Graduates can pursue roles such as Medical Laboratory Scientist, Clinical Laboratory Scientist, Biomedical Research Associate, and Clinical Laboratory Manager, with the program also preparing students for national credentialing examinations.

Career development and long-term opportunities include:

Career and academic support: Ole Miss's Health Professions Advising Office (HPAO) provides an academic counselor, prerequisite planning, tutoring, application assistance, mock interviews and help identifying medical laboratory science programs that match students' goals.
Employment opportunities: The university identifies career opportunities in hospitals and laboratories, biomedical companies, forensic medicine, public health, healthcare administration, education, sales and marketing, and private consulting.
Salary and employment statistics: Ole Miss's official program page directs students to external healthcare-career resources for salary and job-outlook information, but it does not publish a program-specific graduate employment rate or average salary. Therefore, no university-specific salary figure is included here.
University–clinical partnerships: The program has established clinical pathways with the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) in Jackson through the 2+2 option and North Mississippi Medical Center (NMMC) in Tupelo through the 3+1 option. These pathways provide the professional clinical component required for the degree.
Accreditation value: Medical Laboratory Science is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). The program also prepares students for national credentialing examinations, providing an important professional foundation for laboratory-science careers.
Graduation and professional preparation: The 2+2 degree requires a minimum of 124 credit hours, with the first phase completed at Ole Miss followed by professional MLS education that includes lectures, laboratory training and clinical rotations. Admission to the clinical phase is competitive and students must meet the applicable requirements.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the degree and professional clinical training, students can pursue national professional credentialing and continue developing careers in clinical laboratory science, biomedical research, public health or laboratory management. The foundation can also support further postgraduate study in areas such as biomedical sciences, public health or related health-science disciplines, depending on the admission requirements of the chosen graduate program.