Admissions
Undergraduate Admissions
| The basic requirements for admission to the baccalaureate
program are as follows: students with no previous clinical laboratory training must have completed at
least 60 semester hours at an accredited college or university, including; |
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Biology: 12 hours to include general biology. Human physiology
& anatomy recommended. |
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Chemistry: 12 hours to include 8 hours of general chemistry. The remaining
four hours can be (in order of preference) quantitative analysis, organic chemistry or qualitative analysis. |
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English: 6-9 hours of composition.* |
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Mathematics: 3 hours. Additional mathematics or physics recommended. |
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Humanities/Arts: 3 hours (selected from courses in history, philosophy,
political science, religion, foreign languages, literature, art history, or art appreciation). |
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Social Sciences: 3 hours (selected from courses in anthropology,
economics, geography, psychology, or sociology). |
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NOTE. Survey courses in Biology or Chemistry are NOT acceptable.
*VCU: UNIV 111-112 and ENGL 200 or their equivalents |
| In addition to the academic requirements, there are "essential
functions" (non-academic requirements) of the Clinical Laboratory Sciences program that students must
master to successfully participate in the program and become employable. The following is a list of the
essential technical abilities and skills applicants for admission must possess: |
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Manual Dexterity: Ability to use hand(s) or prosthetic devices
with coordination. |
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Fine Motor: Ability to manipulate small objects with fingertips or
adaptive devices. |
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Mobility: Ability to maneuver in the laboratory and around instruments
and in patient-care settings. |
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Vision: Ability to distinguish red, yellow, and blue colors; distinguish
clear from cloudy, and distinguish objects through a microscope. |
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Hearing: Ability to adapt with assistive devices (i.e., phone receivers,
hearing aid, etc.) |
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Speech: Ability to verbally communicate in English. |
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Writing: Ability to communicate effectively in written form in English. |
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Reading: Ability to read, understand, and follow directions printed in
English. |
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Emotional Stability: Ability to work accurately and safely under stress,
adapt to changing environments and prioritize tasks. |
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Personal Attributes: Must demonstrate integrity, responsibility, tolerance
and respect. |
For Applicants with an Associate's Degree in Laboratory Science
Certified MLT's (CLTs) qualify for special admission with less than 60 hours
of credit. An MLT (CLT) applicant must have a minimum of 44 non-MLT semester hours of transferable credit for
admission as a full-time student (38 hours for part-time admission). The transfer hours must include: eight
hours of biology, eight hours of chemistry, three hours of mathematics and six hours of English composition.
MLTs admitted under special status are required to complete the science, humanities, socials sciences
requirements for regular admission before they qualify for graduation.
CLS credit may be granted for upper level course requirements through challenge
examinations or exemptions based on documented competencies, depending upon a student's past academic
performance in previous course work and clinical experience. For detailed guidelines
click here.
MLTs (CLTs) who meet the exemption eligibility requirements for the junior
level laboratory portions of the curriculum may take the CLS coursework on-line.
Download Application Materials
Graduate Admissions
| 1. General admission requirements for the Advanced or
Categorical tracks in the graduate program are: |
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Completion of a baccalaureate degree in (a) clinical
laboratory science/medical technology - Advanced track, (b) biology or chemistry - Categorical track. |
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A minimum undergraduate grade point average of 2.7 on a 4.0 scale for at
least the last two years of undergraduate work. |
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Satisfactory completion of the GRE |
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Minimum TOEFL of 550 for international students. |
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NOT REQUIRED but recommended are 2 reference letters from recent teachers
or supervisors. |
Download an application from the VCU Graduate Admissions Home Page
Guaranteed admission agreements at the graduate level have been established
with several colleges in Virginia. For more specific information on admission requirements for both the
undergraduate and graduate programs, and applications, please take one of the three following options: (1)
Complete the "REQUEST INFORMATION" form at the top of this page, (2) call (804) 828-9470 or (3) write to the
address at the bottom of the page.
| 2. The entrance requirements for the Accelerated track in the
Master of Science program in Clinical Laboratory Sciences are: |
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Acceptance into the BS degree program in Clinical Laboratory
Sciences |
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Completion of 52.5 hours of CLS professional courses with a minimum GPA
of 2.7 |
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GRE Scores |
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Interview |
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