FAQ

Students must complete the following five prerequisite courses prior to submitting the CLS application: BIO 1330/1130, BIO 1331/1131, CHEM 1341/1141, CHEM 1342/1142, and the mathematics course. Students may only have a maximum of the nine remaining prerequisite hours, with no remaining credit hours in prerequisite science and mathematics courses prior to beginning the CLS Program. While students are encouraged to complete all prerequisite courses prior to admission, the CLS course sequence only offers 10 hours in the first fall semester and 11 hours in the first spring semester. Thus, students requiring 12 hours for full-time status in the first year of our program, you will need to save two liberal arts courses to meet this 12h requirement. Beginning Fall 2017, financial aid will only pay for classes required to get the CLS degree.  Please contact the CLS Program if you have questions.

If you are enrolled in prerequisite courses when you apply, you may receive  "Conditional Acceptance" into the CLS program. If you drop a prerequisite course or make a "D or F" before you begin the program, you may forfeit your spot at the discretion of the CLS faculty and staff.

This course is a Freshman Seminar course. If you are transferring in with 30 or more college credit hours, you will NOT need to take US 1100.

If you took Microbiology, Chemistry II, Math, and Statistics over 6 years ago, you may be asked to retake that course.  You will need to discuss this with your CLS Advisor.

Not in most cases. You must apply to the CLS program and proceed through all of the CLS courses because they are designed to prepare you with skills and theory of diagnostics.  This is a significantly different focus from general chemistry, microbiology, or other sciences.  If you have CLS courses, substitutions might be possible on a case-by-case basis.  You will need to discuss this with your CLS advisor.

Yes, you may apply to our program if you already have a degree. While we are not specifically a post-baccalaureate program, we typically accept several students each year that already have a degree.

Our only extra piece of advice would be to make sure you apply to the University for the semester you plan on attending.  For example, if you are going to apply this February 2016 to our program, then you would want to apply to the University (a separate process) for Fall 2016. 

The only difference would be if you were planning on coming early to Texas State to complete any prerequisites you may still have.  If you do have prerequisites, you may take them at other universities (community colleges, etc.) as long as you make sure they will transfer to Texas State.  The only reason I mention this is that if you apply for a semester and then do not attend the University that semester, you have to reapply and pay again.

This is determined on a case-by-case basis.  The decisions are based on your coursework, clinical rotation experience, as well as recent work experience. You will be required to take all Senior level CLS courses.  When you complete the End of CLS Admissions Module quiz, you will be contacted by a CLS faculty or staff member to discuss your information.

Yes.  You must take all of the CLS courses because they are designed to prepare you with skills and theory of diagnostics.  This is a significantly different focus from general chemistry or microbiology.

No.  You must apply to the CLS program and proceed through all of the CLS courses because they are designed to prepare you with skills and theory of diagnostics.  This is a significantly different focus from general chemistry, microbiology, or other sciences.

The quick answer is "no."  Our CLS coursework not only has required prerequisites, but this major requires an application to our CLS Program with a variety of factors that are considered for entry (Science GPA, overall GPA, personal interview, etc.).

*An exception may be made in the rare occasion that a case can be made for a particular student (e.g. a Pre-Med major has a particular need for one of our special courses such as immunohematology). This would be contingent on the case and whether or not the CLS Program has the space for an additional student.
 

It is HIGHLY recommended that you have a home computer with a fairly fast internet connection.  Many assignments are completed online or uploaded into the online TRACS system; however, a home computer is not mandatory.  There are many computer labs on campus that you may use. 

The Texas State website and TRACS are not designed for mobile devices.  You will get partial functionality on tablets or smartphones.  When completing assignments online, it is recommended that you use a laptop or a desktop computer.

We do not forbid our students from working while in the program; however, we recommend that students reduce hours significantly or stop working if at all possible.  This program is rigorous and time-consuming. 

During the Junior year it will be easier to work than the Senior year.  You will not have CLS courses during the Junior summer. 

During the Senior spring and summer, you are off-campus at clinical rotations for 3 weeks for 6-8 hours per day Monday through Friday.  Between rotations you will be on campus for lectures, testing, and labs.  These weeks on campus are challenging.  It is quite difficult for working students during this time. (Senior spring and summer)

The most important prerequisite courses are the sciences.  If you are unable to have all courses complete before you apply, try to have the science and math courses complete.  Make the highest grades you can...GPA does matter. This will make your application more competitive. 

Inform yourself about the field of laboratory science.  Become a member of the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science.  Become a member of the Texas State Society for Clinical Laboratory Scientists. Attend meetings for these groups.  Volunteer in a lab if possible. Taking this type of initiative will make your application more competitive.

We will mail hard-copy letters out in early to mid March.  You will be told of your status (accepted, not accepted or alternate.)  You will also be told if you have been given a "conditional acceptance" based on successful completion of your prerequisites in the Spring and Summer semesters.

For a complete listing of our CLS coursework and other information, see:

http://mycatalog.txstate.edu/undergraduate/health-professions/medical-laboratory-science-program/bsmls/

For the entire CLS course progression (scroll down the page), see: 

http://mycatalog.txstate.edu/undergraduate/health-professions/medical-laboratory-science-program/bsmls/

Congratulations! You have been accepted in to a very competitive and nationally recognized program. You will be receiving email communication from our program soon regarding any outstanding paperwork that is required (health forms/vaccination history, background checks, etc.), as well as a mandatory 1/2 day orientation that usually occurs just prior to the start of your 1st fall semester of CLS courses.

In the meantime, you may consider taking a tour of an actual clinical laboratory in your local hospital. Or, if you are done with your prerequisite courses, you might want to take some additional coursework such as anatomy and physiology, genetics, biochemistry, molecular biology, or other related laboratory science coursework. Or, you may consider looking in to a phlebotomy certification program (just be sure you can complete it prior to starting school with us). Or, you may try to find employment as a Clinical Laboratory Assistant (CLA) to help you understand the culture of the clinical laboratory.

Congrats again and welcome to one of the most exciting and rigorous majors and future careers!