Laboratory Technician to Medical Laboratory Scientist/Medical Technologist (MLT to MLS/MT) Program

1. Completion of the program application. This is a separate process from applying to Austin Peay State University.  We accept applications exclusively through the AHCAS web portal:  https://ahcas.liaisoncas.com/applicant-ux/#/login
2. Applicants must have a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher on a 4.0 scale.  Program admission is competitive.
3. Students must have completed a NAACLS accredited MLT program including clinical rotations in all major laboratory areas:  hematology, chemistry, immunohematology, and microbiology. Courses must transfer to APSU.
4. Student must have at least two years’ work experience (minimum 4,000 working hours) as a nationally certified MLT (ASCP, ASCPi, AMT, or ABOR) in an accredited diagnostic laboratory (accreditation by CLIA, CAP, COLA, or similar)
1. Work experience must be complete by August 1 of the year the student begins the MLS program.
2. APSU will grant 17 credit hours for this work experience toward your BS degree
3. Experience may be in any section of the laboratory
4. No clinical rotations are required as part of the MLT-MT program as this is fulfilled by work experience.
5. Students must meet all physical and technical standards.
6. Students must complete all required pre-requisite coursework as discussed below.  All pre-requisites must be complete before the student can begin the MLS program.

7. All students are required to complete the ASCP Board of Certification review course during the final semester of the program.

 

YES! A separate program application is required for this major.  Acceptance to the MLT to MLS/MT program is competitive.  The minimum GPA required to apply is 2.75.   All applicants must have successfully completed a NAACLS accredited MLT program from a regionally accredited college or university.  MLT coursework credits must transfer to APSU.  Applicants must also meet all technical standards required by the program and have at least two years' full time work experience (minimum 4,000 working hours) as a nationally certified MLT in an accredited human diagnostic laboratory.   The MLT to MLS/MT is an 11-month lock-step program, starting in August and concluding in July. You may need to complete prerequisite courses before gaining acceptance to the program. If so, you will find APSU offers hundreds of classes online.

Application to the MLT to MLS program is a separate process in addition to acceptance to Austin Peay State University. We accept program applications exclusively through the Allied Health Centralized Application Service (AHCAS) web portal which is accessed from the button below. Paper applications are no longer accepted and will not be considered.

 

 APSU MLT to MLS program apply now! 

 

You can also copy and paste this link into your browser: https://ahcas.liaisoncas.com/applicant-ux/#/login

 

Applications will be accepted each year from October 1 through February 1 for the program beginning the following fall. Students will be notified of their status by early May.  Accepted students must then apply to Austin Peay State University as a transfer student.  Once accepted to the University, students will be advised on any missing prerequisite courses.  Full program acceptance is contingent upon acceptance to the University, transfer of all required coursework, and completion of all prerequisites.    

 

Applications are due February 1 each year for the program beginning the following August.  It is the applicant's responsibility to monitor the status of his/her application until the application is marked "verified." Incomplete and late applications will not be considered. Applications are not retained for future years.  Applicants must reapply in order to be considered for subsequent years.  

1. Three professional letters of recommendation and three completed professional "evaluations" which are requested as part of the AHCAS application. 
2. Letter(s) from your Human Resources (HR) department(s) verifying your rank and tenure of employment. Letter(s) will be uploaded into AHCAS by the applicant according to the instructions in the APSU program application within AHCAS.  Letter(s) verifying employment must come from HR and be written on official letterhead with an original signature.  Each letter must contain the following information:
   1. Job title
   2. Full or part time status (if part-time, number of hours worked since hire date must also be included)
   3. Name of agency accrediting the workplace laboratory (example: CLIA, CAP, TJC, COLA)
   4. Name and original signature of the human resources official writing the letter
   5. Letter must be composed on company letterhead

3. Copy of your current national MLT certificate, registration card, or ASCP verification document. State license will not substitute for national certification. This document will be uploaded into AHCAS by the applicant according to the instructions in the APSU program application within AHCAS.
4. Official transcripts from all colleges/universities previously attended. Official transcripts must be sent directly from the institution to AHCAS following the instructions within the AHCAS system.  Failure to include all college/university transcripts in the AHCAS application is the number one reason for an incomplete application.  Incomplete applications are not considered.

Only applicants who complete the application process will be notified.  This means that a complete program application must be submitted by February 1 and the application status must be marked "verified" in AHCAS on or before March 1.  Most application decisions will be made in March and April and notification will be sent by email to the address used in the AHCAS application. All application notification emails will be sent by May 1.  Applicants are responsible for monitoring their email, including "junk" and "clutter" folders, for notification from the MLS program.  Acceptance is always contingent on completion of all outstanding prerequisites before the start of the APSU fall semester. 

Please refer to the APSU core graduation requirements website for general education core course options in history, fine arts, and social sciences. Only the science and math prerequisites listed below are acceptable for this program.  

1. Six (6) semester credit hours US, Tennessee, or World History
2. Two (2) fine arts courses from two different departments (Performance/studio courses are not acceptable.)
3. Two (2) social sciences from two different departments 
4. Three (3) English courses (composition I and II and world literature)
5. Human anatomy and physiology I lecture and lab BIOL 2010/11
6. Human anatomy and physiology II lecture and lab BIOL 2020/21
7. General chemistry I lecture and lab for science majors (CHEM 1110/11)
8. General chemistry II lecture and lab for science majors (CHEM 1120/21)
9. Public speaking/oral communication (COMM 2045)
10. College algebra/precalculus (MATH 1710 or 1730) (DSPM, intermediate, basic, and remedial courses are NOT accepted) 
11. Students must have completed at least 120 semester credit hours after completion of our on-line program (30 coursework credits plus 17 work experience credits).  This means that you must have completed at least 73 semester credit hours before starting the program.

Note:  The only pre-requisite courses that are required for MLT professionals who hold a Bachelor's Degree are US/World History I and II (six semester credit hours), college algebra, A&P I and II lecture and lab, and general chemistry I and II lecture and lab. 

All pre-requisite courses (with the exception of chemistry prerequisites) are available online at APSU, making it easy to complete any missing general education core course requirements.

Prospective students who desire prerequisite advising prior to applying to the MLT to MLS program must apply to Austin Peay State University as a transfer student. Upon acceptance to Austin Peay State University, please log into your Onestop account and verify that all of your transfer credits are visible in Onestop on your transfer evaluation.  If any courses or transcripts are missing, you will need to follow up with our Admissions office.  Once you’ve verified that your transfer coursework is visible, you may email a request for prerequisite advising along with your APSU student ID number (which begins with an "A") to:  semlerj@apsu.edu .  Requests to review transcripts outside of the formal University application process will not be granted.

Students in our program complete two courses each eight weeks plus two courses in our summer session for a total of ten courses (30 semester credit hours).  The curriculum includes courses in molecular diagnostics, clinical chemistry, hematology, immunology, immunohematology, laboratory management, urinalysis/body fluids, parasitology/mycology/virology, bacteriology, and a BOC review course.   All students complete the program as a cohort and must be enrolled full time. For information about semester dates, please consult the APSU Academic Calendar for the Clarksville campus.  

Tuition for the 2023-24 academic year will be about $16,357 for out of state students (e-rate), or $10,927 in state.*  (Tuition rates are subject to change.) Tuition is paid by the semester and installment payment plans are available.  Students can calculate the tuition for our program by using the online Student Account Services & Cashier's Office (formerly Bursar's office) tuition and fee schedules.  Twelve hours are completed in fall and 12 hours in spring.  Six hours are completed in summer.  Tuition is paid per semester.  Additional costs for missing pre-requisite courses will apply based on the tuition and fee schedule.  Please call the Student Account Services & Cashier's office to request further information on tuition costs (931) 221-6285.

Students are eligible for federal financial aid and each student is responsible for filing his or her own FAFSA. Students should contact the APSU Office of Financial Aid for additional information.

 

APSU offers merit based scholarships to qualified students.  The Austin Peay Promise scholarship is for in-state students and the Dean's Transfer scholarship is for out-of state students. 

 

The Medical Laboratory Science program awards the Robert T. Crews scholarship to students currently enrolled in MLS program courses (either on-line or on-ground). Applications are accepted during the month of October.

 

External scholarships are offered by the American Society for Clinical Pathology, the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science, American Proficiency Institute,  Alpha Mu Tau honor society, and others. 

It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that state requirements are met.  The ASCP has a list of states requiring certification and/or licensure: https://www.ascp.org/content/board-of-certification/get-credentialed .  Prospective students are highly encouraged to check with their state medical laboratory board to ensure licensure requirements are met.  

New!  Graduates of the APSU MLT to MLS program now qualify for licensure in the state of New York! 

Completion of this degree program alone will not satisfy licensure requirements in California.  Completion of this program DOES MEET licensure requirements in New York and in all other licensure states.