Story by Cheri Ghan, ghanc@health.missouri.edu

The Clinical Laboratory Science bachelor’s degree is getting a new name and new look, rebranding as the Bachelor of Health Science in Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences with an emphasis in Medical Laboratory Science. Along with the new name, the program will become fully taught and housed in the College of Health Sciences, ending a 20-year partnership with the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC).

Students accepted in fall 2025 will be the first cohort to graduate under the new degree name in May 2027. Those already in the program will continue under the Clinical Laboratory Science degree name.

Alese Thompson, assistant teaching professor and newly appointed MLS program director, said the name change aligns with national efforts to clarify the profession’s identity and increase visibility for the field. 

The partnership with UNMC began in 2005 to restart the Mizzou program after it had been deactivated in 1995. Under the partnership, Mizzou students would start the program with a 13-week summer semester in Omaha before spending their senior year taking program classes and doing clinical rotations near Mizzou. Beginning in summer 2026, students will complete the program coursework and laboratory experiences at Mizzou, performing clinical rotations at affiliate hospitals during their final semester.

“We’re developing a unique medical laboratory science program — one of the few university-based programs in the nation to train students using hospital-grade analyzers in a simulation setting before clinical rotations,” Thompson said. “Our goal is to establish the gold standard in laboratory education through this innovative approach.”

The program will remain housed in the Department of Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences. Department Chair Kathy Myers said the new program model stands out by promoting interdisciplinary learning.

“The opportunity to engage with other CDS students about topics like mental health resilience promotes greater understanding and appreciation for other professions and a sense of shared connection with other students in acute care and diagnostic clinical placements,” Myers said.

Laboratory Science graduates typically pursue careers in hospitals or clinics, advance into pre-professional roles, transition into academia or continue their education in the Mizzou College of Health Sciences’ online master’s degree program in Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences with an emphasis in Clinical Laboratory Science.