Clinical Laboratory Scientist Preparatory Program

Start your journey to a career as a clinical laboratory scientist—with exciting and rewarding job opportunities combining advanced laboratory skills with health care delivery on the front lines. Many clinical laboratory scientists work in hospital laboratories performing sophisticated clinical diagnostic tests, but also find opportunities to apply their expertise in management, biotechnology, medical device sales, and education.

Curriculum Requirements

The curriculum comprises 2 core courses (6-semester units) and 1–2 electives or an additional core course (3-semester units) for a total of 9-semester units (at least 135 hours of instruction).

Core courses are those that are usually required for entry into certified CLS training programs; electives are either recommended for these programs or provide additional relevant science background. Candidates must pay a nonrefundable program registration fee.

You must take all courses for a letter grade. To receive the Award of Completion, you must maintain an overall minimum 2.5-grade point average, with a grade of C or better in each course. All coursework must be completed within five years.

Certificate and Award Request

Once you have completed the program coursework, notify UC Berkeley Extension that you have completed the curriculum and request your Award of Completion. Send an email to [email protected]. After your records have been reviewed, verified, and approved (usually within two to three weeks), your Award of Completion will be mailed to you.

Additional Information

Credit for separate laboratory courses does not count toward program completion requirements.

Courses

Core Courses (Choose 2)

Courses listed as Not Available are not currently open for enrollment. Courses open for enrollment in April, July, and November.

• Biochemistry
• Biochemistry
• Hematology
• Immunology
• Medical Microbiology
• Quantitative Analysis: Applications in Clinical Chemistry

Electives

You must take 1 or 2 electives or an additional Core Course for a total of 3-semester units. Courses listed as Not Available are not currently open for enrollment. Courses open for enrollment in April, July, and November.

• Blood Banking and Transfusion Medicine
• Concepts of Physics
• Endocrinology
• General Human Anatomy
• Genetics
• Human Anatomy Laboratory
• Human Physiology Laboratory
• Introduction to Biostatistics
• Introduction to Human Physiology
• Introduction to Human Physiology
• Introduction to Parasitology
• Introduction to Statistics
• Mammalian Systemic Physiology
• Microbiology Laboratory
• Pathophysiology
• Physics I
• Physics II
• Principles of Infectious Diseases and Emerging Infectious Diseases
• Principles of Molecular Biology
• Principles of Toxicology
• Virology
• Virtual Hematology Laboratory
• Molecular Cell Biology
• Biochemistry
• Hematology
• Immunology
• Biochemistry
• Medical Microbiology
• Quantitative Analysis: Applications in Clinical Chemistry

Course of Related Interest

Take additional courses to broaden your knowledge and advance your career. The following course(s) are optional and do not count toward program completion.

• Genetic Variant Interpretation Workshop

This program offers required and elective coursework to make you a more competitive applicant to CLS training programs.