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Guide to Master's Degree


How to Get a Master's Degree in Laboratory Sciences

Clinical laboratory scientists play a crucial support role in science and medicine. A laboratory sciences career can take you to the frontlines of research and diagnostic testing in areas like genetics, pathology, hematology, and microbiology.

A master's degree is the key to advancing your lab sciences career. Move from entry-level testing roles to research design, interpretation, and supervision. Graduate laboratory sciences programs also offer the opportunity to develop specialized scientific knowledge and update your technological expertise. Most programs are designed as post-professional degrees, with the option for working students to earn a master's degree online.

WorldWideLearn.com features a range of resources to get you started on the path to a master's degree in laboratory sciences. This guide takes you through the steps of planning a graduate degree in laboratory sciences, with links to online resources along the way.

Guide to Master's Degrees in Laboratory Sciences

Clinical laboratory sciences brings together technical training in lab skills and a strong foundation in biology, chemistry, and medical knowledge.
The "Laboratory" side of the discipline incorporates hands-on practice in:

The "Sciences" foundation encompasses:

A laboratory sciences master's degree cultivates a working knowledge of these key scientific disciplines with the purpose of improving your research and diagnostic capability as a lab technician or scientist. To learn more about this applied science discipline, see WorldWideLearn.com's Guide to College Majors in Clinical Laboratory Science.

Professional and Academic Master's Degrees

Graduate laboratory sciences programs define their curriculum at various points along the academic-professional spectrum. No matter which program you choose, the curriculum includes some form of scientific education and lab training. Differences arise in the structure and requirements of the academic and professional master's degrees.

Master of Science

The MS in laboratory sciences is modeled after the academic science master's degree. The course curriculum cultivates a broad foundation in the field, developing competency in several key fields. The program culminates in a scholarly research project designed to advance knowledge in a specific area. A Master of Science qualifies you to head directly into professional practice or toward an academic career, via the PhD in clinical laboratory science. Professional Master's Degrees

Professional master's degrees are generally designed for mid-career scientists and medical technologists who want to upgrade their laboratory expertise and advance their careers. The curriculum focuses on a specialized practice area and typically involves an internship or applied lab project.

Examples of professional degrees include:

A professional graduate degree can help you move from entry-level work into specialized practice areas or supervisory roles. Programs accommodate professionals through flexible scheduling and the option to earn a master's degree online.

Learn more about your master's degree options at WorldWideLearn.com.'s The Master's Degree Explained and Master's Degrees Online.

Specializations
Whether you choose an academic or professional master's degree, you'll have the opportunity to follow your interests into a specialized niche of laboratory sciences. Consider these options for focused study:

Scientific sub-fields:

Most programs allow you to specialize further within these areas by developing your own academic research or applied project topic.

Career Track

A master's degree in clinical laboratory sciences prepares you to work in a laboratory in the vast world of scientific, medical, and commercial research and development. Opportunities are available at:

Work in medical diagnostics, commercial product development and quality assurance, or scientific research. A graduate laboratory sciences degree can be your ticket to supervisory roles such as lab manager or director, or to specialized research positions. Some graduates use the master's degree as a stepping stone to a university research and teaching career (via the PhD), or a medical career (via the MD or physician assistant training). Sample job titles with a master's degree in laboratory sciences include:

Laboratory Science Career Outlook

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, job prospects for laboratory scientists are excellent: "A severe shortage of clinical laboratory scientists exists and has generated a large demand for new graduates." A graduate degree qualifies you for the more advanced roles in a laboratory, including staff supervision, experiment design, and results analysis and interpretation.

Plan for a Master's Degree in Laboratory Sciences

Now that you have a sense of the graduate education and career opportunities available to you, you're ready to tackle the logistics of getting a master's degree in laboratory sciences. The following steps lead you through the process of finding a school, submitting applications, and preparing for advanced study.

Step One: Find the Right Graduate Laboratory Sciences Program

The secret to success as a graduate student is linking your professional objectives with a master's curriculum that supports them.

WorldWideLearn.com Program Research Resources
Finding the perfect fit is a matter of researching academic programs carefully. WorldWideLearn.com features several types of resources to support program research:

Together, these research resources give you access to the information you need to find the program that best aligns with your laboratory science career goals and interests.

Program Research in Four Stages
Researching dozens of laboratory science master's degrees can quickly become overwhelming. In addition to a master's degree in laboratory sciences, you'll also find relevant programs under slightly different names: clinical laboratory science (CLS), health sciences, medical technology, and clinical pathology. To streamline the process and make sure you cover all your bases, structure your research by priorities:

1. Accreditation

Locating accredited programs is the first priority of a school search. Accreditation status indicates the program's educational merit, according to standards set by U.S. Department of Education-approved accreditation agencies. You can find a list of approved regional and national accreditation agencies at the DOE's website.

Look for degree directories that represent only accredited programs. WorldWideLearn.com only partners with accredited institutions. The American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS) features a list of accredited online graduate programs in clinical laboratory science. For post-professional programs, see the Professional Science Master's Degree site's list of applied laboratory sciences degrees.

2. Program Format: Campus or Online Master's Degree?

Next, consider the logistics of your graduate education. Today's laboratory sciences programs allow you to earn a master's degree online or on campus.

Campus programs feature immediate access to program resources: face-to-face instruction, laboratory training using campus facilities, and collaborative work with peers and faculty mentors. This program is ideal for aspiring academics, who also rely on university networking and teaching opportunities.

Online master's degrees have the advantage of convenience and relevance to your professional career. Post-professional programs are often structured to let you complete the hands-on lab training and specialized project at your work site, provided you have access to the necessary technology. Otherwise, online programs may manage the hands-on portion of the curriculum by setting up a supervised internship at a local laboratory, or requiring intensive week long campus residencies.

3. Academic Resources

Next, explore the resources available at each program to find the best match with your specialization interests and professional direction. Program features to consider include:

4. Quality Metrics

Finally, rank programs based on educational quality and admissions selectivity. You can gauge program quality by taking into account:

You can find these metrics on school websites or by asking the program's admissions counselor for department data.

Step Two: Apply to Graduate Laboratory Science Programs
Once you've narrowed down your list to five or six programs, you're ready to prepare your applications. Plan to encounter the following steps to admission:

1. Complete Prerequisites

Eligibility for graduate study generally requires:

WorldWideLearn.com's Education Resources Guide helps you meet these requirements by connecting you with test preparation resources, prerequisite courses, and online learning tools. 2. Prepare Application Materials Most schools provide a link to the application online. In addition to filling out the information form, you will need to supply the following materials:

Since some of these documents rely on outside sources, it's important to start your application well in advance of the deadline.
3. Finance Your Master's Degree in Laboratory Science

One option for funding your education is to preserve your main source of income. Many graduate students choose to earn a master's degree online while they work. Otherwise, you can secure financial aid by following these steps:

For more information, visit the WorldWideLearn.com resource page on graduate education funding.

Conclusion

A master's degree in laboratory sciences takes you out of the trenches of lab work and into a position of responsibility. Build the technical expertise and scientific knowledge to develop your own research experiments, manage a lab, or forge new diagnostic or research techniques. By planning your graduate education, you are building a foundation for a leadership role in the laboratory sciences.

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