Become a healthcare detective.

Major Roadmap

Explore your options — classes, internships, research and study abroad. Find what interests you, discover what you love, and create a major experience that jumpstarts your future utilizing the Medical Laboratory Science Major Guide.

As a Medical Laboratory Science major, you’ll learn to analyze blood, urine, and other body tissues and fluids to diagnose disease. Your work as a laboratory professional will help people take control of their health and contribute to vital research. Don’t be surprised if you’re hired before graduation — this is a career field in high demand.

Pair courses like microbiology, clinical chemistry and molecular biology with clinical training at the Austin State Hospital. There, you’ll learn medical testing procedures like phlebotomy, immunology and urinalysis. Get hands-on experience that prepares you to immediately start your career in a hospital or clinical research laboratory, or at a biotechnology firm, government agency or forensic laboratory. You’ll use your scientific knowledge to help advance human health — at the individual and societal level.

What do our graduates do?

With a Medical Laboratory Science major, you can go on to a variety of careers and graduate schools. Here’s a sample.

  • Research coordinator
  • Lab manager
  • Consumer-product tester
  • Research developer
  • Crime lab specialist

8 Reasons to Choose St. Edward’s

St. Edward’s is the No. 8 Best Regional University in the West in the 2020 U.S. News & World Report college ranking. In honor of our ranking, we share the top reasons to become a Hilltopper.

The Classroom and Beyond

The Medical Laboratory Science program prepares you to spend your last year of college immersed in a hands-on, hospital-based clinical training program. Your other three years at St. Edward’s will be full of science courses with labs, research opportunities, and time to build relationships with fellow Hilltoppers through clubs focused on science, service and health.

Experiential Education

You’ll learn the fundamentals of laboratory research and the scientific method in your science courses at St. Edward’s.

In your freshman Biology lab, you’ll start to develop your laboratory skills and learn how to construct and answer a scientific question. Previous classes have collected and analyzed water samples from locations near campus and used their data to answer distinct research questions. At the conclusion of your work, you’ll learn how to present your findings to your peers.

In Microbiology, you’ll continue to build your lab skills through a project like determining whether a particular plant extract inhibits bacterial growth. Although St. Edward’s students have been testing plant extracts for antimicrobial properties for many semesters, you’ll be testing one that has not been analyzed before. This project gives you a chance to experience real-life research, where no one knows the outcome.

Teaching Assistantships

Students with an affinity for teaching and mentorship can assist younger students by serving as teaching assistants. At St. Edward’s, all classes are taught by professors, but student teaching assistants help their fellow students develop lab skills and technique. You’ll expand your communication skills and improve your own lab skills by helping other people learn the material.

Student Organizations

The St. Edward’s chapter of the Texas Academy of Science supports student research, including presentation and publication opportunities. Members also tutor in the sciences and complete other service projects.

Students with strong academic achievement in the sciences are eligible to join the St. Edward’s chapter of Beta Beta Beta, the National Biological Honor Society.

The student chapter of the American Society for Microbiology attends regional ASM meetings together and took a field trip to UTMB to learn about the master’s program and life in Galveston. The group invites guest speakers, watches documentaries (such as about antibiotic resistance) and plans special events like a reception with fermented foods.