Clinical Laboratory Science Online Masters Degree

Obtaining a clinical laboratory science Master's degree online allows students to work on laboratories conducting research or they can find work as college professors. When in the laboratory they will conduct complex bacteriological, chemical, microscopic, biological, immunologic, and hematological tests. They play a crucial role in the diagnosis, detection, and treatment of diseases.

Students pursuing an online Master's degree in laboratory science will need to take certain required courses. These include human development and pathophysiology, clinical applications of molecular genetics, health data analysis, advanced clinical chemistry, and topics in clinical laboratory science. Students will also choose a concentration and will need to also complete the required courses for their chosen concentration. The concentrations students can choose include clinical research, public health laboratory sciences, clinical administration, nutritional sciences, and health informatics.

Depending on how many classes a student chooses to take at one time, completing a clinical laboratory science online Master's degree will take 2 to 3 years to complete. Students going full-time can often complete this degree in about two years, while part-time students will take about three years.

University of Massachusetts Lowell offers a clinical laboratory science online Master's degree. This degree is fully accredited. Students will be able to pursue all career paths possible with a Master's degree in this field by obtaining online from this university.

Those pursuing a clinical laboratory science online Master's degree can choose to be employed in a variety of settings. These settings include the federal government, doctor's offices, diagnostic and medical laboratories, general surgical and medical hospitals, and colleges, professional schools, and universities. If they are working in a lab (most do) they will perform a variety of activities such as supervise inventory, run a lab, ensure quality control, lead research projects, use complex computer system for analysis, retrieval, and data entry, conduct clinical research, and operate, repair, and maintain clinical instruments.

There is approximately 319,000 clinical laboratory scientists working in the United States. By 2016, there will be approximately 14 percent more jobs available in this field. The median annual income for clinical laboratory scientists is $49,700. The annual salary range is $34,660 to $69,260.

Pursuing a clinical laboratory science Master's degree online allows students to complete their degree on a part-time basis. It allows them the flexibility to continue working a full-time job while furthering their education. In some cases, pursuing this degree online will also be less expensive when compared to pursuing it on campus.