If you are a medical laboratory technician seeking to advance to the next career level, NAACLS-accredited online MLS programs can propel you to higher tiers of clinical lab work and analysis. Medical laboratory science (MLS) programs can be found through four-year universities and community colleges offering online healthcare associate’s degrees, bachelor’s degrees, and graduate programs.
The outcome of these online MLS programs? Greater responsibilities, higher income, and more opportunities to make a positive impact on patients’ lives and the healthcare needs of communities far and wide.
Take a look through the article below to learn where to find these NAACLS-accredited online MLS and MLT programs, how to earn your credentials in medical laboratory science, and why this could be the right move for your budding healthcare career!
ARTICLE NAVIGATION: What is the NAACLS? | How do MLS and MLT Programs Earn NAACLS Accreditation? | Does NAACLS Accreditation Really Matter? | Do I Need an NAACLS-Accredited MLT Degree? | Top 11 NAACLS-Accredited Online MLS Programs | 21 Hybrid NAACLS-Accredited MLT Programs Online | Enroll in an NAACLS-Accredited Online MLS Program Today
What is the NAACLS?
The National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS) is the accrediting body for educational programs involving clinical or medical laboratory sciences and histology. Programs that receive accreditation from the NAACLS have demonstrated curriculum, skills development and professional competence to be comprehensive and up to date, meeting current educational standards of quality and expertise.
How Do MLS and MLT Programs Earn NAACLS Accreditation?
The accreditation process is voluntary, and only independent, non-governmental organizations confer accreditation on academic programs. While there are various regional accrediting bodies that evaluate colleges and universities as a whole, organizations like the NAACLS limit their focus to specific programs and fields of study. Any degree program involving clinical laboratory sciences and related health professions is eligible to be considered for NAACLS accreditation.
Does NAACLS Accreditation Really Matter?
Selecting online healthcare degrees or certificate programs for medical laboratory sciences that best fit your academic and professional needs is a process that takes research and consideration.
Without accreditation from an independent body, it can be difficult to tell whether online healthcare degrees meet the most up-to-date standards. A degree from an online “degree mill”—an institution that isn’t accredited by a legitimate organization within the healthcare industry—will be of little use to students applying for work in hospitals, clinical labs, and other professional settings.
NAACLS accreditation status is one of many criteria to evaluate when choosing a program to enroll in, and serves as an important and reliable signifier that the school you’re considering is legitimate and meets the educational standards that will help propel you in your future endeavors as a clinical scientist.
NAACLS accreditation gives assurance to students that the education they receive has been evaluated by experts in the field, and it has been found to be academically rigorous and comprehensive enough to fully prepare graduates to work competently in a clinical laboratory setting.
Do I Need an NAACLS-Accredited MLT Degree?
Finding out whether a degree program is NAACLS-accredited should be one of the first things a potential student finds when researching medical laboratory science programs to apply for.
Choosing the right program involves weighing many options and considerations, but NAACLS accreditation can provide a basic assurance that the school and its online healthcare degrees are up to current standards, that it can prepare graduates for board certification exams, and that graduates enter the workforce with the skills, knowledge, confidence, and ethical standards that today’s employers will be looking for.
Many healthcare providers and government agencies will only consider hiring job candidates who have graduated from NAACLS-accredited online MLS programs. NAACLS-accredited online MLT programs can substantially increase a graduate’s earning potential, as well as open the doors to further educational opportunities, should they be pursued.
Top 11 NAACLS-Accredited Online MLS Programs
The following is a list of colleges and universities offering some of the best NAACLS-accredited medical laboratory science programs online. Each program is available at least 80% online. Keep in mind that many of these are bachelor completion degrees and require applicants to have an associate of science in medical lab technology prior to applying.
1. University of Cincinnati
Degrees: Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Science
The bachelor’s degree program for Medical Laboratory Science offered by the University of Cincinnati can be completed 100% online. The clinical practice portion can be completed at facilities in the student’s own community, and graduates of the program will have the knowledge and preparation to take the board certification exams for their MLS credentials.
Accreditations: ABA, ABET, ACEN, ACEND, APA, CAAHEP, CAATE, CACREP, CAHIIM, CAPTE, CCNE, CEPH, CoARC, CODA, CSWE, HLC, JRCERT, JRCNMT, NAACLS, NASAD, NASM, NAST
2. Austin Peay State University
Degrees: Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Science (MLT to MLS/MT)
Austin Peay State University’s online MLT to MLS/MT program can be completed in less than a year. These APSU online healthcare degrees offer medical laboratory technicians an opportunity for career advancement and higher earnings that can be completed affordably and on a flexible schedule.
Accreditations: ACEN, CSWE, NAACLS, NASAD, NCATE, SACSCOC
3. South Dakota State University
Degrees: Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Science (MLT to MLS)
South Dakota State University provides a hybrid NAACLS-accredited MLT program with on-campus requirements and off-campus clinical experiences. Students of this accelerated online healthcare program report board examination pass rates of 98%, with 100% job placement rates within four months of graduation. The two-year program emphasizes basic sciences, critical thinking, and communication skills, and it includes clinical components in affiliated hospitals and laboratories.
Accreditations: ABET, ACPHA, ACPE, ACEND, ACEJMC, CAATE, CACREP, CAEP, CoAES, CCNE, CIDA, HLC, NAAB, NAACLS, NASM
4. Auburn University at Montgomery
Degrees: Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Science (MLT to MLS)
Offering a variety of degree programs in hybrid and fully online formats, Auburn University of Montgomery has the educational needs of busy, working students in mind. Their Medical Laboratory Science program, designed for certified medical laboratory technicians with clinical laboratory experience, offers convenient scheduling with an ideal job placement rate at 100% for past graduates.
Accreditations: AACSB, ACEN, CACREP, CCNE, NAACLS, NCATE, SACSCOC
5. Old Dominion University
Degrees: Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology (MLT to MT)
Old Dominion University, a doctoral research university, offers over one hundred online programs for students in need of distance learning options. They maintain a low student-to-faculty ratio, and their medical laboratory science program is the oldest public health program at the university. The program is designed to prepare students to pass their board certification exams and to progress in their careers.
Accreditations: AACSB, ADA, APA, CAAHEP, CAATE, CACREP, CAPTE, CCNE, CEPH, CoA-NA, EHAC, JRCNMT, NAACLS, NASAD, NASM, NASPAA, NAST, NCATE, SACSCOC
6. University of Southern Mississippi
Degrees: Master of Science in Medical Laboratory Science, Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Science (MLT to MLS)
The University of Southern Mississippi offers a medical laboratory science degree completion program that can be taken completely online by students currently employed in the field. Founded in 1910, this school is one of the foremost research universities in the Gulf States. Students who achieve degree completion with this program will be well-prepared to pass board exams and find fulfilling employment in their chosen field.
Accreditations: AACSB, ABET, ACCE, ACEJMC, ACEND, APA, CAAHEP, CCNE, CSWE, CEPH, CIDA, NAACLS, NASAD, NASD, NASM, NAST, NCATE, SACSCOC
7. University of North Dakota
Degrees: Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Science (MLT to MLS)
Master of Science in Medical Laboratory Science, Certificate in Histotechnology
The University of North Dakota’s online MLS program claims to be one of the largest, most far-reaching, and most innovative in the country. They have over seventy clinical affiliates, including the Mayo Clinic and many other universities. Much of the coursework for their undergraduate and graduate degree programs can be completed online.
Accreditations: ABA, ABET, ACEND, ACOTE, APA, ATMAE, CAAHEP, CAPTE, CCNE, CEPH, CSWE, HLC, LCME, NAACLS, NASAD, NASM, NASPAA, NAST, NCATE
8. Weber State University
Degrees: Associate of Applied Science in Medical Laboratory Technology
Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Science
For working laboratory professionals, Weber State University offers online associate’s and bachelor’s degree programs. The online MLS programs cover all the major areas of medical laboratory science and should prepare students to take and pass their board certification exams.
Accreditations: AACSB, ABET, ACEN, ACS, CAAHEP, CAATE, CAHIIM, CAHME, CIDA, CoARC, CODA, CSWE, NAACLS, NAEYC, NASAD, NASM, NATEF, NWCCU, TEAC
9. The University of Tennessee – Knoxville
Degrees: Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Science (MLT to MLS)
Graduates of the MLS bachelor’s degree program at the University of Tennessee enjoy high rates of passing board examinations and of finding job placement in their field. This university’s College of Health Professions seeks to provide high quality educational opportunities and prepare skilled professionals to serve the healthcare needs of their communities.
Accreditations: ACGME, ACOTE, ARC-PA, CAAHEP, CAHIIM, CAPTE, CCNE, CODA, LCME, NAACLS, SACSCOC
10. University of Nebraska Medical Center
Degrees: Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Science (MLT to MLS)
The University of Nebraska Medical Center’s MLT to MLS degree advancement program offers working professionals flexible, academically rigorous courses to help further their skills and careers. Many of the online MLS program’s clinical components can be completed at the student’s own workplace or in a virtual laboratory environment.
Accreditations: CAAHEP, CAPTE, CCNE, CEPH, HLC, LCME, NAACLS
11. George Washington University
Degrees: Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences / Medical Laboratory Sciences
The George Washington University Medical Laboratory Sciences program provides theoretical and clinical education in laboratory science, giving students the skills and knowledge to take on rewarding careers in the field of health care. The BSHS program is available as a hybrid degree with practicum experiences in approved D.C. area laboratories, and fully online with practicum experiences to take place in a student’s local area.
Accreditations: AACSB, ABA, ABET, ACS, APA, CAAHEP, CAATE, CACREP, CAHME, CAPTE, CCNE, CSWE, LCME, MSCHE, NAACLS, NASM, NASPAA, NCATE
21 Hybrid NAACLS-Accredited MLT Programs Online
These MLT and MLS programs have various in-person requirements that make up more than 20% of the total program.
Thomas University
Degrees: Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Science (MLT to MLS)
The University of Texas Medical Branch
Degrees: Bachelor of Science in Clinical Laboratory Science (MLT to CLS)
Southwestern Community College
Degrees: Associate of Applied Science in Medical Laboratory Technology
Seward County Community College
Degrees: Associate in Applied Science in Medical Laboratory Technology
Panola College
Degrees: Associate of Applied Science in Medical Laboratory Technology
Albany State University
Degrees: Associate of Science in Medical Laboratory Technology
Madison Area Technical College
Degrees: Associate of Applied Science in Medical Laboratory Technology
Madisonville Community College
Degrees: Associate in Applied Science in Medical Laboratory Technician
Armstrong State University
Degrees: Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Science, Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Science (MLT to MLS)
Minnesota State Community and Technical College
Degrees: Associate of Science in Medical Laboratory Technology
Rasmussen College
Degrees: Associate of Science in Medical Laboratory Technology
SUNY Broome Community College
Degrees: Associate of Applied Science in Medical Laboratory Technology
Northeastern State University
Degrees: Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Science (MLT to MLS)
Florida State College at Jacksonville
Degrees: Associate of Science in Histologic Technology
Marshall University
Degrees: Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Science (MLT to MLS)
Arapahoe Community College
Degrees: Associate of Applied Science in Medical Laboratory Technology
Stony Brook University
Degrees: Bachelor of Science in Clinical Laboratory Sciences
University of Mississippi Medical Center
Degrees: Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Science
Northern Michigan University
Degrees: Bachelor of Science in Clinical Laboratory Science/ Laboratory Medicine (MLT to MLS), Master of Science in Clinical Molecular Genetics
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Degrees: Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Sciences
Enroll in an NAACLS-Accredited Online MLS Program Today
Online opportunities are the future for the nontraditional adult student seeking to balance a career with rigorous academics, practicum experiences, and professional development that can serve job prospects for years. When it comes to accredited online MLT programs, GetEducated is your one stop shop, providing the information you need to get ahead with just a few clicks. Take a step into your future with an online MLS degree program today!