Aug 22, 2024  
2024-2025 Graduate Catalog 
    
2024-2025 Graduate Catalog

Clinical and Diagnostic Science, Master of Science


Department of Clinical and Diagnostic Science
433 Meadow Brook Rd
(248) 370-2369 • Fax (248) 364-8657 (map)              https://www.oakland.edu/shs/clinical-and-diagnostic-sciences/

Graduate Coordinator:
Dale Telgenhoff, Associate Professor
dtelgenhoff@oakland.edu

► Apply Online

► Class Schedule Search

Program description

The Master of Science in Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences (CDS) degree program allows healthcare professionals to obtain additional training and develop critical thinking skills in order to advance in their profession. The program offers both a traditional Master of Science degree path and a professional development concentration. 

The traditional Master of Science in CDS degree is intended for clinical and diagnostic sciences students to gain experience in clinical laboratory research. 

The Master of Science in CDS with Professional Development Concentration is designed for students who already have their Medical Laboratory Sciences (MLS) certification or similar healthcare-related certification seeking to enter management or administrative positions within the workplace. 

Admission terms and application deadlines

Before an applicant’s file can be reviewed for full program admission, all application documents must be received in the Oakland University Graduate School by the semester deadlines listed below. Incomplete applications will not be sent to departments for admission review.

Application requirements

To be considered for graduate admission, applicants must submit all Graduate Application Requirements and additional department requirements by the published application deadlines:

  1. Graduate Application Requirements   

Admission review and assessment

Admission to graduate school at Oakland University is selective. In making admission recommendations to Oakland University Graduate School, each department assesses the potential of applicants for success in the program by examining their undergraduate records, personal statement, recommendation forms, prerequisite courses and any other admission requirements established by the academic department.

Related links

Academic advising

Students who are considering applying to the Master of Science in Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences program may contact the academic adviser for the School of Health Sciences to review prerequisite courses and application requirements. Upon acceptance to the program, students are assigned a faculty adviser.

Prerequisite courses

Students in the traditional master of science program must have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited university, and the following prerequisite courses (or equivalent).

  •      Biology I
  •      Physiology
  •      Microbiology
  •      College Algebra

The minimum grade of B (3.0) must be earned in each prerequisite course.  All prerequisite courses must be completed at the time of application.

Degree requirements


To fulfill the requirements for the Master of Science in Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences, a student must successfully complete 30 credits in an approved program of study, and maintain an overall GPA of 3.0 or above, . No individual course grade below C (2.0) may be applied toward a graduate degree.  These credits comprise the following required courses from the core curriculum:       

1. Master of Science in Clinical Diagnostic Sciences curriculum course requirements (30 credits)


In addition to the completing the core curriculum requirements, students pursuing the MS in CDS traditional degree path must complete the following requirements: 

a. Core curriculum (8 credits)
b. Electives (19 credits) 

2. Master of Science in Clinical Diagnostic Sciences Professional Development Concentration curriculum course requirements (30 credits


The Professional Development concentration is for students with a previous MLS certification or certification in a related field.  In addition to the completing the core curriculum requirements, students pursuing the professional development concentration path must complete the following requirements: 

a. Core Curriculum (8 credits)
b. Concentration core requirement (13 credits)

Satisfactory academic progress


Satisfactory academic progress (SAP) is the term used to denote a student’s successful completion of coursework toward a certificate or degree. Federal regulations require the Office of Financial Aid to monitor SAP for all financial aid recipients each semester.

Students who fall behind in their coursework, or fail to achieve minimum standards for grade point average and completion of classes, may lose their eligibility for all types of federal, state and university aid. Contact the Office of Financial Aid for additional details.

Good academic standing


All graduate students are expected to remain in good academic standing  throughout the entire course of their graduate program.  Department requirements: An overall GPA of 3.0 (B) or higher for all coursework taken in the professional program is required for graduation, and no grade below 2.7 (B-) may be applied toward this degree. For courses graded Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U), no coursework graded Unsatisfactory (U) may be applied to this degree.

Graduate students who are not in good academic standing for any reason are subject to probation and/or dismissal from further graduate study.

Related program information


Plan of study

All accepted applicants, in consultation with their assigned faculty adviser, must develop a plan of study that details specific courses the students will use to satisfy their degree requirements. The plan of study must be approved by the faculty adviser and submitted by the student to Oakland University Graduate School.

Master’s and graduate certificate students must submit a department-approved plan of study by the end of their first semester of graduate coursework. Doctoral students must submit an approved plan of study prior to completion of the first year of coursework. (See the Graduate Student Responsibility  section of this catalog.)

Note:  Credit granted for successful completion of a course toward an undergraduate degree program may not be repeated for a graduate degree. If a substitution is approved, the minimum number of program-approved graduate credits will be required. A Petition of Exception - OU Course Waiver/ Substitution requesting the substitution must be approved.

Time limits

All graduate certificate students are expected to complete their degree within the time limit established by the University .