Master of Clinical Laboratory Sciences - Medical Microbiology program
Overview
About the program
The Master of Science in Clinical Laboratory Sciences program is located under the umbrella of the Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences of the College of Applied Medical Sciences and is offered on the main campus of Jouf University. The program aims to meet the growing demand for laboratory professionals with proven research skills and knowledge of the latest developments in clinical laboratory science. The program includes 36 credit hours, distributed as follows: 13 credit hours for general courses, 15 credit hours for specialized courses, and 8 credit hours for a research thesis.
The Master of Science in Clinical Laboratory Sciences includes three major specializations: Hematology, Clinical Microbiology, and Clinical Biochemistry. The program framework consists of coursework and a thesis. All students must complete the required courses, which are distributed across different study tracks.
Clinical Microbiology Track
The Clinical Microbiology Track consists of specialized courses that focus on advanced knowledge and skills in bacteriology, mycology, parasitology, virology, antibiotics, and antimicrobial resistance.
Clinical Biochemistry Track
The Clinical Biochemistry Track includes specialized courses covering advanced topics in endocrinology, enzymology, inborn metabolic disorders, instrumentation and methodology, toxicology, and therapeutic drug monitoring. The Master's program culminates in a faculty-supervised specialized thesis. General courses aim to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of pathophysiology, immunology, medical genetics, molecular diagnostics, biostatistics, seminars, and infection control.
Hematology Track
The Hematology Track includes specialized courses that focus on advanced knowledge and skills related to red and white blood cell disorders, bleeding disorders, and transfusion medicine.
Program content
Admission requirements
About the program
The Master of Science in Clinical Laboratory Sciences program is located under the umbrella of the Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences of the College of Applied Medical Sciences and is offered on the main campus of Jouf University. The program aims to meet the growing demand for laboratory professionals with proven research skills and knowledge of the latest developments in clinical laboratory science. The program includes 36 credit hours, distributed as follows: 13 credit hours for general courses, 15 credit hours for specialized courses, and 8 credit hours for a research thesis.
The Master of Science in Clinical Laboratory Sciences includes three major specializations: Hematology, Clinical Microbiology, and Clinical Biochemistry. The program framework consists of coursework and a thesis. All students must complete the required courses, which are distributed across different study tracks.
Clinical Microbiology Track
The Clinical Microbiology Track consists of specialized courses that focus on advanced knowledge and skills in bacteriology, mycology, parasitology, virology, antibiotics, and antimicrobial resistance.
Clinical Biochemistry Track
The Clinical Biochemistry Track includes specialized courses covering advanced topics in endocrinology, enzymology, inborn metabolic disorders, instrumentation and methodology, toxicology, and therapeutic drug monitoring. The Master's program culminates in a faculty-supervised specialized thesis. General courses aim to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of pathophysiology, immunology, medical genetics, molecular diagnostics, biostatistics, seminars, and infection control.
Hematology Track
The Hematology Track includes specialized courses that focus on advanced knowledge and skills related to red and white blood cell disorders, bleeding disorders, and transfusion medicine.
Program levels
Course number and code: MCLS 615
Course name: Laboratory Management and Quality Assurance
Number of units: 2
Course description:
This course aims to introduce students to several aspects of management and quality in laboratory medicine and medical research, including change management, laboratory information systems, intellectual property, creative thinking, and the economics of the healthcare system and pathology services.
Course number and code: MCLS 614
Course name: Medical Genetics
Number of units: 1
Course description:
This course covers basic and advanced knowledge in medical genetics. The course focuses specifically on the impact of genetic concepts on medicine and the inheritance of human genetic diseases. The course enhances clinical skills for analyzing and interpreting various human genetic case studies. This course also emphasizes ethical principles and values in the field of medical genetics.
Course number and code: MCLS 613
Course name: Advanced Immunology
Number of units: 1
Course description:
This course provides comprehensive advanced knowledge of the biology of the immune system, advanced immunology of a wide range of immune-mediated diseases, and in-depth instruction in basic concepts and clinical practices.
Course number and code: MCLS 612
Course name: Molecular Diagnostics
Number of units: 2
Course description:
This course provides a comprehensive understanding of the basic principles of clinical molecular diagnostics and explores the use of molecular techniques in disease diagnosis. It describes the principles of modern techniques used in biomolecular diagnostics, with an emphasis on biomedical molecular biology. It also covers advanced molecular techniques for disease diagnosis, gene mapping (genome), identification and amplification techniques used in infectious diseases, nucleic acid alteration (mutation), genetic fingerprinting, components of a molecular laboratory, and evaluation of controls to validate the results obtained.
Course number and code: MCLS 611
Course title: Pathophysiology
Number of units: 1
Course description:
This course provides students with a basic understanding of the mechanisms by which physiological processes change. Understanding the development of disease requires knowledge of the basic structure and function of body systems. Throughout the course, students should become familiar with the major disorders affecting major functional systems, including the cardiovascular, hepatic, and renal systems, and their failure states.
Course Number and Code: MCLS 617
Course Name: Research Seminar
Number of Units: 1
Course Description:
The seminar is a core course that engages students in cross-curricular conversations that explore the complexities of academic and real-world topics and issues through the analysis of divergent perspectives. Students learn how to synthesize information from multiple sources, develop their own perspectives in written essays, and design and deliver oral and visual presentations. Ultimately, the course aims to equip students with the strength to accurately analyze and evaluate information in order to formulate and communicate evidence-based arguments.
Course number and code: MCLS 616
Course name: Advanced Biostatistics
Number of units: 2
Course description:
This course covers the basic and advanced principles of biostatistics. The course will focus in particular on specific tools for describing data sets graphically and numerically; methods for inferring population means and proportions from sample data; statistical hypothesis testing and their application to group comparisons; issues of power and sample size in study designs; and various study designs.
Course number and code: MCLS 623
Course name: Advanced Medical Parasitology
Number of units: 3
Course description:
In this course, students will learn specific topics that explain the epidemiology, pathogenesis, immunopathology, diagnosis, and management of parasitic infections. It also covers advanced topics that describe concepts related to vectors, vector-borne diseases, and demographic and descriptive epidemiology.
Course number and code: MCLS 622
Course name: Medical Virology
Number of units: 2
Course description:
Students in this course will gain a broad and in-depth knowledge of viruses causing human disease, including modern classification, protein and genomic structure, replication mechanisms, molecular pathogenesis, immune evasion strategies, diagnostic principles, epidemiology, and control of viral infections.
Course number and code: MCLS 621
Course name: Medical Bacteriology
Number of units: 3
Course description:
This course provides students with advanced knowledge of bacterial pathogens, clinical significance, laboratory testing, and treatment of infectious diseases. Students will explore in-depth the medically important Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains. They will also gain an understanding of infectious diseases caused by mycobacteria and Helicobacter pylori.
Course number and code: MCLS 618
Course name: Scientific Research Methods
Number of units: 1
Course description:
This course will enable students to understand the meaning, concepts, and types of scientific research. They will learn the elements of formulating a general question about a research area and designing and conducting research in a goal-oriented manner. Students will learn methods for collecting, measuring, and analyzing quantitative and qualitative data in a broad sense (both in experimental and non-experimental settings). Students will also acquire skills in searching literature sources relevant to their research, analyzing and interpreting data, and writing and presenting research. The course will emphasize the importance of ethical considerations and the research approval process.
The course Applies advanced experiments and techniques in medical Microbiology Practices, Analyze the critically and different problems and challenges in order to achieve accurate and reliable results in diagnosis of microbial disease causative agents, Show personal integrity, respect and honesty by following ethical standards, dealing with Patients, Demonstrate leadership skills, collaboration, team teamwork and handle the situations calmly.
Course number and code: MCLS 625
Course title: Advanced Medical Mycology
Number of units: 2
Course description:
This course focuses on advanced knowledge of the pathophysiology of fungal infections, clinical significance, laboratory testing, and treatment. The course will particularly focus on current methods used for fungal identification and diagnosis of fungal diseases.
Course number and code: MCLS 624
Course name: Antimicrobial Agents
Number of units: 2
Course description:
This course provides students with content related to antimicrobial agents; the mode of action of clinically relevant antimicrobial agents; mechanisms of drug resistance; and the isolation and identification of organisms resistant to new antibiotics.
Course number and code: MCLS 620
Course name: Infection Control and Prevention
Number of units: 2
Course description:
This course provides students with advanced knowledge and skills in infection prevention and control in current healthcare practice, which impacts all patient care activities in healthcare settings. Infection prevention and control, including the prevention of infectious diseases and the spread of antimicrobial resistance, is an essential component of healthcare quality and patient safety. In this course, students will learn how and why healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) occur and how this course can reduce their risk and spread. An effective course involves building a program with all healthcare professionals (HCP) playing their part in preventing the spread of pathogens and antimicrobial resistance.
Course number and code: MCLS 619
Course name: Research Proposal
Number of units: 1
Course description:
The course will enable students to write individual laboratory research proposals for a research project to obtain ethical approval. Students will learn about planning, selecting research, and proper ethics. The research proposal will be prepared in the chosen specialized track (microbiology, hematology, or clinical chemistry) under the supervision of a faculty member and will be submitted for approval by the scientific committee.
The course will have individualized laboratory research and thesis preparation for master's degree students. The master’s thesis will be carried out under the supervision of a faculty member, and the work must represent an original contribution to the medical laboratory sciences. The course practically applies the students' knowledge, skills, and ethics in the research course. The students must submit the completed thesis to a committee and successfully defend it according to the master’s studies regulations.