Effective Fall 2024, the Cytotechnology submajor has suspended admission.  

Students in the Biomedical Sciences major are awarded a Bachelor of Science degree upon completion of all requirements. Students choose from one of the following seven areas or submajors:

  • Medical Laboratory Science
  • Biomedical Science
  • Cytotechnology
  • Radiologic Technology
  • Diagnostic Medical Sonography
  • Diagnostic Imaging (degree completion program)
  • Health Science (degree completion program)
  • Public Health Microbiology

All students will be required to comply with a background check, drug screen, and maintain health insurance during the professional training experience.

Cytotechnology

Cytotechnologists examine human cells under the microscope, looking for early signs of cancer or other diseases. When abnormal cells are detected, the cytotechnologist works with a pathologist to arrive at a final diagnosis. Students enrolled in the Cytotechnology Program will complete their senior year of professional clinical training at the UW / State Lab of Hygiene in Madison.

Effective Fall 2024, the Cytotechnology submajor has suspended admission. 

Requirements

Students in the Biomedical Sciences major are awarded a Bachelor of Science degree upon completion of all requirements. All students, with the exception of students in the Diagnostic Imaging or Health Sciences degree completion program, will be required to comply with a background check and maintain health insurance during the professional training experience.

The process of application to the professional training occurs at the end of the first semester of the junior year.

The minimum degree requirement is 120 credits including the following. Entry into professional training is competitive and dependent upon completing the requirements below. The program will attempt to place all students who meet academic requirements but cannot guarantee that every student will be placed in a clinical rotation.

  1. Completion of UWM's General Education Requirements (GER);
  2. A cumulative UWM minimum grade point average of 2.5;
  3. A cumulative minimum grade point average of 2.5 in specific, required science courses;
  4. Completion of:
    1. all required courses and electives (87 credits) through the second semester of junior year for students pursuing Cytotechnology, or Medical Laboratory Science;
    2. all required courses and electives (114 credits) through the first semester of senior year for students pursuing Public Health Microbiology; and
  5. A grade of C or better in all junior-level courses.

Students who meet these minimum requirements for entry into professional training will be evaluated on the basis of their science GPA for placement at one of the training sites.

To remain eligible to continue in the professional training, students must earn a grade of C or better in all senior-level courses.

Degree Requirements

University Core
Competency Requirements
Oral and Written Communication (OWC) Part A & B
Quantitative Literacy (QL) Part A & B
Foreign Language
Distribution Requirements
Arts3
Cultural Diversity3
Humanities6
Natural Sciences6
Social Sciences6
Biomedical Science Core
BIO SCI 150Foundations of Biological Sciences I 14
BIO SCI 202Anatomy and Physiology I 14
BIO SCI 203Anatomy and Physiology II 14
BIO SCI 325Genetics 14
BIO SCI 383General Microbiology 14
BMS 205Introduction to Diagnostic Medicine3
BMS 301
BMS 302
BMS 303
BMS 304
BMS 305
Human Pathophysiology: Fundamentals
and Human Pathophysiology: Organ Systems I
and Human Pathophysiology: Organ Systems II
and Human Pathophysiology: Organ Systems III
and Human Pathophysiology: Organ Systems IV 1
5
BMS 427Clinical Immunology 13
BMS 428Clinical Immunology Laboratory 11
BMS 534Medical Microbiology3
BMS 535Medical Microbiology Laboratory2
BMS 536Applied Clinical Microbiology2
BMS 537Medical Parasitology and Mycology2
BMS 560Molecular and Genetic Diagnostics2
BMS 561Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory1
CHEM 102General Chemistry 15
CHEM 104General Chemistry and Qualitative Analysis 15
CHEM 341Introductory Survey of Organic Chemistry 13
CHEM 342Introductory Organic Chemistry Laboratory 12
CHEM 501Introduction to Biochemistry 13
HS 224Computational Tools for Healthcare Professionals3
KIN 270Statistics in the Health Professions: Theory and Practice3
1

 Course counts towards a student's science GPA.

Pre-Clinical Requirements

The junior year for students pursuing the Cytotechnology, or Medical Laboratory Science submajor consists primarily of pre-clinical courses, and the senior year is a 12-month professional training experience.

Medical Laboratory Science and Cytotechnology students must be prepared for full-time study (40 hours per week) that could also require additional study time at night and on weekends.

BMS 101Introduction to Clinical Laboratory Sciences 22
BMS 205Introduction to Diagnostic Medicine 23
BMS 420Clinical Hematology3
BMS 421Introduction To Hematology Laboratory1
BMS 431Clinical Chemistry3
BMS 432Clinical Chemistry Laboratory Theory & Operations1
BMS 521Applied Clinical Hematology2
BMS 522Hemostasis1
BMS 534Medical Microbiology3
BMS 535Medical Microbiology Laboratory2
BMS 536Applied Clinical Microbiology2
BMS 537Medical Parasitology and Mycology2
BMS 541Urinalysis1
BMS 542Applied Clinical Chemistry2
BMS 560Molecular and Genetic Diagnostics2
BMS 561Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory1
2

BMS 101 and BMS 205 are highly recommended but not required.

Cytotechnology Submajor Requirements

BMS 501Introduction to Cytotechnology1
BMS 575Cytology of the Female Genital Tract - I4
BMS 576Cytology of the Female Genital Tract - II4
BMS 577Cytology of the Respiratory Tract3
BMS 578Cytology of the Gastrointestinal and the Genito-Urinary Tract2
BMS 579Cytology of Effusions and the Central Nervous System3
BMS 580Aspiration Cytology4
BMS 581Special Procedures in Cytology1
BMS 582Cytology of the Breast1
BMS 583Cytology Preparation Techniques1
BMS 586Cytology Lab Operations and Quality Control1
BMS 587Research Methods in Cytology1
BMS 588Diagnostic Microscopy in Cytology5
Students apply to be admitted to the State Hygiene Lab in Madison, WI for their clinical rotations.

Biomedical Sciences Requirements

Plan of Study Grid
Year 1
Semester 1Credits
BIO SCI 202 Anatomy and Physiology I 4
BMS 101 Introduction to Clinical Laboratory Sciences 1 2
BMS 205 Introduction to Diagnostic Medicine 1 3
CHEM 102 General Chemistry 5
GER Elective: Arts 3
 Credits17
Semester 2
BIO SCI 203 Anatomy and Physiology II 4
CHEM 104 General Chemistry and Qualitative Analysis 5
HS 224 Computational Tools for Healthcare Professionals 3
GER Elective: Humanities 3
 Credits15
Year 2
Semester 1
BIO SCI 150 Foundations of Biological Sciences I 4
BMS 301 Human Pathophysiology: Fundamentals 1
BMS 302 Human Pathophysiology: Organ Systems I 1
BMS 303 Human Pathophysiology: Organ Systems II 1
CHEM 341 Introductory Survey of Organic Chemistry 3
CHEM 342 Introductory Organic Chemistry Laboratory 2
ENGLISH 207 Health Science Writing (OWCB) 2 3
 Credits15
Semester 2
BIO SCI 325 Genetics 4
BMS 304 Human Pathophysiology: Organ Systems III 1
BMS 305 Human Pathophysiology: Organ Systems IV 1
KIN 270 Statistics in the Health Professions: Theory and Practice (QLB) 3
GER Elective: Social Science 3
GER Elective: Social Science 3
 Credits15
Year 3
Semester 1
BIO SCI 383 General Microbiology 4
BMS 427 Clinical Immunology 3
BMS 428 Clinical Immunology Laboratory 1
CHEM 501 Introduction to Biochemistry 3
GER Elective: Humanities 3
 Credits14
Semester 2
BMS 420 Clinical Hematology 3
BMS 421 Introduction To Hematology Laboratory 1
BMS 431 Clinical Chemistry 3
BMS 432 Clinical Chemistry Laboratory Theory & Operations 1
BMS 534 Medical Microbiology 3
BMS 535 Medical Microbiology Laboratory 2
BMS 560 Molecular and Genetic Diagnostics 2
BMS 561 Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory 1
 Credits16
Year 4
Summer
BMS 521 Applied Clinical Hematology 2
BMS 522 Hemostasis 1
BMS 536 Applied Clinical Microbiology 2
BMS 537 Medical Parasitology and Mycology 2
BMS 541 Urinalysis 1
BMS 542 Applied Clinical Chemistry 2
 Credits10
 Total Credits102
1

BMS 101 and BMS 205 are highly recommended but not required.

2

ENGLISH 207 is required for students without any credit prior to Fall 2013.

Cytotechnology Submajor Requirements

Plan of Study Grid
Year 4
Semester 1Credits
BMS 501 Introduction to Cytotechnology 1
BMS 575 Cytology of the Female Genital Tract - I 4
BMS 576 Cytology of the Female Genital Tract - II 4
BMS 577 Cytology of the Respiratory Tract 3
 Credits12
Semester 2
BMS 578 Cytology of the Gastrointestinal and the Genito-Urinary Tract 2
BMS 579 Cytology of Effusions and the Central Nervous System 3
BMS 580 Aspiration Cytology 4
BMS 581 Special Procedures in Cytology 1
BMS 582 Cytology of the Breast 1
BMS 586 Cytology Lab Operations and Quality Control 1
 Credits12
 Total Credits24

Honors in the Major

Honors in the major are granted to students who earn a GPA of 3.500 or above on a minimum of 30 completed credits at UWM.

College of Health Professions and Sciences Dean's Honor List

GPA of 3.500 or above, earned on a full-time student's GPA on 12 or more graded credits in a given semester.

Honors College Degree and Honors College Degree with Distinction

Granted to graduating seniors who complete Honors College requirements, as listed in the Honors College section of this site.

Commencement Honors

Students with a cumulative GPA of 3.500 or above, based on a minimum of 40 graded UWM credits earned prior to the final semester, will receive all-university commencement honors and be awarded the traditional gold cord at the December or May Honors Convocation. Please note that for honors calculation, the GPA is not rounded and is truncated at the third decimal (e.g., 3.499).

Final Honors

Earned on a minimum of 60 graded UWM credits: Cum Laude - 3.500 or above; Magna Cum Laude - 3.650 or above; Summa Cum Laude - 3.800 or above.