Bachelor of Science
Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences, B.S.

Prepare for health sciences careers in clinical laboratory science, diagnostic or treatment settings with a clinical and diagnostic sciences degree that combines high-tech knowledge with a human touch.

Oakland University’s Bachelor of Science in Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences program equips you for a wide variety of health science careers. You’ll develop well-refined interpersonal skills that help you succeed, regardless of the path you choose.

Our clinical and diagnostic sciences degree program will prepare you for immediate employment in clinical laboratories, imaging clinics and treatment centers. Earning your Bachelor of Science degree is also an excellent first step toward becoming a doctor, pharmacist, physician assistant or other clinical professional. 

At Oakland, you’ll gain a level of hands-on experience that’s rare in an undergraduate laboratory science degree program, learning advanced techniques and technologies used by clinical laboratory scientists and health care providers. Our School of Health Sciences students routinely have job offers waiting for them at graduation, and they have a stellar track record of postgraduate admissions — including a 98 percent acceptance rate to medical school.

Oakland University’s Bachelor of Science in Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences program equips you for a wide variety of health science careers. You’ll develop well-refined interpersonal skills that help you succeed, regardless of the path you choose.

Our clinical and diagnostic sciences degree program will prepare you for immediate employment in clinical laboratories, imaging clinics and treatment centers. Earning your Bachelor of Science degree is also an excellent first step toward becoming a doctor, pharmacist, physician assistant or other clinical professional. 

At Oakland, you’ll gain a level of hands-on experience that’s rare in an undergraduate laboratory science degree program, learning advanced techniques and technologies used by clinical laboratory scientists and health care providers. Our School of Health Sciences students routinely have job offers waiting for them at graduation, and they have a stellar track record of postgraduate admissions — including a 98 percent acceptance rate to medical school.

Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences Degree: The Oakland University Advantage

Whether you work in a clinical laboratory science setting or face to face with patients, it takes more than scientific expertise to excel in the health sciences. Our clinical and diagnostic sciences degree combines high-tech knowledge with a human touch, reflecting the health care industry’s growing emphasis on compassionate, patient-centered care. You’ll develop well-refined interpersonal skills that help you succeed, regardless of what health sciences career path you choose.

Students in our Bachelor of Science in Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences program enjoy a number of advantages, including:

  • Academic flexibility. The program offers seven specialized tracks that align with specific career pathways. Choose the pre-clinical professions specialization if you want to continue to medical, dentistry or veterinary school. For those students who wish to attend Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) programs, choose the pre-pharmacy sciences specialization; for those who want to continue to physician assistant (PA) programs, choose the pre-physician assistant track. If you’re interested in other health sciences careers, you can specialize in histotechnology, nuclear medicine, radiologic technology or medical laboratory science. 
  • Career opportunities. The health sciences workforce is rapidly expanding, and Oakland has a reputation for educating well-prepared professionals. Our clinical and diagnostic sciences graduates enjoy high rates of job placement and graduate school admissions. Many of our students have job offers waiting for them at graduation.
  • Clinical and research experience. Our health sciences students participate in scientific research at a deep level that’s usually reserved for graduate students — a particular benefit if you’re planning to apply to medical or dental school. You’ll also gain hands-on experience in diagnostic labs and imaging clinics, gaining valuable workplace experience that stands out in the job market.
  • Pathway to postgraduate schools. Oakland University’s School of Health Sciences students excel in grad school acceptance because they’re exceptionally well-rounded. In addition to high levels of academic achievement, they have real-world experience, professional polish and maturity that stands out.
  • Supportive faculty. You’ll receive extensive faculty attention in our clinical and diagnostic sciences program. Most classes are taught by full-time instructors (not adjuncts or grad students), and small class sizes allow you to form strong relationships with professors. Our faculty share knowledge that goes far beyond the classroom, offering career guidance and mentorship that can have an impact long after you’ve graduated.

What Can You Do With Your Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences Degree?

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects an increase of more than 2 million health sciences jobs over the next decade. Many types of organizations employ clinical and diagnostic sciences majors, including hospitals, long-term care facilities, independent laboratories, radiological clinics and private medical practices.

Our clinical and diagnostic sciences degree program prepares you for a wide variety of health science careers. You may choose to pursue a career path as a:

  • Clinical pathologist
  • Dentist
  • Forensic laboratory scientist
  • Genetic technologist
  • Histotechnologist
  • Clinical laboratory scientist
  • Nuclear medicine technologist
  • Optometrist
  • Pharmacist
  • Physician
  • Physician assistant
  • Radiologic technologist
  • Veterinarian

Top Courses for Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences Students

The clinical and diagnostic sciences degree offers seven distinct specializations. The pre-professional specialization caters to students who seek future admission to medical, dentistry, physician assistant or veterinary school. The histotechnology and medical laboratory science tracks prepare you for lab careers, while the nuclear medicine and radiologic technology tracks equip you to work directly with patients for specialized diagnostic procedures and treatments.

While each track has distinct course content, all incorporate core diagnostic and clinical science coursework in:

  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Contemporary issues in health care
  • Health care law and values
  • Health science careers
  • Human anatomy
  • Medical terminology
  • Physiology
  • Statistics

Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences Program Resources

Programs Related to the Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences Degree

Not sure if our Bachelor of Science in Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences degree is right for you? Check out these other undergraduate programs at Oakland and contact our admissions team to discuss your options:

Current Clinical and Diagnostic Science Internships