A baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution is required. At least one year of post-baccalaureate employment experience in a health profession is encouraged before applying for admission. Allied health professionals in the MHS program must hold or be eligible for certification and/or licensure in their individual disciplines.

All applicants must take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). A combined assessment of the GRE score(s), academic performance, and, if applicable, evidence of professional achievement will be utilized in review of the application for admission. A minimum composite score of 1,500 on the three component parts of the GRE is required for admission. In addition, a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 on all undergraduate work taken and 3.0 on all professional courses is required. Students may be admitted conditionally or allowed to enroll as special students as defined below under Types of Admission and Special Students.

Applicants who have fulfilled all School of Allied Health Profession (SAHP) requirements as specified above will be eligible for recommendation for admission by the student’s department to the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies. These students will be identified as regular admissions. Any student who scores less than 1,500 and more than 1,300 on the composite GRE and meets all other admission criteria may be admitted on a conditional basis. A student who has been admitted conditionally must take 9 semester-hours for credit toward the MHS degree and maintain a 3.0 GPA before becoming eligible to petition for regular status. TOP

Students who have not fulfilled requirements for admission to the MHS program may be granted permission to register for courses for which they are qualified when recommended by the student’s department. These students are not admitted to the MHS program and are considered to be non-matriculating. All students desiring admission to any course in the MHS program must apply for special student status by completing an admission application form. If a special student chooses to apply for admission and fulfills all admission requirements, the student may count a maximum of 9 semester-hours taken as a special student and completed with a 3.0 or better GPA toward the MHS degree. TOP


ADMISSION PROCEDURE

Applicants for admission to the MHS program, as well as those requesting permission to enroll as special students, must complete application forms provided by the Office of Student Affairs and pay application fees as required by the LSU Health Sciences Center. Student Affairs will send the application to the department to which the student is applying for review and recommendation to the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies, who will notify the applicant of his/her admission to the program or eligibility to register for courses.

Credentials to be included in the MHS application are official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate course work, scores on the GRE, and evidence of certification or licensure. Transcripts must be sent directly to the Office of Student Affairs by the institutions attended. Test scores on the GRE must also be sent directly to Student Affairs by the Educational Testing Service.*

*Educational Testing Service, P.O. Box 955, Princeton, NJ 08540.  TOP

Credit earned at another institution prior to application for admission to the MHS program must be presented for consideration by the appropriate department and by the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies. There is no automatic transfer of credit toward a graduate degree. Candidates for the MHS degree may receive transfer credit for courses taken at institutions other than LSU Health Sciences Center, if those courses serve to enhance the student’s program. Transfer credit toward the degree may not exceed 9 semester-hours. All courses submitted for transfer credit must satisfy subject matter requirements and must have been completed at the graduate level at an acceptable institution. No transfer credit will be granted for grades earned of less than B, and credit is never accepted for correspondence work or continuing education. The department and the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies must approve all requests for transfer credit. TOP

ACADEMIC STANDARDS

A grade point average of 3.0 in all courses taken must be maintained, and no grade of C or lower will be counted toward the MHS degree. All courses in which C grades are earned must be repeated, but grades in repeated courses will be counted in calculation of GPAs. Grades earned at another institution will not be used to compute the cumulative GPA.

The grade of I (Incomplete) indicates that the student has not completed the course for an unavoidable reason that is acceptable to the faculty. A grade of I will be converted to F unless it is removed prior to the deadline for adding courses for credit for the next semester as published in the SAHP calendar. Extensions may be granted in special circumstances with the approval of the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies.

The grade of E may be assigned to denote a conditional status in a course and must be accompanied with additional written conditional requirements for completion of the course. Procedures for conversion of the E grade are the same as those stated above for an I grade.

All courses designated as "thesis" will be graded as S (Satisfactory) or U (Unsatisfactory). If a thesis is not completed during a semester of thesis coursework registration, the student will be assigned a grade of IP (In Progress) with no credit hours earned. Upon successful completion of the thesis, all IP grades will be converted to S grades and thesis hours earned recorded on the student’s transcript to be credited toward the degree.

P-F grades may also be used for courses that have been so designated in the catalog. Neither S-U nor P-F grades will be counted in calculating GPAs. TOP

The following requirements pertain to the status of Satisfactory Academic Progress for all students enrolled in the MHS program. Matriculating students must:

1. Maintain a 3.0 GPA each semester;

2. Satisfactorily complete 75% of scheduled coursework each semester; and

3. Satisfactorily complete all degree requirements in not more than 8 years.

Students’ academic progress will be reviewed by their faculty advisers and departmental coordinators each semester. Those students who have not achieved satisfactory progress will be counseled by their faculty advisers and their names will be forwarded to the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies for appropriate action. Appeals may be made in accordance with procedures set forth in the section of this catalog/bulletin entitled "Student Academic Appeals."  TOP

A student who has a cumulative GPA below 3.0 at the end of any semester will be placed on probation. Those students who are on probation for 2 consecutive semesters may be subject to dismissal. Continuation in the program during a second probationary semester must be approved by the Department Head and the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies.  TOP


CURRICULUM

Programs of study are offered through the Departments of Cardiopulmonary Science, Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Occupational Therapy, and Physical Therapy. Program options are available in 4 different areas of Advanced Clinical Skills: Acute Care Sciences, Clinical Diagnostics, Pediatrics, or Rehabilitation Sciences. Within the Clinical Diagnostics track, students may select from one of 4 options: General Clinical Diagnostics, Blood Bank Specialty, Cytogenetics Specialty, or Clinical Laboratory Sciences Professional Curriculum. All options are not necessarily available in each of the participating departments.

The Advanced Clinical Skills options provide the student with the technical skills and conceptual knowledge required to perform as a highly educated provider of professional services. Fifteen (15) semester-hours of the MHS program are comprised of basic and applied science coursework. In addition, all MHS students complete 18 hours of interdisciplinary core coursework. Interdisciplinary core coursework provides instruction in current trends and ethical issues in allied health, professional communication, research methodology, outcome measurement and evaluation, statistical analysis, leadership and education. The thesis requirement involves a minimum of 3 semester-hours and a maximum of 6 semester-hours, for a total of 36 to 39 credits.  TOP

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

The programs of study in each department allow maximum flexibility and opportunity for each student to design a program that will meet the student's professional goals in keeping with the overall objectives of the program. Students may choose a study emphasis from four clinical science tracks: Acute Care Sciences, Clinical Diagnostics, Pediatrics, or Rehabilitation Sciences. Students will be required to develop an appropriate program of study in cooperation with faculty advisers from the student's department and program option.

A minimum of 36 semester-hours of credit will be required for successful completion of the degree requirements. In addition, each student will be required to pass a written and/or oral comprehensive examination. Thesis is required in all options and departments for completion of the degree requirements. Before beginning thesis study, each student must successfully complete the comprehensive examination. Other policies and procedures related to the comprehensive examination and thesis are provided to students in the "MHS Student Handbook." Specific programs are based on curricula whose content and skills are taught through classroom settings, seminars, independent study, and internships to provide for experiential and as well more traditional modes of learning.

Private and public agencies and health care providers at the local, state, and federal levels are utilized in cooperative ways to establish programs reflective of the diverse settings within the allied health professions. Successful completion of the program is contingent upon demonstrated competencies as well as successful completion of all required course offerings.  TOP