School of Health and Life Sciences

Medical Laboratory Technology

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As a registered medical laboratory technologist, you will assist in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease. In this program the focus will be on the analysis of human blood and body fluids for microorganisms and cellular and chemical components. Compatibility testing of blood and blood products, plus preparation of tissue samples for microscopic examination.

Sep 01, 2023

Quick Facts

Credential: Diploma

Diplomas are credit programs that take 2 to 3 years and lead to government approved and industry-recognized credentials.

Campus: Main

Any in-person components of your courses will be delivered at NAIT's Main Campus in Edmonton. View map

Delivery Options:

  • Both On-Campus and Virtual - Some of your coursework will be in-person, on campus and some will be done online.

Length: 2 Years

With a typical full-time course load, this program will take 2 Years to complete.

Open Studies: Available

This program has courses that are available for Open Studies. Open Studies allows you to explore credit courses without applying to a program. It is an opportunity to get a feel for school and what program you want to be in. View courses

International Students: Accepted

This program accepts international students, however, program availability may be limited. Check program availability for this term. This program also meets the eligibility for the Post-Graduation Work Permit program. Each student is responsible for maintaining their eligibility throughout their studies.

Grad Employment Rate

Employment rates are reported by NAIT alumni, are for information purposes, and do not guarantee future employment opportunities. Please note that data for newer programs may not be included within this report.

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Median Starting Salary: $68,470

Salaries are reported by NAIT alumni, are for information purposes, and are not a guarantee of future income.

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Work Integrated Learning: Clinical Placement

This program has Work Integrated Learning (WIL). WIL is a form of experiential learning that integrates academic studies with relevant work-based learning. Experiences are directly tied to curriculum and part of an approved program of study.

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Hands-on, industry-relevant training

Medical Laboratory Technology (MLT) focuses on the analysis of human blood, body fluids and tissues, with students learning a variety of skills to become entry level professionals. This program includes general laboratory related courses with progression to discipline specific courses in Microbiology, Transfusion Science, Hematology, Clinical Chemistry, and Histotechnology while at NAIT.

Upon completion of courses at NAIT, students progress to affiliated clinical sites where they will train alongside registered medical laboratory technologists (MLT’s) and have the ability to apply the knowledge and skills learned at NAIT.  Students will also continue to develop their organizational, critical thinking, communication and professionalism skills. Clinical training (Work integrated learning – WIL) takes place at multiple locations and students should plan to be able to travel to sites within about a one-hour radius of their assigned clinical (WIL) site. Shifts during clinical will include days, evenings and weekends.

Classroom and study hours

Students can expect to spend on average:

  • Phase 1: 49 weeks at NAIT Main Campus with 30-35 hours per week of blended (virtual and in-person) classes and labs.  Additionally, students can expect to spend 20-25 hours per week studying and completing assignments.

  • Phase 2: 38 weeks of clinical placement (approx. 40 hours per week including early shifts, late shifts, and weekend shifts). Completion of IPHE1201 in the first 15 weeks of training is also required.
  • As part of the NAIT MLT Program, all students are required to complete a clinical training (WIL) component at affiliated laboratories in Alberta. The MLT program will attempt to place students in their first-choice clinical site, however, this may not be feasible. Students will be provided with their clinical training site prior to the start of the program and sites are not changed.
MLT student

Program goals

  • Teaching students how to provide quality patient care by being introduced to:
    • How to work safely in a level II containment laboratory
    • How to collect and process specimens for analysis
    • How to analyze, interpret & report quality laboratory results
    • How to think critically and how to communicate and collaborate inter-professionally
  • Teaching students the professional responsibility of a registered MLT, including scope of practice, ethics, accountability, and professional development.
  • Preparing students for clinical training by providing theoretical knowledge and hands-on experiences
  • Preparing students for the CSMLS national certification exam

Program phases

The MLT program is divided into two phases where students will learn and practice the skills required to be a registered MLT 

  • Phase I of the Medical Laboratory Technology program begins every September and consists of 49 weeks of classroom instruction with related practical laboratory sessions on NAIT Main Campus. This includes (two) 15-week semesters, (one) 4-week intersession, followed by one additional 15-week semester.
  • Phase II consists of 38 weeks of Work Integrated Learning (WIL) at one of three affiliated training sites in Edmonton, Grande Prairie or Red Deer. WIL provides practical experience in a variety of clinical settings. Emphasis is placed on practical application of concepts studied at NAIT and on development of organizational, critical thinking, and professionalism skills.

Open Studies Pathway

You now have an additional pathway to the School of Health and Life Sciences at NAIT. Complete one or more select Open Studies courses to be guaranteed a program entrance interview.

Pushing the limits of simulation training

NAIT's Simulation Centre re-creates the real world of health-care careers

Keeping it Real

From practicing on high-fidelity manikins to learning on the latest software, watch how NAIT students practice the best patient care.

A new frontier in hands-on health-care training

CAE Healthcare and NAIT have entered a simulation research partnership to improve health-care education and patient safety, including support for the polytechnic's simulation research initiatives.

Mauro Chies

NAIT alum Mauro Chies receives honorary degree for a unique focus on the well-being of Albertans.

Want to learn more about this program?

Thank you for your interest! We want to get you in contact with the right person to answer your questions.

Please contact the Student Service Centre for general inquiries such as:

  • Student application support
  • Program entrance requirements, tuition & fees, and how to apply
  • Program admissions process
  • Enrolment support
  • Student funding options
  • Fee and refund inquiries
  • General program and course withdrawal procedures
  • Navigating nait.ca and MyNAITPortal

Contact Student Service Centre

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The personal information on this form is being collected under the authority of the Post-secondary Learning Act and section 33(c) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP). The information will be protected by the provisions of FOIP, and will be used for the purpose of registration and administration of the event. If you have any questions or concerns about the collection, use, security or disclosure of the personal information, please contact General Council at 780.471.7664 or legal@nait.ca.

MLT student drawing blood

Career Outcomes

Build your resume before you even graduate

Explore work experience opportunities that help grads get hired even sooner.

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Work Experience Placements

Courses and Advanced Credit

Current and recently admitted students can find information and updates about their program on their My Program page in the MyNAIT Portal. To monitor your course progress and the courses still needed to graduate, visit your Academic Progress Report.

Advanced Credit

You may apply for advanced credit once you have been accepted into the program. Advanced credit can be Transfer Credit (for completed post-secondary courses) or PLAR (Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition).

Transfer Credit

In addition to the common guidelines outlined on the Transfer and Credit Options section, your program has other advanced credit requirements that are applied to each request including:

  • You must have completed the course or program no more than 2 year(s) ago unless a formalized articulation agreement is in place
  • You must have a minimum mark of C- in the course(s) or program

Read more about advanced credit or contact us about applying for credit for this program.

Courses

Expand each course below to see details about credits, requisites, scheduling, and more.

Tuition & Fees

Scholarships & Awards

The following scholarships and/or bursaries are available to you as a student in this program. To access your opportunities, visit the Student Portal.

Admission Requirements

Want to learn more about this program?

Thank you for your interest! We want to get you in contact with the right person to answer your questions. If you are a current or recently admitted student you can find program and course information as well as contact details for your program on the My Program page on the MyNAIT Portal.

General inquiries

Please contact the Student Service Centre for general inquiries such as:

  • Student application support
  • Program entrance requirements, tuition & fees, and how to apply
  • Program admissions process
  • Enrolment support
  • Student funding options
  • Fee and refund inquiries
  • General program and course withdrawal procedures
  • Navigating nait.ca and MyNAITPortal

Contact Student Service Centre

Program-specific questions

Please fill out the form below if you have any program-specific questions relating to:

  • Program details
  • Work-integrated learning and cooperative education
  • Advance credit and Prior Learning Assessment & Recognition (PLAR)
  • Program and course withdrawal



The personal information on this form is being collected under the authority of the Post-secondary Learning Act and section 33(c) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP). The information will be protected by the provisions of FOIP, and will be used for the purpose of registration and administration of the event. If you have any questions or concerns about the collection, use, security or disclosure of the personal information, please contact General Council at 780.471.7664 or legal@nait.ca.

Apply to NAIT

Learn how to register through Alberta Post-Secondary Application System (APAS) or begin the application process.

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