Histotechnology

The program follows Keiser University's one-class-at-a-time model, with each course delivered in an accelerated four-week term and new classes starting every month. The Associate of Science in Histotechnology totals approximately 67 credit hours and can typically be completed in about 19 months, depending on the individual student's schedule and any transfer credit.

Coursework combines lecture, extensive supervised time in the student histology laboratory, and a required clinical externship completed at affiliated pathology laboratories. Because the externship and laboratory courses build sequentially on earlier science and technique courses, students must maintain satisfactory academic progress to advance through the professional (core) phase of the program. The program is offered on campus in Orlando, Florida.

The curriculum pairs general education and biological science coursework with the professional histotechnology core, covering tissue fixation, microtomy, routine and special staining, immunohistochemistry, diagnostic histology, and tissue identification, and culminating in a supervised clinical externship. Representative courses are listed below.

Required Courses

Tuition at Keiser University is charged per 16-week semester according to the number of credit hours scheduled. For full-time enrollment (12-17.99 credits), tuition is approximately $12,408 per semester (per Keiser's Undergraduate Tuition & Fee Disclosure; subject to annual review). Based on the program's 67 credit hours completed over roughly five full-time semesters, estimated total tuition is approximately $62,000. Enrollment also carries a one-time $55 application fee and a one-time $145 registration fee. As a laboratory-intensive health sciences program, Histotechnology may include additional course-specific resource or lab fees; students should confirm current amounts with Financial Services, as specific fee figures are not published on the program page.

Financial aid is available to those who qualify and may include: federal Pell Grants, FSEOG, Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans, Direct PLUS Loans, and Federal Work-Study; Florida state aid such as the Florida Student Assistance Grant (FSAG) and EASE; institutional scholarships; and veterans' and military education benefits. Keiser University's FAFSA School Code is 015159, and the FAFSA must be completed each year. Prospective students can estimate their costs using Keiser's Net Price Calculator at https://www.keiseruniversity.edu/NPC-index.html.

Estimated total program tuition of about $62,040 (full-time semesters at ~$12,408/semester); actual cost varies with pace and transfer credit.

Graduates are prepared for entry-level roles as histologic technicians in a variety of anatomic pathology and laboratory settings, including:

• Hospital histology and surgical pathology laboratories
• Reference and clinical diagnostic laboratories
• Dermatopathology laboratories
• Research, pharmaceutical, and biotechnology laboratories
• Veterinary and other specialized pathology laboratories

Upon completing this NAACLS-accredited program, graduates are eligible to sit for the national Histotechnician (HT) certification examination administered by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Board of Certification, and to pursue Florida state licensure as a histologic technician.

Expect a focused, laboratory-intensive program that moves quickly through one course at a time in four-week terms. Early in the program you'll build a foundation in biological sciences, anatomy and physiology, and chemistry, then advance into the professional core where much of your time is spent in the student histology lab learning to operate microtomes, cryostats, tissue processors, and staining equipment.

You will develop precise, detail-oriented technical skills such as embedding tissue, cutting thin sections, and performing routine and special stains and immunohistochemistry. The program culminates in a supervised clinical externship at an affiliated pathology laboratory, where you apply your skills in a real production environment under experienced histotechnicians. Because externship placements involve patient specimens, expect to complete a background check, drug screening, and required health clearances, and to demonstrate the manual dexterity, visual acuity, and stamina the role requires.