Overview 2023
Location
Location
View archived years for this course
For years prior to 2015, please view the Course and Unit Handbook Archive
View the current year's course page
Prepare yourself to work in specialised medical and pathology laboratories that provide essential diagnostic services. You'll gain knowledge and a variety of practical laboratory skills in clinical chemistry, haematology, blood transfusion science, microbiology, histopathology, human molecular biology, immunology and more.
This course prepares you for your future career by including hands-on laboratory experience where each unit contains an average of three hours of practical laboratory experience per week.
In your final semester, you’ll participate in a Professional Experience Placement (PEP). This work-integrated learning approach allows you to practice newly acquired skills, behaviours and knowledge in a workplace environment, immersing you in a professional healthcare setting to gain a better understanding of the roles of professionals within the health care system.
If you choose the Professional Experience Sequence, you will undertake your professional experience placement in host laboratories on mainland Australia (outside of Tasmania).
Learning Outcomes
Practical experience
Professional Experience Placement
If you select the Professional Experience Stream, your studies will include compulsory Professional Experience Placements.
Safety in Practice Compliance
All students enrolling in College of Health and Medicine programs which include a Professional Experience Placement component, laboratory and/or field activity are required to establish and maintain their capacity to practice safely via Safety in Practice Requirements documentation. Please note, students in Laboratory Medicine courses are required to either provide evidence of immunity to Hepatitis B or administration of at least the first dose of a three dose course of Hepatitis B vaccination, by the start of the second week of their degree. Students must bring all documentation relating to Hepatitis B vaccination and immunity (in English) with them when they commence the course. Details on Hepatitis B vaccination and immunity can be found here.
Career outcomes
You'll gain knowledge and a variety of practical laboratory skills in clinical chemistry, haematology, blood transfusion science, microbiology, histopathology, human molecular biology, immunology and more.
A wide range of career options open to medical laboratory scientists, especially in hospital clinical and pathology laboratories, private pathology services, blood transfusion services, veterinary pathology laboratories, and public health laboratories. Other areas of employment are found in universities and diagnostic companies.
You may also choose to pursue further postgraduate training in biomedical research, leading to potential career options in research organisations.
Professional Accreditation
The Master of Laboratory Medicine is a professionally accredited degree. This course is accredited by the Australian Institute of Medical and Clinical Scientists (AIMS).
Graduates meet the requirements for Graduate membership of AIMS and can progress to full membership on the completion of 2-years postgraduate medical laboratory experience. For further membership requirements, please visit the Australian Institute of Medical and Clinical Scientists website.
If you have any queries about the accreditation process, please contact us for further information.
Course structure
The Master of Laboratory Medicine provides you with core learning and skill development in all relevant laboratory medicine disciplines including clinical chemistry, haematology, blood transfusion science, genomics, microbiology, histopathology, human molecular biology.
In your final semester, you will undertake the 16-week Professional Experience Placement where you can practise your newly acquired skills, behaviours and knowledge in a workplace environment.
Year 1
Year One - First study period (all students commence in Semester Two)
The unit accommodates students with varied prior knowledge of molecular biology with an introductory module on basic molecular biology concepts and then focuses on medical molecular genetics, providing detailed study of genetic mutations, inheritance patterns of genetic diseases and laboratory…
Credit Points: 12.5
Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Launceston | Semester 2 |
In Haematology 1, you will study blood, the blood-forming organs, and blood diseases, including the aetiology, diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, and prevention of blood diseases such as leukaemia, anaemia, haemophilia and deep vein thrombosis. In the first half of the unit…
Credit Points: 12.5
Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Launceston | Semester 2 |
In this unit you will explore how bacterial characteristics can be used as part of an identification strategy in a clinical microbiology laboratory. Module 1 examines how bacteria regulate their behaviour, communicate and multiply using various metabolic & genetic regulation…
Credit Points: 12.5
Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Launceston | Semester 2 |
View all details for CXA641 General and Medical Microbiology
The unit CXA651, Clinical Chemistry 1 will provide you with a thorough knowledge of: quality assurance, including sources of error; use and establishment of reference ranges; collection, preservation, transportation and storage of specimens for analysis and the preparation of laboratory…
Credit Points: 12.5
Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Launceston | Semester 2 |
Year One - Second study period
This unit will introduce you to the fundamental theoretical and practical concepts and principles of histology. The unit provides you with an in-depth study of histological methodologies including fixation, decalcification, processing and section cutting of normal tissues and techniques to…
Credit Points: 12.5
Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Launceston | Semester 1 |
In this unit, you will integrate and extend prior knowledge and skills about the laboratory differentiation of normal and abnormal haematological health conditions gained in CXA631 Haematology 1. You will systematically investigate the causes, laboratory investigations and treatment of anaemia…
Credit Points: 12.5
Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Launceston | Semester 1 |
Introduces students to diagnostic medical bacteriology. Skills taught include: processing of clinical specimens, recognition of normal microbiota, identification of pathogens and the undertaking of appropriate antimicrobial susceptibility tests. Students learn: aspects of laboratory safety, epidemiology, pathogenesis and control of infectious…
Credit Points: 12.5
Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Launceston | Semester 1 |
This unit continues from CXA651 and is designed to extend student theoretical and practical knowledge in the field of clinical biochemistry. The unit covers the pathological changes that occur in tissues and cells and how these changes can be detected…
Credit Points: 12.5
Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Launceston | Semester 1 |
Year 2
Year Two - First study period
In this unit you will integrate and apply learning from previous clinical laboratory medicine units, about the diagnosis and management of complex diseases. A whole of laboratory approach is used to explain the relationship between pathology results and the pathology/pathophysiology…
Credit Points: 12.5
This unit is currently unavailable.
This unit develops the pathological processes that underlie various human diseases. You will recognise common pathological conditions. In addition, histopathological methods and microscopic recognition are used to demonstrate bacterial and fungal infections, amyloidosis, pigments andneoplasia. Immunohistochemistry will be studied theoretically…
Credit Points: 12.5
Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Launceston | Semester 2 |
This unit covers the major blood group systems of relevance to human blood transfusion and the theoretical basis of common transfusion testing practices. We explore the donation of blood products and the management of transfusion services and study in detail,…
Credit Points: 12.5
Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Launceston | Semester 2 |
This unit has been designed to systematically introduce the students to the common and diagnostically important fungal, parasitic and viral diseases of major organ systems in humans. The unit content is primarily concerned with laboratory diagnostic aspects of the above…
Credit Points: 12.5
Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Launceston | Semester 2 |
Year Two - Second study period
This is a professional experience placement (PEP) unit, undertaken while off campus in diagnostic pathology laboratories accredited by the National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA), or equivalent. Students develop a holistic view of the role of the diagnostic pathology laboratory…
Credit Points: 12.5
This unit is currently unavailable.
This is a professional experience placement (PEP) unit undertaken off campus in diagnostic pathology laboratories accredited by the National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA), or equivalent. You are subject to the rules and regulations of your host laboratory, supervised by…
Credit Points: 12.5
This unit is currently unavailable.
This is a professional experience placement (PEP) unit, undertaken off campus in diagnostic pathology laboratories accredited by the National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA), or equivalent. Students are subject to the rules and regulations of your host laboratory, supervised by…
Credit Points: 25
This unit is currently unavailable.
Entry requirements
For Domestic students
Applicants must have successfully completed a first degree in Biochemistry, a Medical Science, or Health Science or other related discipline, with a minimum GPA of 5.0 on a 7.0 scale.
Within their completed degree, applicants must have successfully completed study in:
- Biochemistry,
- Physiology, and
- Immunology.
SAFETY IN PRACTICE REQUIREMENTS
All students enrolling in College of Health and Medicine programs which include a Professional Experience Placement component, laboratory and/or field activity are required to establish and maintain their capacity to practice safely via Safety in Practice Requirements documentation. Please note, students in Laboratory Medicine courses are required to either provide evidence of immunity to Hepatitis B or administration of at least the first dose of a three dose course of Hepatitis B vaccination, by the start of the second week of their degree. Students must bring all documentation relating to Hepatitis B vaccination and immunity (in English) with them when they commence the course. Details on Hepatitis B vaccination and immunity can be found here.
For International students
Applicants must have successfully completed a first degree in Biochemistry, a Medical Science, or Health Science or other related discipline, with a minimum GPA of 5.0 on a 7.0 scale.
Within their completed degree, applicants must have successfully completed study in:
- Biochemistry,
- Physiology, and
- Immunology.
IELTS (Academic) - 6.5 average with no individual band less than 6.5. We will accept comparable scores from equivalent English language tests.
SAFETY IN PRACTICE REQUIREMENTS
All students enrolling in College of Health and Medicine programs which include a Professional Experience Placement component, laboratory and/or field activity are required to establish and maintain their capacity to practice safely via Safety in Practice Requirements documentation. Please note, students in Laboratory Medicine courses are required to either provide evidence of immunity to Hepatitis B or administration of at least the first dose of a three dose course of Hepatitis B vaccination, by the start of the second week of their degree. Students must bring all documentation relating to Hepatitis B vaccination and immunity (in English) with them when they commence the course. Details on Hepatitis B vaccination and immunity can be found here.
Credit transfer
Applications for credit can be made in your course application. Find out more information about how to apply for a credit transfer/advanced standing at Recognition of Prior Learning.
Articulation
This course does not currently articulate with any other course.
Fees & scholarships
Domestic students
This is a full-fee course, which means you’ll need to pay the entire amount for your studies. Commonwealth supported places are not available in this postgraduate course. However, there are still support options available for eligible students to help you manage the cost of studying this course.
You may be able to fund all or part of your tuition fees by accessing a FEE-HELP loan from the Australian Government. FEE-HELP is a loan scheme that assists domestic full-fee students to pay for University, which is repaid through the Australian Tax System once you earn above a repayment threshold. This means you’ll only have to start repaying the loan once you start earning above a specific amount.
Our scholarships and prizes program also offers more than 400 scholarships across all areas of study. You can even apply for multiple scholarships in one easy application.
An important note on Youth Allowance and AustudyThe Department of Social Services has approved some accredited and professionally oriented Masters courses for student payments through Youth Allowance or Austudy. This means if you enrol in one of these courses, you may be eligible for student payments. However, please be aware that this is not the case for all Master courses. Please visit our Scholarships, Fees and Costs website for further information.
Further informationDetailed fee information for domestic students is available at Scholarships, fees and costs, including additional information in relation to the compulsory Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF).
Domestic students enrolled in certain postgraduate coursework programs may not be eligible for student payments through Youth Allowance and Austudy. Visit the Department of Social Services website to find out more about eligibility for Centrelink support and the list of eligible courses
International students
2023 Total Course Fee (international students): $ 79,263 AUD *.
Course cost based on a rate of $38,950 AUD per standard, full-time year of study (100 credit points).
* Please note that this is an indicative fee only.
International students
International students are charged the Student Services and Amenities Fee but this fee is incorporated in the annual rate. International students do not have to make any additional SSAF payments.
Scholarships
For information on general scholarships available at the University of Tasmania, please visit the scholarships website.
How can we help?
Do you have any questions about choosing a course or applying? Get in touch.
- Domestic
- 13 8827 (13 UTAS)
- International
- +61 3 6226 6200
- Course.Info@utas.edu.au
- Online
- Online enquiries