Master of Laboratory Medicine
| Duration | 2 years full-time, 4 years part-time |
| Location | Online and |
| Next start term | Term 1, 2024 |
| Study mode | On Campus, Online |
| Course code | CM18 |
Overview
Gain advanced discipline-specific knowledge in medical laboratory science and advance your career with CQUniversity's Master of Laboratory Medicine. You will complete introductory units across core pathology disciplines to provide advanced diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease while developing exemplary communication and professional skills to succeed in this field. Throughout your course, you will benefit from contextual learning experiences and practical training through a combination of an intensive four-week residential school in our Rockhampton medical laboratory and two clinical placements totalling 560 hours. A unique feature of this course is the choice of completing a research stream and studying CQUni's Graduate Certificate of Research to prepare you for undertaking research in your area of expertise, or extending your discipline knowledge and completing either the advanced clinical application or management streams.
Enhance your clinical decision making skills, knowledge and experiences as a laboratory scientist, and open up opportunities for research or leadership within your field of expertise with CQU's Master of Laboratory Medicine. Benefit from the flexibility to tailor your studies to suit your career goals, choosing between advanced clinical application, management, or research streams.
During your course, you will gain advanced theoretical and technical knowledge in the clinical disciplines of laboratory medicine for application in the diagnostic setting. You will build technical and evaluative skills through laboratory and clinical training to assess and implement recommendations for best practice in patient testing and monitoring. This course will enable you to develop an advanced level of communication skill to interact positively with patients and other health professionals ready for the clinical or scientific work environment.
Clinical decision-making and problem-solving abilities are key skills for medical laboratory scientists. You will develop clinical decision-making and problem solving skills through experience in professional practice, clinical case studies and research opportunities. This course features two professional practice units requiring you to complete a total of 560 hours of placement.
Students who are not eligible for advanced standing will be able to refine their laboratory skills by attending a residential school block at our Rockhampton campus, in which travel and accommodation costs are provided for students that are admitted to the Melbourne campus.
Research stream
If you are interested in a pathway to a research higher degree, the research stream allows you to complete CL58 Graduate Certificate of Research as part of the course structure. Alternatively, choosing six advanced clinical application units as part of your studies is an ideal stream for aspiring Senior Clinical Scientists. Our management stream is a great option if you are wanting to develop skills in areas such as leadership, innovative thinking and learning about ideation and horizon thinking, and allows you to choose four advanced clinical application units and two management units.
The Master of Laboratory Medicine course will be submitted to the Australian Institute of Medical and Clinical Scientists for accreditation.
Career Opportunities
A Medical Laboratory Scientist is a health professional who conducts medical laboratory tests to assist in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease. They require specialised education and skills to prepare tissue sections for microscopic examination, analyse samples to study the effects of microbial infections and develop techniques to aid in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. A Medical Laboratory Scientist has a degree of responsibility in the diagnostic process through the provision of advice to Medical Practitioners on the interpretation of tests, methods for use in the diagnosis and treatment of disease. They can undertake research and prepare scientific papers and reports. They ensure quality management processes and safety standards are followed in medical laboratories and undertake research in their area of expertise. Communication skills and exemplary professional attitude are all critical to success in this field.Structure & Availability
Course structure
You are required to complete a total of 15 units.Unit information
For information on the units, you could study as part of this course, visit the Handbook and select the "Course Structure" tab.
Credit transfer information
If you have already completed study relevant to the course you have enrolled in, you may be eligible for credit transfer. Students eligible for advanced standing will be required to complete one year of study (8 units) to complete the Master of Laboratory Medicine if they meet the following criteria:- Applicants with a four-year AIMS-accredited bachelor degree in medical laboratory science (or equivalent) and one year postgraduate professional experience as a Medical Laboratory Scientist.
- Applicants with a three-year AIMS-accredited bachelor degree in medical laboratory science (or equivalent) and two years postgraduate professional experience as a Medical Laboratory Scientist.
- Applicants with a non-accredited degree in medical laboratory science (or equivalent) and five years postgraduate experience as a Medical Laboratory Scientist.
Visit the Handbook to view the study plan for students entering the course on advanced standing.
On-Campus Availability
| Intake | Locations |
|---|---|
| Term 1, 2024 | Melbourne, Rockhampton |
| Term 2, 2024 | Melbourne, Rockhampton |
Online Availability
| Intake | Locations |
|---|---|
| Term 1, 2024 | Available Online |
| Term 2, 2024 | Available Online |
Majors and minors are not applicable to this course.
Clinical Placement 2 - LMED29012
350 hours (10 weeks) of work placement at a NATA-approved diagnostic pathology laboratory. Student learning supported by clinical supervisors on-site and academics at CQUniversity.
Clinical Placement 1 - LMED29008
210 hours (6 weeks) of work placement at a NATA-approved diagnostic pathology laboratory. Student learning supported by clinical supervisors on-site and academics at CQUniversity
Requirements
Recommended study
A 3 year Australian Bachelor degree or equivalent qualification from a recognised tertiary institution that includes foundational human biology and chemistry.
To be eligible for entry into this course, applicants must hold:
- A completed 3 year Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) equivalent Bachelor degree in a Health, Medical or Biomedical discipline which demonstrates a minimum of two Chemistry and two Human Biology units.
Applicants who do not meet the above requirement, however, hold relevant postgraduate qualifications will be referred to the Head of Course to confirm suitability for entry.
English Language Proficiency Requirements
If you were not born in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Ireland, South Africa or United States of America, you are required to meet the English Language Proficiency requirements set by the University.
Applicants are required to provide evidence of completion within the last 5 years of:
- A secondary qualification (Year 11 and 12, or equivalent), or
- Bachelor level qualification study for a period of at least 2 years fulltime with a minimum overall GPA of 4.0
completed within Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom, South Africa, Ireland, or United states of America, which will meet the English proficiency.
If you do not satisfy any of the above you will need to undertake an English language proficiency test and achieve the following scores as below:
- An International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic) with an overall band score of at least 6.5 with no subscore below 6.0 in each of the bands, or
- A Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL – internet based) with an overall score of atleast 79, with no subscore below 21, or
- A Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic) with an overall band score of 62 with no sub-score less than 54, or
- An Occupational English Test with Grades A or B only in each of the four components
English test results remain valid for no more than two years between final examination date and the date of commencement of study, and must appear on a single result certificate.
Each student will be assessed individually.
Advanced Standing
Some applicants may be eligible for a shorter course duration of 1 year (48 credit point or 8 units equivalent), please refer to the More Details section for further information.
The COVID-19 vaccination is mandatory to be eligible to attend a WIL placement for this course. Students will be required to provide evidence of having completed a COVID-19 vaccination schedule by the closing date prior to a WIL placement. The vaccine received must be a vaccine approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) of Australia.
Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) placements apply to this course and as such are subject to compulsory pre-placement conditions referred to as mandatory checks and are outlined in the health, security and other compulsory requirements sections. Mandatory checks are determined by industry, organisations, legislation, regulations, policies, and procedures. To be eligible for a WIL placement, students must first achieve compliance with mandatory checks by each closing date prior to a WIL placement and maintain current evidence for the duration of the course.
Mandatory health requirements include immunisation and vaccination evidence (and serology where required) to the following diseases: COVID-19, Hepatitis B, Measles, Mumps and Rubella, Varicella, Pertussis, Influenza, and Tuberculosis screening. Additional vaccinations and screening are subject to the site or state health authority.
Mandatory security requirements include an Australian Federal Police clearance. A Working with Children Check (WWCC) may also be required if on clinical placement where interaction with minors (<18 years) is likely.
Other mandatory requirements include a First Aid and CPR certificate, student agreement to privacy and confidentiality, fitness to participate in WIL student declaration, jurisdictional and site-specific compulsory requirements, and other training modules.
Fees & Scholarships
2023 Indicative Fees
| Fee Type | Fees |
|---|---|
| Domestic Full Fee Paying – Indicative First Year Fee | $28,860 |
The indicative first year fee is an approximate cost of enrolling in this course for one academic year. Your actual fees may vary, depending on the units that you select to study and the number of units you study per term. You can view unit fees in the Cost Per Unit table. Fees are reviewed annually and are subject to change.
- Indicative fees for Graduate Certificate courses are based on studying four units in an academic year.
- Indicative fees for Graduate Diploma and Master courses are based on studying eight units in an academic year.
ABOUT FEES
| Fee Category | Full fee paying place |
| What is a Full Fee Paying Place | As a full fee-paying student, you are required to pay full tuition fees for your course. |
| Fee Type | Tuition Fees |
| What is my tuition fee? | Your tuition fees are charged per unit of study based on the credit point value of each unit. Our Tuition Fee Schedules provide an estimate of fees per unit. You can also view fees specific to the course, and units, you are interested in studying by using our Cost Per Unit table. |
| FEE-HELP and payment options | FEE-HELP is the loan scheme provided the Australian Government to help eligible students pay their tuition fees through a loan. Eligible students can use a FEE-HELP loan to pay for all or some of their tuition fees. If you elect to use a FEE-HELP loan, this means that you will defer payment of your tuition fees and repay your FEE-HELP loan when your income is above the compulsory repayment threshold. |
| Other Fees | You will also incur a Student Services and Amenities Fee. |
| Other study costs | You may have other study costs such as travel expenses related to residential schools or work placements if they are a requirement of your course. There are also textbooks, stationery and other sundry costs associated with studying. |
At CQUniversity, we believe higher education should be for everyone. No matter your situation, we know that everyone needs a helping hand from time to time, and we are proud to offer a wide range of scholarships, bursaries and stipends.
Our scholarships could help you pay for things like relocation, living on campus, laptops and technology, childcare, study and living expenses, travel and more.
How to apply
If you have decided what you would like to study and are ready to apply, we’re here to help you along the way. Before you apply, you will need to have a Unique Student Identifier (USI). If you do not have a USI, creating one is quick and easy. Simply visit usi.gov.au to create one.
Want to know more about application dates and other admission information?
View our important dates information and read about other admission considerations such as information for domestic students with overseas qualifications, indigenous support, and elite athlete, coach and performer support.
APPLY DIRECTLY TO CQUNIVERSITY
To apply for this course, submit your application directly to CQUniversity using the Apply button below.
