Updating Results

CQUniversity Australia (CQU)

  • 27% international / 73% domestic

Master of Laboratory Medicine

  • Masters (Coursework)

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.

Key details

Degree Type
Masters (Coursework)
Duration
2 years full-time, 4 years part-time
Course Code
CM18, 107331C
Study Mode
Online, In person

About this course

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.

Entry requirements

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.

Security Requirements

This course involves compulsory clinical placement. Students must satisfy specific pre-clinical safety and security requirements prior to each placement and must disclose any condition that may put himself or herself, or the public, at significant risk whilst on placement. Students are required to meet all mandatory requirements to attend Clinical Placements and Clinical placements are a requirement for the award of the Degree. A student may be determined ineligible for placement based on the inability to perform required tasks or if the student may be determined a risk to clients, staff or other stakeholders. A student may be determined ineligible for placement if the placement site is unable to work within the constraints of any conditions or work modifications placed upon the work site by the State Health Department or Assessment Unit within a private organisation. If conditions imposed upon the placement are too restrictive for placement sites within the current offer round, the student is determined not fit for placement and is at risk of the University terminating enrolment in the degree.

Health Requirements

This course involves compulsory clinical placement. Students must satisfy specific pre-clinical health and safety requirements and must disclose any condition that may put himself or herself, or the public, at significant risk whilst on placement.
Students will need to be physically fit, able to stand and walk for extended periods, lift, stretch, carry heavy loads and have sufficient manual dexterity to perform specific tasks and visual acuity and contrast sensitivity to assess fine detail. Students will be required to provide evidence of current mandatory vaccinations prior to clinical placement. A student may be determined ineligible for placement based on the inability to perform required tasks or if the student may be determined a risk to clients, staff or other stakeholders. A student may be determined ineligible for placement, if the placement site is unable to work within the constraints of any conditions or work modifications placed upon the work site by the State Health Department or Assessment Unit within a private organisation. If conditions imposed upon the placement are too restrictive for placement sites within the current offer round, the student is determined not fit for placement and is at risk of the University terminating enrolment in the degree.

Assumed Knowledge

A 3 year Australian Bachelor degree or equivalent qualification from a recognised tertiary institution that includes foundational human biology and chemistry.

Study locations

Rockhampton

Sydney

Melbourne

Online

Career pathways

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.