Laboratory Medicine
Bachelor degree
An exciting course for aspiring professional medical scientists, focusing on pathology and diagnosing disease.
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- ATAR
- Minimum ATAR 70
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- Qualification
- Bachelor of Science (Laboratory Medicine)
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- Duration
- 4 years full-time
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- Credit
- 800
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- CRICOS
- 064464E
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- Location
- Curtin Perth
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- Fieldwork
- See requirements
Select your preferred campus:
New-to-Curtin applicants for first semester 2023 apply through TISC. See TISC application deadlines.
2023
Semester 1
On campus
Semester 2
On campus
2024
Semester 1
On campus
Semester 2
On campus
Outline
If COVID-19 restrictions apply, we may need to make changes to units and/or delivery modes.
Professional recognition
Professionally accredited by the Australian Institute of Medical Scientists.
Work experience
Includes a 24-week professional placement in a diagnostic pathology laboratory.
Top 1 %
Curtin is ranked in the top one per cent of universities worldwide.
Academic Ranking of World Universities 2022.
Laboratory medicine teaches you about pathology (the origin, nature and course of disease) and the diagnosis of disease.
Your first year is interprofessional and taken with other health sciences students. Your second year develops your knowledge of the cellular and tissue aspects of pathology, and the individual disciplines of laboratory medicine.
In your third and fourth years, you'll gain extensive field experience and focus on three of the following major disciplines: anatomical pathology, clinical biochemistry, haematology and transfusion science, immunology and medical microbiology.
You'll learn in Curtin's PC2 laboratory facility, where you can process and analyse clinical samples, identify microbes and report results in the same way as a real pathology laboratory.
You'll also develop your practical skills when you undertake a 24-week professional placement in a diagnostic pathology laboratory.
Please refer to the handbook for additional course overview information.
Why study
- Choose from five major areas of specialisation.
- Learn in high-quality laboratories and facilities.
- Professional placement in a diagnostic pathology laboratory.
Student profile
View our student profile table to get an indication of the likely peer cohort for new students at Curtin University. This table provides data on students that commenced undergraduate study and passed the census date in the most relevant recent intake period for which data are available. It includes those admitted through all offer rounds and international students studying in Australia.
Professional recognition
Professionally accredited by the Australian Institute of Medical Scientists.
Career information
Careers
- Medical scientist.
Industries
- Community health
- Education
- Health technology
- Manufacturing
- Private and public hospitals
- Research centres and laboratories.
What you'll learn
- apply general and discipline specified knowledge to the performance of laboratory medicine
- the application of knowledge critically and ethically in the laboratory medicine setting
- obtain and critically appraise information from a range of resources applicable to the practice of medical science
- communicate effectively specialised knowledge relevant to laboratory medicine
- the selection and effective use of appropriate technologies to generate valid data
- recognition of the need for on-going learning in the Medical Science profession
- an awareness of global differences in disease patterns and diagnostic medicine
- recognition of cultural difference and its impact on Medical Science
- recognition of the necessity for probity and ethical behaviour and a professional approach to medical science
Admission criteria
Curtin requires all applicants to demonstrate proficiency in English. Specific English requirements for this course are outlined in the IELTS table below.
| IELTS Academic (International English Language Testing System) | |
|---|---|
| Writing | 6.0 |
| Speaking | 6.0 |
| Reading | 6.0 |
| Listening | 6.0 |
| Overall band score | 6.0 |
You may demonstrate English proficiency using the following tests and qualifications.
I recently attended high school
Applicants with recent secondary education are those whose admission is primarily based on the achievement of the required ATAR within the last two years. This includes applicants whose secondary education was undertaken interstate or overseas.
- Minimum ATAR : 70
- Desirable WACE subjects:
Chemistry ATAR and/or Mathematics Applications ATAR and/or Human Biology ATAR or Biology ATAR recommended.
- STAT entry : Written English and either MC Verbal or Quantitative
Please see our correlation comparability for previous TEE subjects, WACE courses and WACE ATAR courses.
Other admission options
We have several pathways to help you meet admission. Use our pathway finder to find your best way to studying with us.
Recipients of the John Curtin Undergraduate Scholarship will receive an early offer to study this course.
Successful StepUp Entry and StepUp Equity Adjustment Admission Pathway (StepUp Bonus) applicants will be eligible to be considered for admission into this course.
If you’re an indigenous applicant who hasn’t met Curtin’s minimum admissions criteria, the Centre for Aboriginal Studies offers bridging courses that are tailored to help you gain entry into this course.
Lowest ATAR to which an offer was made (exclusive of any adjustment factors such as equity or subject bonus points)
View the lowest ATAR (excluding adjustments) of an applicant who was offered a place in this course in the most relevant recent intake period for which data are available.
Selection rank adjustments (previously referred to as ATAR related adjustments)
Details of the types of adjustment factors (bonus points) commonly available to applicants can be found on our StepUp to Curtin webpage.
ATAR and selection rank profile for those offered places wholly or partly on the basis of ATAR in the most recent intake period
View data on the ATAR and selection rank profile of offers made from the most relevant recent intake period.
I have work and life experience
Applicants with work and life experience are those who left secondary education more than two years ago (i.e. who are not classified as recent secondary education applicants) and have not undertaken vocational education training (VET) or higher education study since then.
‘Experience’ includes a combination of factors sufficient to demonstrate readiness for higher education such as mature-age entry, professional experience whether completion of the Special Tertiary Admission Test (STAT) is required or not, community involvement or work experience. Applicants may have undertaken non-formal programs that have helped prepare them for tertiary education or are relevant to the proposed higher education field of study.
- Minimum ATAR : 70
- Desirable WACE subjects:
Chemistry ATAR and/or Mathematics Applications ATAR and/or Human Biology ATAR or Biology ATAR recommended.
- STAT entry : Written English and either MC Verbal or Quantitative
Please see our correlation comparability for previous TEE subjects, WACE courses and WACE ATAR courses.
I’ve studied at TAFE or done an apprenticeship
Applicants with vocational education and training (VET) study are those whose highest level of study since leaving secondary education is a VET course. This includes study at a public TAFE or other VET provider, whether a qualification was completed or not. Applicants with VET study may have other qualifications such as a Year 10 or Year 12 secondary school certificate.
- Minimum ATAR : 70 OR
- TAFE:
Applicants with relevant TAFE qualifications are encouraged to contact the School to discuss entry qualification and any credit for recognised learning.
- Desirable WACE subjects:
Chemistry ATAR and/or Mathematics Applications ATAR and/or Human Biology ATAR or Biology ATAR recommended.
- STAT entry : Written English and either MC Verbal or Quantitative
Please see our correlation comparability for previous TEE subjects, WACE courses and WACE ATAR courses.
I’ve gone to university before
Applicants with higher education are those whose highest level of study since leaving secondary education is a higher education course, such as a university degree. This may include applicants who are currently studying a higher education course at another education provider and want to transfer to Curtin University, or applicants who are currently studying at Curtin but want to switch to a different course. It may also include applicants who have completed past study with university and non-university higher education providers.
Not all Curtin courses accept course switchers from other institutions.
- Curtin offers a variety of bridging courses to help you meet the admission criteria for this course. Find out more about our bridging courses.
- Desirable WACE subjects:
Chemistry ATAR and/or Mathematics Applications ATAR and/or Human Biology ATAR or Biology ATAR recommended.
Please see our correlation comparability for previous TEE subjects, WACE courses and WACE ATAR courses.
Curtin course switcher criteria
To switch into this course, you need to have:
- completed 75 credits within one semester, with a semester weighted average (SWA) of 60% or higher and an academic status of Good Standing; or
- completed 150 credits within one year, with a course weighted average (CWA) of 60% or higher and an academic status of Good Standing.
Higher education course switcher criteria
This course has a semester one intake only. Please refer to the TISC website for more information.
Applicants for this course should refer to the Faculty website for more information on Communicable Diseases and Criminal Record Screening and Clearance.
Essential requirements for admission (including fieldwork requirements)
Many of our courses require students to comply with additional essential requirements. Failure to comply with any of the essential requirements may potentially prevent the successful completion of the course and/or achieving professional registration.
Fieldwork requirements during the course
Please refer to the following statements on the fieldwork component of this course:
Advanced standing
At Curtin, we understand that everyone’s study journey has been different.
You may have already studied some of the units (subjects) listed in your Curtin course, or you may have work experience that matches the degree requirements.
If this applies to you, you can apply for credit for recognised learning (CRL), which means your previous study is recognised and matched against a similar unit in your intended Curtin course.
A successful CRL application exempts you from having to complete certain units within your course and means you could finish your degree in a shorter amount of time.
CRL is also known as recognition of prior learning, advanced standing and credit transfer.
Use the CRL search to find out how much CRL you qualify for, or contact us at:
Webform: Submit here
Curtin Connect: 1300 222 888
Fees & charges
Fee information is not available for this course at this time. Find estimated course fees.
Location
For start dates, please view the academic calendar.
2023
Semester 1
- On campus
Semester 2
- On campus
2024
Semester 1
- On campus
Semester 2
- On campus
All endeavours are made to ensure location information for courses is up to date but please note they are subject to change.
The University reserves the right to withdraw any unit of study or program which it offers, to impose limitations on enrolment in any unit or program, and/or to vary arrangements for any program.
How to apply
Please review information on how to apply for the campus of your choice
Please note that each campus has different application deadlines. Please view our application deadlines page for further information.
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