Course overview
Learn about the pathology of disease – its origin, nature and course – and diagnosis.
Through this course, you’ll gain the knowledge and skills to launch your career as a professional medical laboratory scientist.
Career outcomes
Jobs for medical scientists in Australia are expected to grow by more than 24% by 2035.¹
Careers
- Medical scientist
Industries
- Community health
- Education
- Health technology
- Healthcare
- Research and development
¹ Source: Jobs and Skills Australia – Employment Projections.
Professional accreditation and recognition
This course is accredited by the Australian Institute of Medical and Clinical Scientists.
Why study at Curtin?
Work experience
You’ll develop your practical skills in a 24-week professional placement in a diagnostic pathology laboratory.
Industry links
In Curtin’s PC2 lab, you’ll process and analyse clinical samples, identify microbes and report results as done by a professional laboratory.
Specialist pathways
You can choose to focus on three of these disciplines: anatomical pathology, clinical biochemistry, immunology, medical microbiology, and haematology and transfusion science.
Hear from our students
"The skills I’ve gained from my course include setting up and interpreting test results, communicating clearly with other health professionals, and using the correct scientific procedures and methods. We’re taught to be well-rounded scientists who can think outside the box."
Taylor Throssell
Bachelor of Science (Laboratory Medicine)
Your student experience
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How Curtin can help me get career-ready
At Curtin, we’re here to support you in boosting your employability and achieving your professional goals.
Discover why international students love Western Australia
Choosing where to study for your degree is a major decision. You want to enjoy your university years in a place that is welcoming, offers unique experiences, and will give you a globally recognised degree.
Course structure
What you’ll learn
In your first year, you will study interprofessional health units with students from other health science disciplines.
In your second year, you’ll focus on your discipline, learning the cellular and tissue aspects of pathology and the various areas of laboratory medicine.
You’ll then focus on your choice of three of these five fields: anatomical pathology, clinical biochemistry, immunology, medical microbiology, and haematology and transfusion science.
Practical experience
You’ll gain extensive practical experience in Curtin’s purpose-built Physical Containment Level 2 Laboratory. Here, you’ll process and analyse clinical samples, identify microbes and report results as done by a professional laboratory.
You’ll further develop your practical skills during a 24-week placement at a diagnostic pathology laboratory.
Detailed course structure and unit information
For detailed information and course structure, visit our Handbook.
Entry requirements
To apply for entry into this course, you must have met:
- the course ATAR (Australian Tertiary Academic Rank) or equivalent recognised overseas qualification
- any course-specific requirements
- the English language requirement.
Course-specific requirements
You’ll also need to meet any specific requirements to be eligible to apply for this course.
Academic equivalences
You’ll need to demonstrate ATAR equivalence using a recognised qualification. The table below shows common qualifications recognised by Curtin and their indicative equivalent cut-off scores for this course.
Admission cut-off scores by qualification
Australian qualification
Score
ATAR
70
Equivalent qualification
GCE A Level / STPM (best of 3)
5
HKDSE
15
International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma
24
Canadian Provincial High School Diploma %
60
WAUFP (CPS)
54
India (CBSE and ISC) %
60%
India (HSC) %
65%
Sri Lanka GCE A level
5
Qualification not listed?
Find your qualification by searching for your home country to find the score you’ll require to demonstrate ATAR equivalence.
Select country:
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Australia
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Bangladesh
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Botswana
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Brazil
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Brunei
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Canada
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China
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Germany
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Hong Kong
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India
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Indonesia
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Iran
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Japan
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Kenya
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Korea
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Malaysia
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Mauritius
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Myanmar
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Nepal
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Norway
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Oman
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Pakistan
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Philippines
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Russia
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Saudi Arabia
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Singapore
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South Africa
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Spain
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Sri Lanka
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Taiwan
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Tanzania
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Thailand
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US
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United Arab Emirates
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United Kingdom
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Vietnam
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Zambia
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Zimbabwe
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Other
Get credit towards your degree
You may be able to receive credit for recognised learning (CRL) from past study or professional experience, which could reduce the time it takes to finish your course.
Check the Handbook for course-specific details about credits.
Fees
2026 International indicative fees
Indicative year 1 fee
$42,194*
Total indicative course fee
$168,776*
2027 International indicative fees
Indicative year 1 fee
$46,412*
Total indicative course fee
$185,648*
Important information about fees
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Fees are indicative only.
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*First-year fees are based on a first-year full-time study load of 200 credits. Your fees will vary depending on the units you choose.
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Tuition fees may increase by up to 8 percent each year and are subject to legislative changes.
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This indicative fee does not include other fees like administrative and incidental fees (such as lab coats or art supplies) or the cost of your textbooks. Visit fees and charges for more information.
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These fees apply to international students enrolled at one of Curtin’s Australian campuses. For information about fees at Curtin’s global locations, visit the relevant campus website.
Scholarships
Get the support you need to succeed with our diverse range of scholarships. Whether it’s financial support, assistance with relocation, or recognition for your academic achievements, we have scholarships tailored to your unique needs.
Curtin Global Future Leaders Scholarship
Curtin Global Future Leader Scholarship provides eligible students a one-off credit of AUD$12,500 against the tuition fee of the course they are undertaking.
Curtin English Scholarship
When you complete a Curtin English course as a pathway into a Curtin University degree course, you will receive a one-off credit of up to AUD$7,496 towards your tuition fees.
How to apply
Follow these steps to make sure you’re eligible, prepared and ready to apply for your course.
Check entry requirements
Entry requirements differ by course and your previous work and study experience.
Prepare your documents
The documents you need may vary depending on your course and application pathway.
Check application deadlines
Deadlines vary by course and whether you’re applying as a domestic or international student.
Choose your application pathway
Apply through an agent
A registered Curtin agent will lodge your application to Curtin on your behalf. They can also answer any questions you may have about applying, courses, student visas and scholarships.
Apply directly to Curtin
Depending on your country’s requirements, you may be able to apply directly to Curtin without using an agent.
Application deadlines can vary by course. Make sure to check application deadlines before you apply.
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