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Undergraduate

Associate Degree of Medical Laboratory Science

Domestic students International students
Associate Degree of Medical Laboratory Science (AMLS)
Entry requirements
ATAR 62.70
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Study mode
  • On-campus
  • External
Campus
  • Toowoomba
Duration
  • 2 year(s) (or part-time equivalent)
Start
  • Feb, May
Intakes
Note: The May intake (Trimester 2) is only available part-time, therefore is not suitable for international students who wish to study full-time on-campus.

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Overview

  • Learn how to examine blood samples to assist in identifying diseases such as anaemia and leukaemia, as well as how to perform blood grouping for patients requiring a transfusion.
  • You will also develop the skills required for processing patient tissue samples to assist the diagnosis of diseases such as cancer.
  • You will learn how to use state of the art methods to assist the diagnosis of the causes of infectious diseases like pneumonia and meningitis, and blood and wound infections.

Further study

After completing the Associate Degree of Medical Laboratory Science, you have the option to take the credit from your studies and go on to complete the Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science.

Career outcomes

  • Gain the education and training necessary for a career as a medical laboratory technician or technical officer in the private and public pathology laboratory sectors, a medical or clinical research technician in a university, health or biotechnology sectors, or in health, medical and scientific product marketers.
  • This degree will also provide you with training for a career as a biomedical scientist with a research capability and/or a biomedical science support role. 
  • Medical laboratory technicians and technical officers form a critical part of the health team supporting medical scientists, pathologists, doctors, nurses and associated health professionals by performing analyses on patient specimens, to provide information that is vital in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of human disease. 

Entry requirements

Find the entry requirements most relevant to you.

Recent secondary education

Adjusted Entry score including adjustment factors (additional points given in certain circumstances). Unadjusted Entry score not including adjustment factors.
ATAR The Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) is a percentile rank used to assess the results of high-school applicants for undergraduate entry into university. 62.70 56.75
Pre-requisites

To study this degree we assume you have sound knowledge in:

  • English (Units 3 & 4, C), and
  • General Mathematics (Units 3 & 4, C)

We assume that your knowledge is equivalent to a grade C or higher in Units 3 and 4 at high school level (typically studied in Year 12). Find out more about assumed knowledge.

It is also recommended that you have studied either Biology (Units 3 & 4, C), Chemistry (Units 3 & 4, C), or equivalent.

Further admission information

Adjustments are additional points given in certain circumstances that may increase your Rank. Find out if you qualify for any adjustment factor pathways such as educational disadvantage where you live, and subjects you passed.

UniSQ is committed to greater admissions transparency. Learn more about the education and work experience, as well as average Ranks for this degrees' student cohort from the previous year.

Inherent requirements

There are inherent requirements that must be met in order to successfully complete this degree. Inherent requirements are fundamental skills, capabilities and knowledge that students must be able to demonstrate in order to achieve the essential learning outcomes of the degree, while maintaining the academic integrity of the degree. Please read and understand the inherent requirements specific to the Associate Degree of Medical Laboratory Science before applying.

If you think you may experience any problems meeting inherent requirements, you can talk to a Student Equity Officer about reasonable adjustments that may be put in place to assist you. Any reasonable adjustments made must not fundamentally change the nature of the inherent requirement.

Tafe (VET) qualification

If you have completed a qualification from a TAFE or qualified private provider, you may be able to use these qualifications to meet UniSQ's entry requirements.

Work and life experience

You may be able to use your work experience and other adjustment factors to increase your selection rank and meet UniSQ's entry requirements.

English language requirements

You are required to meet the applicable English language requirements and this degree requires a minimum of IELTS 6.0 with a minimum 5.5 in each subscore. UniSQ also accepts other English language proficiency tests.

If you don't meet the English language requirements, you can apply to study with our English language partner, the Union Institute of Language (UIL), or if you're a domestic student you can apply to study UniSQ Ready courses TPP0122 and TPP0123.

Additional requirements for placements

All students must be able to meet the physical and other requirements of professional experience placements within this program. These include:

  • evidence of immunity to notifiable and contagious diseases
  • a signed QLD Health Student Orientation Checklist, QLD Health Placement Deed and a QLD Health Placement Privacy and Consent Deed, or a signed SA Health Student Orientation Checklist, SA Health Placement Deed and a SA Health Privacy and Consent Deed. 
  • a signed UniSQ Student Clinical Placement Policy Declaration.

Recognition of prior learning or work experience

You may be eligible for recognition of prior learning if you have previously studied or have relevant work experience. This will help to reduce the number of courses that you need to study to finish your program.

Pathways

If you don't meet the entry requirements, we have pathway options available to you.

If you identify as being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent you may be eligible to enter the Indigenous Higher Education Pathways Program (IHEPP).

Degree structure

To complete this degree students must complete 16 units.

Courses to be studied Units
Core courses 8
Medical Laboratory Science courses 8
incl.39 days of clinical placement
Total 16

Refer to the UniSQ Handbook for courses to be studied and recommended enrolment patterns.

Clinical experience

In addition to the courses to be studied, you will also need to complete clinical experience, where interactive hands-on activities, such as experiments and use of specialist equipment, are undertaken.

All students must be able to meet the physical and other professional requirements of clinical/professional practice within this degree.

Residential schools

All students will have the opportunity to come on-campus for residential schools, where you will attend face-to-face lectures and tutorials to gain practical experience, use facilities and specialist equipment, and meet staff and other students.

Fees and scholarships

Your actual fees may vary depending on the courses you select. We review our fees annually so these may be subject to change.

Approximate annual costs1 for your first year of study (8 units) in this degree are:

Study Mode Cost
Commonwealth supported

The Federal Government contributes to the cost of your course and you need to pay a student contribution.

AUD 9312
Domestic full fee paying

You are responsible for the full cost of your course and are charged a tuition fee.

AUD 31520

1 These are indicative annual fees for 2025. 

Student services and amenities fees

You may need to pay student services and amenities (SA) fees as part of your course costs.

Residential school costs

This degree includes an on-campus residential school component that involves travel, accommodation and meal expenses.

Loan to help you pay your fees

You may not have to pay your course (subject) fees upfront. HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP allows you to defer your fees until your income reaches a certain level. Find out if you are eligible for HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP.

You may also be eligible to receive financial support from Centrelink.

Scholarships

At UniSQ, we offer a range of scholarships to support your success at university. Find a scholarship that works for you.

How to apply

Apply via QTAC

Apply via QTAC (Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre) if you:

  • have never studied with UniSQ before, or
  • are a Year 12 student, or
  • want to transfer to UniSQ from another university.
Mode QTAC Codes
External 906925
Toowoomba 906921

Copy your QTAC code and continue through to the QTAC website to complete your application.

Apply through QTAC

If you are applying via QTAC, please check our application closing dates.

Apply directly to UniSQ

You may be able to apply directly to UniSQ if you:

  • are a current or previous UniSQ student returning to study with complete or incomplete qualifications (excluding Head Start students), or
  • have recently graduated from TAFE.
Apply direct to UniSQ

Intakes

You can select to start your study in Trimester 1 or 2.

Study period  Application closing date Orientation  Study period start date Finish date
Trimester 1, 2025  Monday 10 February Monday 3 February  Monday 10 February  Friday 9 May
Trimester 2, 2025 Monday 26 May Monday 19 May Monday 26 May  Friday 22 August

More information on applying key dates is available.

Further information

Discover further information on applying to study at UniSQ that is relevant to you.

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Got questions?

 

Begin your study journey today with the university rated 5/5 stars for graduates starting salaries* and start the degree that’s right for you.

*Good Universities Guide 2025

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What are the entry requirements for an Associate Degree in Medical Laboratory Science?

At UniSQ, to gain entry into our Associate Degree in Medical Laboratory Science you will need to meet specific pre-requisites, assumed knowledge requirements, as well as a number of inherent requirements. ‘Assumed knowledge’ is the term we use to explain the minimum level of knowledge we presume you have in some subjects before you start your degree. ‘Inherent requirements’ are fundamental skills, capabilities and knowledge that students must be able to demonstrate in order to achieve the essential learning outcomes of the degree, while maintaining the academic integrity of the degree.

For more information on entry requirements for this associate degree in laboratory science, please view the entry requirements section of this page.  

What specific skills and knowledge will I gain from this degree that are applicable to medical laboratory settings?

This course covers all the fundamentals that are generally explored in a lab technician course. Throughout the duration of your studies, you will gain the skills to: 

  • examine blood samples and process patient tissue samples to assist in identifying a range of diseases 
  • understand the methods behind diagnosing the causes for various infectious diseases 
  • interpret and generate scientific data using appropriate experimental, computational, statistical and technological approaches 
  • apply fundamental ethical, professional and workplace health and safety standards in clinical and research laboratories. 

Upon completion of your studies you will be well prepared to step confidently into roles within a medical laboratory setting.

What career opportunities are available after completing the Associate Degree in Medical Laboratory Science?
Lab technician courses such as this associate degree provide you with the skillset to embark on a range of career paths within the medical field. You could pursue roles such as a medical laboratory technician or technical officer within pathology laboratory settings, or you could work as a medical or clinical research technician at a university or research facility. This degree also provides you with a pathway to further study. After completing the associate degree, you have the option to use the credit from these studies to go on to study UniSQ’s Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science. 
Are flexible study options available?

At UniSQ you can study our Sciences Associate Degree in Medical Laboratory Science on-campus or externally, allowing you to learn your subject theory online and attend on-campus residential schools when required. We’ve been delivering distance education for over 40 years, so you can be sure that you are studying your degree with the online education experts. 

Discover more about the different ways you can study at UniSQ.