Flinders University of South Australia

What you'll study

The curriculum builds from core foundations in year one through to advanced laboratory practice and placements in year four. Study areas emphasised across the course include pathology, microbiology, haematology, clinical biochemistry, immunology, molecular biology and virology.

• Year 1 core topics (examples): Skills for Medical Science; Physiology; Chemistry; Histology; Biology; plus two option topics such as chemistry, biostatistics, Indigenous studies, public health or communication.
• Year 2 core topics (examples): Biochemistry; Immunology and infectious diseases; Virology; Molecular Biology; plus two option topics.
• Year 3 core topics (examples): Pathophysiology; Advanced human molecular genetics; Biochemistry; Microbiology; focus on advanced laboratory skills, research methods and professional development.
• Year 4: 24 weeks of full-time clinical placement in accredited diagnostic laboratories as Work-Integrated Learning (WIL); options to undertake regional placements including through the Regional Placement Program.

Entry requirements

Domestic guaranteed entry ATAR listed as 90.00; other accepted criteria shown on the course page include STAT 170.0 and a GPA 5.0. No prerequisites or assumed knowledge are specified. International applicants must meet English language requirements (IELTS overall 6.0 with speaking 6.0 and writing 6.0, or Pearson overall 50). Start dates are March and July. SATAC codes referenced: 244581 (standard) and 244583 for the regional placement variant. CRICOS code 107262M. Duration is 4 years full-time (part-time equivalent available for domestic students; part-time equivalent study is not available for international students).

Career prospects

Graduates are prepared for roles in hospitals, private pathology services, public health and research laboratories. Job types include medical scientist roles across disciplines such as haematology, immunology, microbiology and molecular genetics, diagnostic medical scientist, clinical scientist and laboratory management positions. The degree’s accreditation supports eligibility for credentialing processes used by SA Pathology and similar employers.

Scholarships & funding angle

Flinders lists course-specific support pathways and industry-linked mentoring programs to enhance employability during placements. Prospective students should consult Flinders scholarships pages and government or institutional funding options for eligibility and application details.