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Unit of study_
VETS9050: Diagnostic Laboratory Techniques
2026 unit information
This Unit of Study focuses on components that allow a diagnostic veterinary laboratory to provide quality information for the purposes of diagnosis and prognosis. There will be opportunities to understand specimen handling and processing, safety in the laboratory, diagnostic instrumentation, aspects of quality control and assurance for laboratory results, and the establishment and use of reference ranges. Students will be exposed to the theory and practice of a wide range of diagnostic techniques and procedures. At the end of this Unit of Study, students will: Operate common laboratory instrumentation; Know safety requirements for handling and processing biological specimens; Understand aspects of quality control and assurance in relation to laboratory results; Understand the use of reference ranges; Know the theory behind common diagnostic laboratory techniques; Communicate effectively to colleagues results of laboratory tests. Risk assessments are regularly conducted for units that require the completion of compulsory learning activities that may expose students to zoonotic diseases. These assessments aim to identify appropriate risk mitigation controls, such as vaccination against vaccine- preventable zoonoses. Vaccination against Q fever (Coxiella burnetii) is an inherent requirement for students enrolling in this unit of study. Students must be vaccinated against Q fever before commencing the unit or no later than week two of the enrolled teaching session. Q fever vaccination is only available in Australia with the vaccination process taking three weeks to complete. Students must also submit a Q fever Vaccination Declaration upon enrolment. Students who fail to receive vaccination by the specified deadline and/or submit a Q fever Vaccination Declaration are precluded from practical learning activities and will not be able to satisfactorily complete relevant units of study and/or progress in their course more generally. Please refer to the University’s website https://www.sydney.edu.au/students/q-fever-vaccinations.html for more information on student vaccinations.
Unit details and rules
Managing faculty or University school:
Science
| Study level | Postgraduate |
|---|---|
| Academic unit | School of Veterinary Science Academic Operations |
| Credit points | 6 |
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Prerequisites:
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None |
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Corequisites:
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None |
| Prohibitions:
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None |
| Assumed knowledge:
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None |
At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:
- LO1. Describe and apply safety requirements for handling and processing biological specimens.
- LO2. Safely operate common laboratory instrumentation.
- LO3. Explain the theory of common diagnostic laboratory techniques and analysers.
Unit availability
This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.
The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.
| Session | MoA ? | Location | Outline ? |
|---|---|---|---|
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Semester 1 2025
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Supervision | Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney | |
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Semester 2 2025
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Supervision | Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney |
| Session | MoA ? | Location | Outline ? |
|---|---|---|---|
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Semester 1 2026
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Supervision | Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney |
Outline unavailable
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Semester 2 2026
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Supervision | Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney |
Outline unavailable
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Find your current year census dates
Modes of attendance (MoA)
This refers to the Mode of attendance (MoA) for the unit as it appears when you’re selecting your units in Sydney Student. Find more information about modes of attendance on our website.
Important enrolment information
Departmental permission requirements
If you see the ‘Departmental Permission’ tag below a session, it means you need faculty or school approval to enrol. This may be because it’s an advanced unit, clinical placement, offshore unit, internship or there are limited places available.
You will be prompted to apply for departmental permission when you select this unit in Sydney Student.
Read our information on departmental permission.
Additional advice
Students must have current registration with the NSW Veterinary Practitioners Board, Australia and must be admitted into a UVTH residency training program.