Course Coordinator:Rosemary Rasmussen (rrasmuss@usc.edu.au) School:School of Health - Biomedicine
UniSC Sunshine Coast |
Blended learning | Most of your course is on campus but you may be able to do some components of this course online. |
Please go to usc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.
This course provides an introduction to haematology, an area of general pathology that is concerned with diseases that affect the blood, such as blood clotting disorders, anaemias, leukaemias and haemoglobinopathies. Blood transfusion will also be discussed during the course. Competencies in haematological techniques conducted in pathology laboratories including full blood count, microscopy and the review of blood films, white cell differential counts, staining methods for microscopy, blood grouping and coagulation tests will be assessed.
Activity | Hours | Beginning Week | Frequency |
Blended learning | |||
Learning materials – Weekly interactive learning guides | 1.5hrs | Week 1 | 12 times |
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – Refer to schedule | 2hrs | Week 2 | 6 times |
Laboratory 1 – Weekly on campus laboratory | 3hrs | Week 1 | 13 times |
100 Level (Introductory)
12 units
Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... | Graduate Qualities Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming... | |
1 | Identify the different components, production and functions of blood. |
Knowledgeable Creative and critical thinker Engaged Communication Problem solving Organisation Applying technologies Information literacy |
2 | Understand the theory and interpret the results of routine haematology laboratory tests. |
Knowledgeable Creative and critical thinker Engaged Communication Collaboration Problem solving Organisation Applying technologies Information literacy |
3 | Identify and describe the features, classification and diagnostic tests for the major haematological malignancies and disorders outlined. |
Knowledgeable Creative and critical thinker Engaged Communication Collaboration Problem solving Organisation Applying technologies Information literacy |
4 | Show competency in routine practical techniques in haematology |
Knowledgeable Creative and critical thinker Engaged Communication Collaboration Problem solving Organisation Applying technologies Information literacy |
Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.
Enrolled in Program UB001, SC385, SC211, SC357 or SC355
Not applicable
Not applicable
Not applicable
Standard Grading (GRD)
High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL). |
You will be introduced to patient case studies and can attempt calculations, haematology terminology and morphology identification through the in-class activities that will also provide you with feedback and help prepare you for the assessment tasks in the course.
Delivery mode | Task No. | Assessment Product | Individual or Group | Weighting % | What is the duration / length? | When should I submit? | Where should I submit it? |
All | 1 | Artefact - Technical and Scientific | Individual | 20% | 30 minutes per case report |
Throughout teaching period (refer to Format) | In Class |
All | 2a | Practical / Laboratory Skills | Individual | 20% | 120min + 10min perusal |
Week 9 | In Class |
All | 2b | Practical / Laboratory Skills | Individual | 30% | 150min + 10 min perusal |
Week 13 | In Class |
All | 3 | Examination - Centrally Scheduled | Individual | 30% | 120min + 10 min perusal |
Exam Period | Exam Venue |
All - Assessment Task 1:MLS100 Haematology Case Reports | |||||||||||||||||||
Goal: | To assess student interpretation of haematology results, examination of a blood film and reporting of case studies using appropriate haematology terminology and conventions. |
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Product: | Artefact - Technical and Scientific | ||||||||||||||||||
Format: | On paper, in laboratory classes in weeks 4, 5, 6 and 7. Further directions about the assessment requirements will be available in the tutorials leading up to and during the assessment task, and information will be provided to students by the course coordinator on the MLS100 Haematology Canvas site. |
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Criteria: |
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Generic Skills: | Communication, Problem solving, Organisation, Applying technologies, Information literacy |
All - Assessment Task 2a:MLS100 Mid-semester theory & practical assessment | ||||||||||||||||
Goal: | To develop satisfactory laboratory skills and competencies in Haematology that would meet the requirements of AIMS for the training of medical laboratory scientists. |
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Product: | Practical / Laboratory Skills | |||||||||||||||
Format: | The theory & practical assessment will take place during the regular practical class time in week 9. The theory & practical assessment will consist of a series of practical tests designed to assess your competency in haematology techniques and related theory. |
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Criteria: |
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Generic Skills: | Communication, Problem solving, Organisation, Applying technologies, Information literacy |
All - Assessment Task 2b:MLS100 Final Practical Assessment | ||||||||||||||||
Goal: | To develop satisfactory laboratory skills and competencies in Haematology that would meet the requirements of AIMS for the training of medical laboratory scientists. |
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Product: | Practical / Laboratory Skills | |||||||||||||||
Format: | The practical assessment will take place during the regular practical class time in week 13. The practical assessment will consist of a series of practical tests designed to assess your competency in haematology techniques and related theory. |
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Criteria: |
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Generic Skills: | Communication, Problem solving, Organisation, Applying technologies, Information literacy |
All - Assessment Task 3:MLS100 Final theory examination | ||||||||||
Goal: | To assess students understanding and application of haematology course content covered in learning materials, tutorials and laboratory practical classes. |
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Product: | Examination - Centrally Scheduled | |||||||||
Format: | Centrally scheduled invigilated on-campus exam consisting of multiple choice questions, short answer questions and case studies. |
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Criteria: |
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Generic Skills: | Communication, Problem solving, Organisation, Applying technologies, Information literacy |
A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.
Period and Topic | Activities |
1. Introduction to Haematology |
Blood cell types: structure and function Haemopoiesis Safety in the Haematology laboratory Care and use of the microscope |
2. Counting and Automation |
Introduction to FBC and red cell parameters Counting of blood cells Automation |
3. Introduction to anaemia |
Normocytic anaemias, blood film microscopy, differential counts, staining & reticulocytes |
4. Microcytic anaemias |
Blood film morpholgy, iron deficiency anaemias, thalassemia, Hb electrophoresis |
5. Macrocytic anaemias |
Megaloblastic anaemia, liver disease |
6. Normal & non-malignant leucocytes |
IM, toxic changes, infections |
7. Lymphoid leukaemias |
ALL, CLL |
8. Myeloid leukaemia |
AML, CML |
9. Haemostasis |
Normal haemostasis Vascular, platelet and coagulation phases Mid-semester practical and theory exam |
10. Coagulation disorders and investigations |
Routine tests for haemostasis, disorders of haemostasis, liver disease, anti-coagulation |
11. Introduction to immunohaematology |
Antigens, antibodies, role of lymphocytes |
12. Introduction to Blood Banking |
ABO, RhD, crossmatch, blood products |
13. No learning material. |
Final practical assessment |
Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.
Please note that you need to have regular access to the resource(s) listed below. Resources may be required or recommended.
Required? | Author | Year | Title | Edition | Publisher |
Recommended | A. Victor Hoffbrand,David P. Steensma | 2019 | Hoffbrand's Essential Haematology | 8th | John Wiley & Sons |
Recommended | Elaine Keohane,Larry Smith,Jeanine Walenga | 2019 | Rodak's Hematology | 6th | Saunders |
To successfully complete the UB001 Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science (Pathology) and meet the accreditation requirements of AIMS, UB001 students enrolled in MLS100 must attend and participate in all on-campus practical classes. The final assessments in MLS100 will be invigilated.
Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation. It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline. This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.
Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person. You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.
In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin. This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.
Eligibility for Supplementary Assessment
Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying:
(a) The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4%; and
(b) The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale
Late submissions may be penalised up to and including the following maximum percentage of the assessment task’s identified value, with weekdays and weekends included in the calculation of days late:
(a) One day: deduct 5%;
(b) Two days: deduct 10%;
(c) Three days: deduct 20%;
(d) Four days: deduct 40%;
(e) Five days: deduct 60%;
(f) Six days: deduct 80%;
(g) Seven days: A result of zero is awarded for the assessment task.The following penalties will apply for a late submission for an online examination:
Less than 15 minutes: No penalty
From 15 minutes to 30 minutes: 20% penalty
More than 30 minutes: 100% penalty
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For help with course-specific advice, for example what information to include in your assessment, you should first contact your tutor, then your course coordinator, if needed.
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