Course overview
- Description
This course provides advanced training in the field of infectious diseases including topics in medical microbiology, immunology, and public and environmental health microbiology. It includes options of an individual research project or a research practicum within the research streams, and a coursework-only stream. Practicums are not offered every year. Students who complete the first year of the course with weighted average mark of at least 70% may apply to complete a research project or an extended research project in the second year, subject to availability of projects. Students undertaking the extended research project complete fewer coursework units. Students not undertaking a research project or practicum take the coursework-only stream. The course is aimed at science-based and medical professionals intending to work in research and hospital diagnostic laboratories, medical clinics, government health departments and international agencies.
- Course title
- Master of Infectious Diseases (coursework or coursework and dissertation)
- Award abbreviation
- MInfectDis
- Course code
- 54540
- Course type
- Master's degree by coursework or by coursework and dissertation
- Status
- Current / 2025
- Administered by
- Biomedical Sciences
- CRICOS code
- 107726F
Course details
- Intake periods
- Beginning of year only
- Attendance type
- Full- or part-time (Student visa holders should read Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 for more information.)
- Credit points required
- 96
A standard full-time load is 24 points per semester. - Standard course duration
- 2 years
- Time limit
- 5 years
- Delivery mode
- Internal
- Locations offered
- UWA (Perth)
- Domestic fee type
- Commonwealth supported and/or HECS-HELP
- Available to international students
- Yes. For information on international student fees see 'Student Procedures: Fees'. (Enquiries: https://www.uwa.edu.au/askuwa)
- Course Coordinator(s)
- Associate Professor Christopher Peacock and Associate Professor Kate Hammer
- Fees
- Visit the fees calculator.
Prospective students should see the Future Students website for details on admission requirements, intake periods, fees, availability to international students, careers information etc.
Example Study Plan
See study plans for more information.
Specialisations
Course structure
Key to availability of units:
- S1
- Semester 1
- S2
- Semester 2
- NS
- non-standard teaching period
All units have a value of six points unless otherwise stated.
Take all core units (48 points).
1) Students in the course by coursework and dissertation undertaking 48 points of dissertation take all units in Group A (48 points).
2) Students in the course by coursework and dissertation undertaking 24 points of dissertation take all units in Group B (42 points) and 6 points from Group C.
3) Students in the course by coursework only take 6 points from Group C and 42 points from Group D.
Take all units (48 points):
| Availability | Unit code | Unitname | Unit requirements | Contact hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S1 | MICR5829 | Foundations of Infectious Diseases |
| lectures: 2 hours per week; practical classes: 4 hours per week; tutorials: 5 per semester |
| S1 | MICR5830 | Principles of Mycology and Parasitology |
| lectures: 2 hours per week; practical classes: 2 hours per week |
| S2 | MICR5831 | Molecular and Cellular Microbiology |
| lectures: 2 hours per week; practical classes/assignments: 3 hours per week |
| S2 | MICR5832 | Diagnostic Medical Microbiology |
| lectures: 2 hours per week; practical classes 4 hours per week |
| S1 | MICR5842 | Principles of Infection and Immunity |
| lectures: average of 2 hours per week; laboratory classes: 4 hours per week for 5 weeks; tutorials: average of 1 hour per week |
| S2 | MICR5846 | Molecular Epidemiology and Microbial Communities |
| lectures: 2 hours per week; practical classes/assignments: 3 hours per week |
| S1, S2 | PUBH4401 | Biostatistics I |
| lectures: 2 hours per week; tutorials: 1.5 hours per week |
| S1, S2 | PUBH4403 | Epidemiology I | None | lectures: 60-70 minutes recorded lectures per week; online tutorial worksheets: ~ 2-3 hours per week |
Take unit(s) to the value of 48 points:
Group A
| Availability | Unit code | Unitname | Unit requirements | Contact hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S2, NS | MICR5843 | Extended Research Project in Infectious Diseases Part 1 (12 points) |
| research: 16 hours per week |
| NS, S2 | MICR5844 | Extended Research Project in Infectious Diseases Part 2 (12 points) |
| research: 16 hours per week |
| S1, S2 | MICR5845 | Extended Research Project in Infectious Diseases Part 3 (12 points) |
| research: 16 hours per week |
| S1, S2 | MICR5848 | Extended Research Project in Infectious Diseases Part 4 (12 points) |
| research: 16 hours per week |
Take unit(s) to the value of 42 points:
Group B
| Availability | Unit code | Unitname | Unit requirements | Contact hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S2 | MICR5817 | Vaccine & Drug Design & Development |
| 2 x 45 minute lectures per week; 4 practical classes of 3 hours; 6 tutorials of 2 hours |
| S2 | MICR5835 | Vectors of Infectious Diseases and Vector Control |
| lectures: 2 hours per week; labs: 2 hours per week |
| S2 | MICR5836 | Public and Environmental Health Microbiology |
| lectures: 2 hours per week; practical classes: 3 hours per week |
| NS | MICR5838 | Research Project in Infectious Diseases Part 1 (12 points) |
| Research: 16 hours per week |
| NS | MICR5841 | Research Project in Infectious Diseases Part 2 (12 points) |
| research: 16 hours per week |
Take unit(s) to the value of 6 points:
Group C
| Availability | Unit code | Unitname | Unit requirements | Contact hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S2 | MICR5833 | Antimicrobial Agents |
| lectures: 2 hours per week; practical classes: 2 hours per week |
| S2 | PUBH5761 | Epidemiology and Control of Communicable Diseases | None | online tuition: 3 hours per week |
Take unit(s) to the value of 42 points:
Group D
| Availability | Unit code | Unitname | Unit requirements | Contact hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S1 | MICR5815 | Science Communication in Infectious Diseases |
| Lecture/Seminars 2 hours per week Tutorials/Workshops 2 hours per week |
| S1 | MICR5816 | Infectious Diseases Literature Review |
| 1 hour per week |
| S2 | MICR5817 | Vaccine & Drug Design & Development |
| 2 x 45 minute lectures per week; 4 practical classes of 3 hours; 6 tutorials of 2 hours |
| S2 | MICR5835 | Vectors of Infectious Diseases and Vector Control |
| lectures: 2 hours per week; labs: 2 hours per week |
| S2 | MICR5836 | Public and Environmental Health Microbiology |
| lectures: 2 hours per week; practical classes: 3 hours per week |
| S1 | PATH5191 | Clinical Laboratory Skills | 4-5 lectures per week and a 3-hour tutorial every 3 weeks | |
| S1, S2 | SCIE5515 | Global Challenges in Biomedical Science |
| lectures: 2 hours per week; tutorials: 2 hours per week |
See also the rules for the course and the Student Rules.
Rules
Applicability of the Student Rules, policies and procedures
1.(1) The Student Rules apply to students in this course.
(2) The policy, policy statements and guidance documents and student procedures apply, except as otherwise indicated in the rules for this course.
Academic Conduct Essentials and Communication and Research Skills modules
2.(1) A student who enrols in this course for the first time irrespective of whether they have previously been enrolled in another course of the University, must undertake the Academic Conduct Essentials module (the ACE module) and the Communication and Research Skills module (the CARS module).
(2) A student must successfully complete the ACE module within the first teaching period of their enrolment. Failure to complete the module within this timeframe will result in the student's unit results from this teaching period being withheld. These results will continue to be withheld until students avail themselves of a subsequent opportunity to achieve a passing grade in the ACE module. In the event that students complete units in subsequent teaching periods without completing the ACE module, these results will similarly be withheld. Students will not be permitted to submit late review or appeal applications regarding results which have been withheld for this reason and which they were unable to access in the normally permitted review period.
English Language competency requirements
3. To be considered eligible for consideration for admission to this course an applicant must satisfy the University's English language competence requirement as set out in the University Policy on Admission: Coursework.
Admission requirements
4. To be considered for admission to this course an applicant must have—
(a) a relevant bachelor's degree1, or an equivalent qualification, as recognised by UWA;
and
(b) (i) the equivalent of a UWA weighted average mark of at least 60 per cent in the Level 3 units; or
(ii) at least three years of relevant full-time professional experience; or
(iii) evidence of adequate research outputs, as recognised by UWA.
And
(c) for students who have completed 48 points of the Graduate Diploma in Infectious Diseases, a course UWA weighted average mark of at least 60 percent
1A relevant bachelor's degree includes a Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences, or Bachelor of Science in a biomedical or biological discipline, Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, Bachelor of Dental Science, or a bachelor's degree in applied biomedical science or public health (medical technology, nursing, pharmacy, public health, and veterinary science).
Admission ranking and selection
5. Where relevant, admission will be awarded to the highest ranked applicants or applicants selected based on the relevant requirements.
Articulations and exit awards
6.(1) The following courses form part of an articulated sequence:
- 51330 Graduate Diploma in Infectious Diseases (48 points)
- 54540 Master of Infectious Diseases (96 points)
(2) A student who withdraws from the Master of Infectious Diseases course before completing it, but after fulfilling the requirements of a lesser award in the above sequence, may apply for the relevant award.
(3) Students may require to substitute MICR5836 Public and Enviromental Health Microbiology for MICR5846 Molecular Epidemiology and Microbial Communities
Course structure
7.(1) The course consists of units to a total value of 96 points.
(2) Units must be selected in accordance with the course structure, as set out in these rules.
Satisfactory progress
8. To make satisfactory progress a student must pass units to a point value greater than half the total value of units in which they remain enrolled after the final date for withdrawal without academic penalty.
9. A student who has not achieved a result of Ungraded Pass (UP) for the Communication and Research Skills module (the CARS module) when their progress status is assessed will not have made satisfactory progress even if they have met the other requirements for satisfactory progress in Rule 8.
Progress status
10.(1) A student who makes satisfactory progress in terms of Rule 8 is assigned the status of 'Good Standing'.
(2) Unless the relevant board determines otherwise because of exceptional circumstances—
(a) a student who does not make satisfactory progress for the first time under Rule 8 is assigned a progress status of 'On Probation';
(b) a student who does not make satisfactory progress for the second time under Rule 8 is assigned a progress status of 'Suspended';
(c) a student who does not make satisfactory progress for the third time under Rule 8 is assigned a progress status of 'Excluded'.
11. A student who does not make satisfactory progress in terms of Rule 9 is assigned the progress status of 'On Probation', unless they have been assigned a progress status of 'Suspended' or 'Excluded' for failure to meet other satisfactory progress requirements in Rule 8.
Award with distinction
12. To be awarded the degree with distinction a student must achieve a course weighted average mark (WAM) of at least 80 per cent which is calculated based on—
(a) all units above Level 3 attempted as part of the course that are awarded a final percentage mark;
(b) all relevant units above Level 3 undertaken in articulating courses of this University that are awarded a final percentage mark;
and
(c) all units above Level 3 completed at this University that are credited to the master's degree course.
Deferrals
13. Applicants awarded admission to the course are entitled to a deferral of up to 12 months, as per the University Policy on: Admissions (Coursework).
Additional rules
Supplementary assessment
14. Academic Council has granted permission for an opportunity for supplementary assessment to be granted to a student who—
(a) obtains a mark of 45 to 49 inclusive in any of the following units:
MICR5829 Foundations of Infectious Diseases
MICR5830 Principles of Mycology and Parasitology
MICR5831 Molecular and Cellular Microbiology
MICR5832 Diagnostic Medical Microbiology
MICR5833 Antimicrobial Agents
MICR5835 Vectors of Infectious Disease and Vector Control
MICR5836 Public and Environmental Health Microbiology
MICR5842 Principles of Infection and Immunity
MICR5846 Molecular Epidemiology and Microbial Communities
MICR5817 Vaccine & Drug Design & Development
Research project
15. Research project
Students who request approval to undertake a research project in this course must—
(i) have a weighted average mark of at least 70 per cent in 42 points of Level 4 and 5 units in the first year of the course. The weighted average mark will be calculated using the highest marks achieved in units comprising 42 points in the first year.