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MSc - Medical Imaging (Ultrasound)

If you are a health care professional or vascular scientist wanting to enhance your professional career, then our course - accredited by the Consortium for the Accreditation of Sonographic Education (CASE) - will enable you to pursue a career in ultrasound.

Our course will build on your experience in radiography, nursing, midwifery or other related professions or clinical specialisms and teach you the academic knowledge and safe clinical practice to meet national standards to work as a sonographer.

Your learning will be enhanced with plenty of work-based practical learning in our skills lab, which is equipped with the latest imaging workstations and houses one of the largest MedaPhor ultrasound simulation labs in the world.

Download our Prospectus

Accredited by:

Consortium for the Accreditation of Sonographic Education (CASE)

Medical Imaging (Ultrasound) cover image

Course Overview

Our expert staff will help you develop into an autonomous practitioner, who is able to undertake advanced ultrasound practice safely, by ensuring clinical competencies achieved meet national standards.

We provide a range of modules which will enable you to explore the underpinning knowledge of safe, effective and evidence-based ultrasound practice, in order to help you develop clinical skills in your own department.

Teaching is also supported by specialist guest speakers who provide current, relevant course material directly related to clinical practice.

You will have the opportunity for inter-professional learning during the academic blocks (which are shared with our full-time ultrasound students) and during clinical placement.

The development of critical, analytical and evaluative skills and incorporating these into the clinical environment, encouraging evidence based practice will be a fundamental part of the course.

On this course you will...

Learn the academic knowledge and the clinical skills required to work in the field of medical ultrasound. This will ensure you become a confident and competent ultrasound practitioner.
Working with a placement hospital, you will gain exposure to the full range of sonography specialisms, such as obstetrics, gynaecology, general medical (abdominal and small parts) and vascular.
Be welcomed from a range of healthcare and non-healthcare backgrounds. A healthcare background or degree is not required to gain a place on this programme.
Engage in practical training to gain work-based skills. You will have access to our cutting-edge ultrasound training hub, equipped with the latest ultrasound machines and an extensive ultrasound simulation facility.

Download our Prospectus

Key Details

Recruiting toUK / RoI / Settled in UK
Course LocationLancaster
Institute: Institute of Health
Delivery StyleFace to Face and Blended Learning
Course Duration Part-time: 2-5 Years
Course Start PointJanuary
April
September
AwardMSc
Open DaysLancaster
All

Minimum entry requirements

2:1 (2:2 Considered)

Honours degree

Tuition fees

£10,395

UK | Per Programme

Course Structure

What you will learn

We provide a range of modules which will enable you to explore the underpinning knowledge of safe, effective and evidence-based ultrasound practice, in order to help you develop clinical skills in your own department.

Teaching is also supported by specialist guest speakers who provide current, relevant course material directly related to clinical practice.

You will have the opportunity for inter-professional learning during the academic blocks (which are shared with our full-time ultrasound students) and during clinical placement.

The development of critical, analytical and evaluative skills and incorporating these into the clinical environment, encouraging evidence based practice will be a fundamental part of the course.

Each module is credit rated. You may be assessed in various ways including coursework, presentations, reflective writing, verbal assessments, exams and reports. Assessment of clinical placements is a requirement of the qualification; you will be assessed to ensure you are clinically competent before you can receive the award.

You will need to organise a clinical placement in a recognised department to engage in a wide range of ultrasound examinations for the duration of the course. Unfortunately, the university cannot assist you in finding a placement.

This course is highly flexible and does not follow a standard academic year. You can start in May, October or January each year where you must begin with one of our core modules. Both core modules must be completed in year 1, alongside at least ONE optional module.

Please note optional module choices are made by the placement and not you the student, and these are based fundamentally on patient caseload availability, mentor support and service need.

Modules

Optional modules (subject to availability and demand)

General Medical Ultrasound (Theory)
General Medical Ultrasound (Clinical Practice)
Obstetric Ultrasound (Theory)
Obstetric Ultrasound (Clinical Practice)
Gynaecological Ultrasound (Theory)
Gynaecological Ultrasound (Clinical Practice)
Breast Ultrasound (Theory)
Breast Ultrasound (Clinical Practice)
Vascular Ultrasound (Theory)
Vascular Ultrasound (Clinical Practice)
Musculoskeletal Ultrasound (Theory)
Musculoskeletal Ultrasound (Clinical Practice)
Negotiated Ultrasound Practice (Theory)
Negotiated Ultrasound Practice (Clinical Practice)
Research methods
Independent Study in Ultrasound (non-clinical)

Please note: Optional modules are chosen by the sponsoring placement provider. This may vary from placement to placement and year to year dependent on the needs of the local service and availability of suitable patient caseload and mentor.

Compulsory modules

Physical Principles & Technology in Ultrasound
Develop a thorough knowledge and understanding of the complex scientific and safety principles required for safe clinical practice in medical ultrasound.
Professional, Legal & Ethical Issues in Ultrasound
Develop a thorough knowledge and understanding of the complexities of the professional, legal, ethical and communication issues required for safe clinical practice in medical ultrasound.

Teaching & Assessment

How you will learn

The programme and modules are structured to meet the needs of students and employers. Taught components of the academic modules on the programme are delivered in attendance blocks at the university followed by clinical learning blocks in the designated clinical placement. Students are supported on placement by experienced mentors who have been trained by the university. Students are also able to access UoC digital resources, library facilities, Pebblepad and Blackboard (VLE), whilst on placement. Students will also be supported by their personal tutor, who is a member of the academic team at the university. The clinical aspects of the programme are documented in the students’ clinical e-portfolio and it is a requirement of the programme that students take ownership of this portfolio throughout the programme in line with professional requirements to maintain lifelong learning and to monitor and ensure clinical progress and competence.

Learning is based within academic study and professional practice, and the programme team collaborates with experienced clinical ultrasound practitioners. These practitioners perform key roles in helping to maintain the currency and relevance of the programme through their involvement in curriculum planning and delivery as well as providing mentorship support for students during placement blocks.

How you will be assessed

Learning and assessment are considered as interrelated, as the assessments enable students to demonstrate the extent to which they have achieved the learning outcome of modules and the programme of study overall. Students are supported throughout the assessment process, and formative and summative assessment will be undertaken, and will be an integral part of the academic and clinical modules for ultrasound.

There are extensive opportunities within the clinical sphere, evidenced within the clinical portfolio in the form of reflective practice, for students to engage with interprofessional learning. Examples of how this might be achieved are: by following the patient pathway in an obstetric/gynaecology clinic, or through other imaging modalities/radiology reporting sessions within an imaging department or reflective practice based on working with the multi-disciplinary team (MDT) on clinical placement.

A wide range of assessment methods are used which are clinically relevant and aligned to programme and module level learning outcomes.

Intellectual, professional and key transferable skills are central to learning opportunities and assessment. Successfully undertaking modules on this programme will enhance opportunities for students in their professional careers.

Overview

1st or 2nd class honours degree in a science or healthcare subject.

Students with other qualifications may be admitted to the course, please contact the Enquiry Centre for further details. Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) may be considered for relevant prior learning at the same academic level.

Click here for information about Medical Clearance and vaccination requirements (including Covid-19 Vaccines)

You must have a suitable clinical placement secured through an employer or sponsor before you apply for the course

Selection Criteria

You will be required to pass an element of pre-course assessment, carried out in the department sponsoring you. It is the sponsoring department’s responsibility to facilitate this assessment and this will be carried out to ensure that you show an aptitude for Ultrasonography. You will need to undertake a preliminary practical assessment to demonstrate the relevant psychomotor skills such as hand-eye co-ordination, pattern recognition and spatial awareness. The assessment will be of an informal nature, carried out by experienced practitioners in your clinical placement, who will then provide a written reference to confirm your suitability.
Before being accepted onto the course, all applicants will be interviewed, usually by telephone. Interviewers from the course team will, amongst other attributes, be looking for a commitment to further study, an understanding of content and standard of the course and interpersonal skills.
As part of the recruitment process, applicants may be assessed for their values using the core requirements set out in the Value Based Recruitment (VBR) Behaviour Framework as outlined in the NHS Constitution
A particularly high standard of spoken and written English is necessary to cope with the clinical work on the MSc Medical Imaging (Ultrasound) course. Applicants who have not received their secondary school education in English will require an overall IELTS score of 7 with a mean score of 7 in all elements.
You will usually need to have at least 12 months’ equivalent full-time post registration clinical experience, in your respective profession, and you will need support from a clinical ultrasound department and access to a clinical placement in such a department for the duration of the course.
It is your responsibility to ensure a suitable clinical placement is organised, prior to starting, and for the duration of your chosen award. The university regretfully cannot assist students in finding or securing a clinical placement for this award, at any time during their time on the course. You must have access to a suitable clinical mentor and suitable patient case load for a minimum of 21 hours per week. If your placement is terminated for any reason, the university cannot assist you in finding another placement. If a suitable clinical placement cannot be found in these circumstances, you will be required to withdraw from the course.
Applicants should be eligible for registration by their respective UK professional or regulatory body e.g. Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC), General Medical Council (GMC), Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC), Society of Vascular Technologist (SVT). You will also need to provide one reference in support of your application, from the department offering a clinical placement who can confirm your suitability to train in ultrasound.
Overseas students can usually only be considered if they are able to secure a suitable placement in the UK or Ireland. Regretfully the university is unable to assist in this process.

Fees & Funding

Tuition Fees

2024 - 2025

£10,395 - UK

The figures above don't include accommodation and living costs.

Tuition fees are set annually and are subject to review each year. The University may therefore raise tuition fees in the second or subsequent years of a course, in line with inflation and/or the maximum permitted by law or Government policy. Students will be notified of any changes as soon as possible.

More Information

We have a wide range of scholarships, bursaries, grants and funds available to support you throughout your studies with us. This includes the Cumbria Bursary - a non-repayable bursary designed to support first year students with a household income of less than £25,000..

Student Finance

Additional Costs

There will be some additional costs associated with the course including stationery, textbooks, field trips and membership fees although some of these features are optional.

Books are reviewed annually and are therefore subject to change, course welcome information will provide you with an indicative list for the year.There will be some additional costs. For example all students will need to purchase stationery and may wish to purchase some text books. Extra costs may also be applicable to cover field trips, membership fees etc. although such features are usually options within the course.

Books are reviewed annually and are therefore subject to change, course welcome information will provide you with an indicative list for the year.

Books and Journals

Reading lists are reviewed annually and are therefore subject to change, course welcome information will provide you with an indicative reading list for the year via the student hub (OneList). The university holds copies of core texts (including some as ebooks, which are accessible online). Some students may wish to spend approximately £100-£200 on purchasing their own copies of certain text books and scripts although this cost can be reduced considerably by sourcing second hand copies of these resources. Below are some of the ‘set texts’ which you may wish to purchase for core modules: Hoskins, P., Martin, K. and Thrush, A. (2010) Diagnostic Ultrasound: Physics and Equipment. (2nd edn.) Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Gibbs, V., Cole, D. and Sassano, A. (2009) Ultrasound Physics and Technology: How, Why and When. (2nd edn.) London: Churchill Livingstone. Herring J. (2014) Medical Law and Ethics. Oxford University Press

Stationery

Students should budget for stationery and consumables for your own personal use. This should include notebooks, pens and pencils for taking notes in class and/or in the field. Students should also budget for the purchase of USB pen drives, as well as occasional printing and photocopying costs incurred in the preparation or submission of coursework. Whilst you will choose how much you need, expect to pay around £30 - £40 per year for these items.

Clothing and Equipment

Full time students are required to wear a uniform whilst on clinical placement which is fully provided by the university. This includes tunics and plain black trousers. Any additional or replacement items are funded by the student dependant on the reasons for replacement. (see PU Uniform Policy). Footwear is not included and must be purchased by the student. Sensible, plain black, comfortable and supportive flat footwear is suggested but you will be further advised on this subject by uniform policy from the Trust you are allocated to. Students should budget approximately £40 or more for footwear but be realistic about replacing this over the 3 years. You may also wish to purchase different footwear to use in the hospital theatre environment (if required).

Other

Full-time students will be expected to incur all travel and any potential accommodation costs which are required to attend allocated placement sites and university academic blocks, as well as any required university campus attendance such as examinations and assessments. Any costs associated with elective placement activity is incurred by the student.

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Location
Lancaster Campus
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MSc - Medical Imaging (Ultrasound)