Gain knowledge, skills, and attributes to become a compassionate, competent, confident, and responsible diagnostic radiographer.

The role of a diagnostic radiographer involves interacting with patients and making them feel relaxed and involved with their health decisions, whilst conducting complex technical clinical procedures. The apprenticeship ensures you become a proactive, competent, confident, and responsible practitioner with the vital skills needed to enter this exciting and rewarding career.

Radiographers maintain a crucial role in frontline healthcare where rapid diagnosis of injury or disease puts the patient at the heart of care. Radiography reflects the modern 24/7 nature of health, and we give you the best possible clinical education to support this.

The apprenticeship route allows you to gain a salaried role whilst undertaking your studies in diagnostic radiography. When you graduate, you’ll be eligible to register as a diagnostic radiographer with the Health and Care Professions Council.

What the apprenticeship covers

Our course will develop your theoretical and practical knowledge and skills from day one, so that you have the experience and confidence to become an integral part of a multi-professional team.

You'll be immersed in diagnostic radiography practice right through the course and supported by academics and professionals with vast experience from varied backgrounds. As an apprentice you will have extensive clinical experience to apply theory to practice and develop critical and ethical approaches to your training.

You will be learning alongside students from other allied health profession courses, including adult nursing, to develop your experience of working as a key member of a wider healthcare team where people are at the centre of practice.

The experienced teaching team will share their academic and professional expertise to help you achieve your full potential and prepare you for a career working within radiology departments in NHS hospitals or in private hospitals and clinics. The innovative curriculum enhances both employability and postgraduate skills helping to challenge and develop you at every point.

We are renowned for expertise in advanced areas of diagnostic radiography, clinical reporting, and ultrasound imaging, and we're the first higher education institution to offer postgraduate courses in Clinical Reporting for radiographers.

Our students go on to lead exciting careers both in the UK and abroad, and we're proud to have taught students who have achieved awards including the national Society of Radiographers ‘Student of the year award’ and the ‘Work the World’ award for elective placements abroad in developing countries.

What will I study?

Our course is designed to reflect the rapidly evolving dimensions of the health and social care sector and the needs of the individual, as well as being rich in diagnostic radiography content.

You'll explore areas including:

  • human anatomy, pathology, and physiology
  • image evaluation and interpretation
  • radiographic science and radiation protection
  • radiographic practice and image interpretation patient care
  • evidence-based practice.

An integral part of the course is the development of sound skills in evidence-based practice and research that encourage and enable you to evaluate and improve professional practice for the benefit of service users.

During the apprenticeship you will have dedicated time away from clinical duties to attend teaching sessions on campus or online. Additionally, during these study weeks you will be expected to complete directed learning and assessment preparation (e.g. exam, essay, or presentation). The University offers excellent simulation facilities, with a dedicated x-ray room for physics experiments and practical sessions alongside nursing wards for clinical skills. Apprentices may be rotated to other hospital sites as part of their training, depending upon their learning needs and experience.

All about the course

We continually review and where appropriate, revise the range of modules on offer to reflect changes in the subject, and ensure the best student experience. We will inform applicants of any changes to the course structure before enrolment.

Radiography Apprenticeship Practice 1 – 40 credits

The apprentice will be exposed to a variety of practice experiences throughout their first year that will enable them to develop their knowledge and skills for practice, as well as understand the relevance of and relationship between theoretical knowledge, evidence-based practice, and safe clinical professional practice.

Human Anatomy 1 – 20 credits

The module assumes no prior knowledge of human biology and will cover basic cell structure before moving on to consider the organisation of the body from tissues to body systems. Pathological processes that can affect the body, such as inflammation and infection, common injuries, and the mechanisms of injury and the healing process, will also be covered.

Being Professional – 20 credits

This module seeks to facilitate and help students to develop the complex skills to enable them to achieve a professional registration. Students will have identified interprofessional placement experiences and have workbook learning activities to assist them in learning about other professions and sculpting their own professional identity.

Radiographic Science 1 – 20 credits

This module explores the production of x-radiation, interaction with matter including the human body, the creation of optimal images, and the factors which affect this. Specifically, this module demonstrates the impact of exposure factors and the control of scatter.

Human Anatomy 2 – 20 credits

Students will study the anatomy and physiology of the body systems specific to this module, including cross-sectional anatomy to develop their knowledge and understanding of the relative positions of organs and structures.

How you'll learn

The academic year is split into three 12-week long trimesters. As an apprentice you will be released from your clinical duties for study weeks throughout the 12-week periods. During this time you will be taught through a combination of lectures, seminars, and practical workshops. Some teaching will be online, via Blackboard Collaborate, and you will be expected to undertake directed learning and preparation for assessments.

Seminars in smaller groups will enable you to discuss and develop your understanding of topics covered in lectures. In addition, you will meet with your academic personal tutor.

Each year you will have approximately 27 weeks of clinical experience, with an expectation to complete 600 hours of practice time and successful completion of practical assessments.

When not attending lectures, seminars, workshops or other timetabled sessions you will continue learning through self-study. Typically, this involves reading journal articles and books, undertaking research in the library, working on projects, and preparing for coursework assignments, examinations, workshops, and seminars.

Your module tutor will direct you towards specific readings and/or activities to complete before class.

Within Year 2 you will develop your research skills and identify a potential dissertation project for Year three. This will require substantial independent research, however you will be allocated a supervisor with aligned research interest or experience.

Each module provides 30 hours of academic direction (lectures or seminars) and expects 170 hours of work-based learning. As an apprentice, this involves the application of theory into practice whilst in clinical practice. However, adequate study time will also be required to successfully pass the module. As part of the timetable you will be allocated study weeks to achieve this.  

The team consists of highly qualified academics with clinical experience including reporting (x-ray, MRI, CT), ultrasound, nuclear medicine, and forensic radiography. Our team members hold teaching qualifications and contribute towards research in many areas of radiography. They have experience in delivering research-informed teaching. You should note members of the teaching team might change.

 

Assessment

The course provides you with opportunities to test your understanding of the subject informally before you complete the formal assessments that count towards your final mark. Each module normally contains at least one piece of practice or formative assessment for which you receive feedback from your tutor. Formative assessments are developmental and any grades you receive for them do not count towards your module mark.

Each module will have formal or summative assessments, which must all be passed to successfully progress to the next academic year. There are one or two assessments per module, with a variety of different formats: exam, essay, presentation/poster, workbooks, and research projects. The grades from formal assessments count towards your module mark.

In addition to these, you will be assessed on your clinical skills during your time in hospital. Beginning with basic radiography examinations, you will progress onto more complex and demanding clinical situations in the third year. As with the academic assessments, your clinical skills will involve a formative (practice) and a summative (formal) assessment. These are considered pass/fail and do not contribute towards your overall mark for the module.

Course assessment distribution

The approximate percentage of the course assessed by coursework is as follows:

Year 1

33% written exams, 33% workbooks, 22% essays, 12% presentation

Year 2

25% written exams, 15% workbooks, 60% essays

Year 3

14% written exams, 14% workbooks, 43% essays, 29% presentation

Feedback

You will receive feedback on all practice assessments and on formal assessments undertaken by coursework. Feedback on examination performance is available upon request from the module leader. Feedback is intended to help you learn and you are encouraged to discuss it with your module tutor.

We aim to provide you with feedback within 10 working days of hand-in (practice assessment) and 15 working days of hand-in (formal coursework assessment).

You must achieve a pass mark of 40 and above in all modules to progress onto the next academic year. 

Professional accreditation

You will be eligible to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council. You will gain the protective title of ‘Diagnostic Radiographer’. 

More information

Full information on the apprenticeship standard

Find out more about apprenticeships

If you would like to speak with us, please call 01227 921911

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