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Therapeutic Radiography - BSc (Hons)

Currently viewing course to start in 2025/26 Entry.

Therapeutic Radiography is a challenging but immensely rewarding career, which involves a combination of science, technology and patient care. Our radiotherapy course will teach you to work with patients of all ages, to help relieve and/or cure the symptoms of their cancer....

  • Level Undergraduate
  • Study mode Full Time

This course is:

Overview

Therapeutic Radiography is a challenging but immensely rewarding career, which involves a combination of science, technology and patient care. Our radiotherapy course will teach you to work with patients of all ages, to help relieve and/or cure the symptoms of their cancer.

We are the largest centre for therapeutic radiography training across the West Midlands, Shropshire, Staffordshire and Worcestershire. As the only course of its kind within these regions, we are proud to be experts in developing professional therapeutic radiographers across a wide geographical area.

On qualification, you will be entitled to apply for registration with the regulator, the Health and Care Professions Council (the HCPC), to gain registered practitioner status and be able to practice in the UK either within the NHS or the private sector.

This course is not open to International students.

What's covered in this course?

As a Therapeutic Radiographer, you will be responsible for preparing and administering radiation to cancer patients, operating highly technical radiation equipment, imaging patients with the latest technology, monitoring patients’ progress and giving advice as they progress through radiotherapy treatment.

You will develop specialist skills by spending time on clinical placements within hospital cancer centres, providing you with plenty of experience to develop professionally and gain valuable employability skills. Your academic studies will take place at our City South Campus, which features a radiotherapy treatment couch with laser alignment system, a Virtual Environment for Radiotherapy Training (VERT) and advanced treatment planning facilities. With use of these dedicated facilities, you will confidently develop essential skills within a safe educational environment.

You will learn the science behind radiotherapy practice, as well as human anatomy and physiology, radiation science and radiobiology. You will also study the social and psychological aspects of cancer care and the needs of patients to ensure that you leave with all the skills needed to be a professional and expert Therapeutic Radiographer. This course prepares you for moving into the world of work as a practitioner radiographer, and ensures you are equipped with the skills and knowledge. Clinical expertise, leadership, and mentorship theory provide a foundation that will enable you to develop your career.

As you advance your knowledge of radiotherapy practice and the science of oncology, you will develop analytical skills and will explore the research evidence that forms the basis of current and emergent practices. You will apply research strategies to health and care practice and merge your clinical skills and knowledge.

You will develop specialist skills by spending time on clinical placements within hospital cancer centres, providing you with plenty of experience to develop professionally and gain valuable employability skills. 

This course prepares you for moving into the world of work as a practitioner radiographer, and ensures you are equipped with the skills and knowledge. Clinical expertise, leadership, and mentorship theory provide a foundation that will enable you to develop your career.

As you advance your knowledge of radiotherapy practice and the science of oncology, you will develop analytical skills and will explore the research evidence that forms the basis of current and emergent practices. You will apply research strategies to health and care practice and merge your clinical skills and knowledge.

Where will I study?

You will study at our City South Campus, using our specialist facilities which include a simulation facility and skills suite, so that you can continue developing practical skills in real life environments here on campus.  

See what our students say...

Accredited By

This course is accredited by:

  • College of Radiographers
  • HCPC

“The level of academic support and guidance was excellent throughout. I always knew what was required of me, and if ever I had any questions the staff were approachable and happy to help” Daniel Marshall

Why Choose Us?

  • We have well-established links with the NHS, which will benefit you through access to learning, work placements and opportunities to build a professional network of contacts ready for when you graduate.
  • We are the largest centre for therapeutic radiography training across the West Midlands, Shropshire, Staffordshire and Worcestershire. As the only course of its kind within these regions, we are proud to be experts in developing professional therapeutic radiographers across a wide geographical area, including supporting Trusts in Gloucestershire.
  • The course is approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and the College of Radiographers (CoR), who are our regulatory and professional bodies.
  • As a student on an allied health professions course, you will receive at least £5,000 a year in additional funding for maintenance and associated study costs as part of the NHS Learning Support Fund.
  • During your studies, you can take advantage of the opportunity to apply for a scholarship for exciting work experience placements abroad via our HELS Go Abroad scheme.
  • We are a friendly and approachable team with an extensive skill set including research. You will receive a high level of support in your studies as well as the opportunity to work collaboratively and meet peers from across the UK.

Open Days

Join us for an on-campus Open Day where you'll be able to learn about this course in detail, chat to students, explore our campus and tour accommodation.

Next Open Day: 24 November 2024

Book your place

Entry Requirements

These entry requirements apply for entry in 2025/26.

All required qualifications/grades must have been achieved and evidenced at the earliest opportunity after accepting an offer to help confirm admission and allow for on-time enrolment. This can also include other requirements, like a fee status form and relevant documents. Applicants can track their application and outstanding information requests through their BCU mySRS account.

Essential requirements

Applicants will also need to complete an interview for this course; see interview arrangements below.

If your level 3 qualifications do not meet the UCAS tariff for this course, you may be offered a place on our Foundation Year instead. You do not need to submit a separate application but will automatically be considered for this if your predicted grades fall below the UCAS entry tariff.

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)

Successful candidates will be required to obtain a satisfactory occupational health check, an enhanced DBS check and registration with the Independent Safeguarding Authority prior to enrolling on this course. If you have any queries please refer to DBS Frequently Asked Questions or contact admissions@bcu.ac.uk.

If you have a qualification that is not listed, please contact us.

Fees & How to Apply

Please select your student status to view fees and apply
  • UK Student
  • International Student

UK students

Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.

Award: BSc (Hons)

Starting: Sep 2025

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees

International students

Sorry, this course is not available to International students.

Access to computer equipment 

You will require use of a laptop, and most students do prefer to have their own. However, you can borrow a laptop from the university or use one of our shared computer rooms. 

Printing 

You will receive £5 print credit in each year of your course, available after enrolment. 

Field trips 

All essential field trips and associated travel costs will be included in your course fees. 

Access to Microsoft Office 365 

Every student at the University can download a free copy of Microsoft Office 365 to use whilst at university and for 18 months after graduation. 

Key software 

You will be able to download SPSS and Nvivo to your home computer to support with your studies and research. 

Key subscriptions 

Subscriptions to key journals and websites are available through our library. 

DBS check 

If you are required to undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check for this course, the cost for your first DBS check is included in your fees. 

Specialist equipment 

This course requires specialist equipment. You will be provided with a small metal ruler, and thermo-luminescent dosemeter (TLD – monitors radiation dose to individual).  

Uniform 

You will be provided with a tunic and trousers.  

Occupational health assessment 

You will need to complete an occupational health assessment. The cost for this is included in your course fee. 

Clothing and safety equipment (mandatory) 

This course requires the purchase of clothing and/or safety equipment. You will require appropriate footwear to comply with patient handling regulations for clinical placements - costs vary depending on type of footwear accepted by the Trust they are placed within. 

Placement expenses (mandatory) 

Placements are a compulsory element of this course. You'll need to budget for accommodation and any travel costs you may incur whilst living or working away from home. 

Excess printing (optional) 

Once you have spent your £5 credit, additional printing on campus costs from 5p per sheet. 

Personal stationery and study materials (optional) 

Based on the past experience of our students, you might find it helpful to set aside about £30 for each year of your studies for your personal stationery and study materials. 

Field trips (optional) 

This course includes the option of additional trips that may enhance your experience, at extra cost. 

Books (optional) 

All module key texts will be in the University library, but in limited numbers. You may choose to purchase a copy. We suggest budgeting approximately £200 for new copies, with significant savings to be made by purchasing second hand copies.  

Memberships (optional) 

You may wish to join a union or professional body related to this course, such as the Society and College of Radiographers, student cost is £2 per month.  

Accommodation and living costs (optional)

The cost of accommodation and other living costs are not included within your course fees. More information on the cost of accommodation can be found in our accommodation pages.

Funding

From August 2020, nursing professional degree students will receive at least £5,000 a year in funding support.

Find out more about the funding available

Download the funding FAQs

Personal statement

Your personal statement is a highly important part of your application. It gives you a crucial opportunity to say why you’re applying and why the institution should accept you.

Here are the key areas you’ll need to address:

Course choice

Why does this course appeal? What areas are of particular interest?

Career plans

If you have a specific career in mind, say how your chosen course will help you pursue this goal.

Work experience

Mention any work that is relevant to your subject, highlighting the skills and experience gained.

School or college experience

Highlight skills gained at school/college, eg summer schools or mentoring activities.

Non-accredited skills or achievement

eg Duke of Edinburgh Award, Young Enterprise scheme.

You should also mention your future plans – if you’re planning to take a year out, don't forget to give your reasons. Talk about any subjects you’re studying that don’t have a formal assessment and any sponsorships or placements you’ve applied for. And don't be scared to add in details about your social, sports or leisure interests.

Get more information on writing personal statements.

Course in Depth

Year One

In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits):

Year Two

In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits):

Year Three

In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits):

Download course specification

Download now

How you'll learn

Each of the three years of full-time study is comprised of 120 credits of study alongside clinical placements.

We utilise a variety of methods within our learning and teaching strategy to encourage a reflective and critical thinking enabling students to become confident and autonomous learners with sound academic and clinical knowledge,so they are readily employable and well equipped for lifelong learning.

The year plan is designed to integrate theory and practice using a modular approach with alternate blocks of academic studies and clinical practice across all three years so that students can forge connections between their developing professional knowledge and practical skills as a developing therapeutic radiographer. Delivery of academic elements of the therapeutic radiography course are predominantly at the university via face-to-face activities,although some activities are delivered online through a blended approach to learning.

Clinical placement

Clinical experience is gained through attending clinical placement rotation and is reinforced within the university environment through the use of our dedicated skills suite and simulation activities.The course integrates a variety of learning technologies into its structure. In particular we make regular and varied use of the Virtual Environment for Radiotherapy (VERT) system which allows students to explore geometric concepts, treatment techniques and human anatomy within a virtual reality space. We also aim to articulate these activities with the use our dedicated treatment planning system and alongside ‘hands on’ activities using our Linear Accelerator treatment couch.

Our approach to teaching has been to embed fundamentals of professional knowledge within the first phases of the course so that students have a firm foundation in the science of radiotherapy practice and the basis of provision of high standards of patient care. From these, students will study increasingly more complex aspects of radiotherapy practice and undertake analysis of the evidence base that underpins recent developments in cancer care.As students progress through their course of study, the course content reflects the radiotherapy patient journey from initial diagnosis to follow up, and students will develop skills and understanding of each respective step of the radiotherapy workflow process. During the final stages of the course,students are encouraged to adopt self-critical and analytical approaches to their developing professional identity and their role as a therapeutic radiographer within the wider multidisciplinary cancer care team.

Assessments

Students will be assessed using a range of methods including examinations, assignments,presentations, case studies and clinical assessments and competencies.Formative assessment opportunities exist within all modules and throughout the course, and help students prepare for their associated summative assessments. Following completion of any formative assessment students will receive feedback on how they have performed as well as guidance on how they should proceed with their learning.

Accreditation or professional associations

This Course is approved by the Society and College of Radiographers.

Additional support

If you are dyslexic, have a specific learning difference or a disability, we have a Disability Tutor who can help and support you. 

More on our disability tutor >>

We offer extra technical and learning support.

We utilise a variety of methods within our learning and teaching strategy to encourage a reflective and critical thinking enabling students to become confident and autonomous learners with sound academic and clinical knowledge, so they are readily employable and well equipped for lifelong learning.

College of Radiographers
College of Radiographers

The College of Radiographers (CoR) is a registered charity concerned with standards in the provision and development of diagnostic imaging and radiotherapy for the public benefit.

HCPC
Health and Care Professions Council

This course is approved by the Health and Care Professions Council, and will give you eligibility to apply for registration if you successfully complete the course.

Employability

Enhancing employability skills

You will be gaining a professional qualification that will enable you to gain employment within the wider NHS. The clinical skills you gain will support your developing competence and enable you to undertake the role of a qualified therapeutic radiographer. You will gain competence in the safe and effective operation of cutting edge medical technologies and develop autonomous practice skills including decision making and care provision.

Your qualification will enable you to seek professional registration with the Health and Care Professions Council and membership with the Society of Radiographers.

You will receive opportunities to develop your employability skills whilst a student. This includes development of your ability to mentor others, practice your interview skills and job application writing skills.  

Placements

You will spend at least 50% of your time undertaking hospital-based clinical placement learning. You will usually accrue experience at more than one placement site, and will provide treatment delivery and patient care within a wide variety of clinical expertise. Students will engage with the latest radiotherapy treatment and imaging techniques and will gain experiences of professional groups in the wider multidisciplinary cancer care team.

More about our placement opportunities

Facilities & Staff

We have invested over £400 million in our facilities, including an upgrade to our Skills and Simulation facilities at City South Campus. We boast up-to-date, innovative facilities that simulate the real situations that you may come across in the workplace. These resources are essential in offering you a hands-on introduction to health and social care practice.

Mock Wards

These are set up to look like typical hospital wards, with four to six bays. Depending on the topic in hand, different manikins can be used as patients and relevant equipment is provided to practise clinical skills. Some of the manikins are interactive and can simulate different scenarios e.g. some allow you to cannulate, check pulses, intubate etc, and some can talk to you. One ward is often used as an adult ward, and the other as a child ward.

These rooms also allow for scenarios to be set up for other professions such as dietetics, paramedic science and social work.

The Operating Theatre and Recovery Suites

The operating theatre and recovery suite gives you the sense of what it would be like in a real surgical environment.

These spaces emulate the full surgical journey from anaesthetics, through surgery and into recovery. ODP students can practice a range of skills including gowning, hand washing, preparing instrument trays, and working with a patient. Nurses and midwives may experience a surgical placement and need to go to theatre or be part of the midwifery team involved with caesarean sections. Many other Allied Health Professionals may also see patients in recovery if necessary.

Home Environment Room

This facility replicates a small flat with bedroom, bathroom and kitchen diner space. It is used to simulate non-clinical settings, to give students experience of working in different environments. It also incorporates a range of digital health technology, to help prepare students to work in the NHS of the future.

Simbulance

Our ‘Simbulance’ is a purpose built teaching space that allows students to practise their skills in a highly specialist, high-fidelity simulated environment. The Simbulance is an exact replica of an operational emergency ambulance. Learners are truly immersed in the clinical environment and test their knowledge and skills in a safe and supported space, before entering the clinical environment ‘for real’ on placement.

Assisted Living Space

This space replicates a flat and is used for scenarios such as home visits. The sitting room area provides a different space to practise skills and simulations and work with service users and other students.

Assisted Kitchen

This specially designed kitchen has different areas where you can practice cooking, cleaning, boiling the kettle etc., with someone who has actual or simulated visual impairments. There are adapted devices to help, and simulation glasses for you to wear to experience visual impairments.

Physiotherapy Room

This is a space for physiotherapy students to use, with various equipment to practise client meetings.

Radiotherapy Planning Computer Suite

Our computers allow you to plan hypothetical treatments, in terms of angles and directions, ensuring that radiotherapy reaches where it is needed on a patient’s body.

Radiography Image Interpretation and Reporting Stations Computer Suite

These facilities allow you to view and analyse x-rays.

VERT - Virtual Environment for Radiotherapy Training

This room contains 3D technology to view virtual patients and look at trajectories for treatment.

Radiotherapy

This room contains the same bed/couch used when patients are given radiotherapy treatment. While students of course do not administer radiotherapy in this room, it does allow them to practise adjusting the equipment to make sure both it and a patient would be in the correct position to receive treatment.

Telehealth Room

This room allows for small group teaching in a central area (large boardroom type table) with five small telehealth booths down either side. These are to allow all our health professions students to practise delivering healthcare and advice remotely, either over the phone or on a video call. This addition to our teaching reflects moves in the sector to offer more flexible access to healthcare services, particularly as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Imaging Academy

This new facility is a larger version of our existing image interpretation computer facilities and forms part of the Midlands Imaging Academy Hub, funded by Health Education England. These expanded facilities will mean we can further develop our courses and expertise in radiography and imaging.

Speech and Language Therapy Resource Room

Our Speech and Language Therapy Team have developed a collection of tools, books and resources to help you learn and understand the implications of a speech or swallowing limitation. You can practise one to one client meetings and clinics and use the video recording equipment to review role play scenarios.

Ultrasound simulation suite

Students have access to a wide range of Ultrasound simulation equipment to develop their clinical skills and aid in training. The equipment includes two ultrasound machines with a range of phantoms, scan training stations and eve body works.

Our staff

Nick White

Course Leader

Nick is a Senior Lecturer within the Department of Radiography at Birmingham City University and also a clinical tutor within the radiotherapy department at the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust.  Nick has worked in radiography education for 19 years, teaching on undergraduate and postgraduate courses. He is a Senior Fellow...

More about Nick

Michelle Ryland

Admissions Tutor / Senior Lecturer - Radiotherapy

Michelle qualified from the University of Liverpool and Northern Centre for Cancer Treatment (Newcastle) in 1999 with a BSc (Hons) in Radiotherapy and started work as a therapeutic radiographer at UHCW.

More about Michelle

Lisa Pharaoh-Stokes

Senior Lecturer and Course Lead, MSc Therapeutic Radiography (pre-registration)

Lisa is a Senior Lecturer and Course Lead within the Department of Radiography at Birmingham City University. She is also a Personal Tutor. Lisa has been working in therapeutic radiography education for over 20 years and is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

More about Lisa