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1. Study
2. Postgraduate
3. Taught Courses
4. Masters
5. Diagnostic Radiography

Course Fact File

Code	MSCDR
Duration	2 Years Full-time
Teaching Mode	Full-time
Qualifications	MSc
NFQ Level	Level 9
Fees	See Fees and Costs for full details.
Closing Date	Rolling deadline. Open until all places have been filled. Early application is advised.
Non-EU Closing Date	Open until all places have been filled or no later than 30 June. Early application is advised.
Start Date	9 September 2024

Course Outline

Our MSc Diagnostic Radiography programme is an intensive pre-registration course for students with a primary degree in a subject other than diagnostic radiography. The programme uses the learning and teaching methods that best support students to develop the knowledge, skills, and professional attributes necessary for effective radiography practice.

The aim of this programme is to provide each student with an excellent educational experience both in academic and clinical environments. This ensures graduates that can contribute to the constantly advancing and evolving nature of healthcare requirements.

We aim to equip our graduates with the clinical and research skills, and professional attributes required to work and develop as competent clinicians, researchers, and agents for change within the evolving healthcare environment.

Our diagnostic radiography programme is situated in the School of Medicine which is part of the College of Medicine and Health. The College is located in the western end of the UCC campus and enjoys state-of-the-art facilities.

Clinical Placement

Practice education is an integral component of the programme and students are required to undertake a clinical placement. Clinical placements will mostly take place in the hospitals of the South/South West Hospital Group (SSWHG), Saolta University Healthcare Group, and other centres nationally from time to time. UCC is the academic partner of these hospitals affording you the best possible clinical experience in a wide variety of settings.

Course Content

The course comprises 120 credits of taught components taken over two years together with clinical placement blocks taken over 18 weeks in each year.

In Year 1 you will take the following 60 credits:

Code	Module Name	Credits	Semesters
RA6005	Professional Practice in Radiography 1	10	1
RA6006	Professional Practice in Radiography 2	10	2
RA6003	Medical Radiation Science	10	1
RA6001	Biological Sciences for Health Professionals	10	1
RA6002	Image Acquisition and Management of Information Systems	10	2
RA6004	Principles of Research & Research Methods	10	2

In Year 2 you will take the following 60 credits:

Code	Module Name	Credits	Semesters
RA6011	Professional Practice in Radiography 3	10	1 & 2
RA6012	Research Dissertation	20	1 & 2
RA6007	Advanced Radiation Science	10	1
RA6010	Imaging Service Provision and Healthcare Practice	5	1
RA6009	Image Interpretation	5	2
RA6013	Professional Practice in Radiography 4	10	2

Course Practicalities

This Master's programme is a 2-year full-time course – taken over three semesters per year. Students attend lectures from 9 am to 5 pm daily, with some dedicated time to independent learning during Semesters 1, 2 and 3. 

Assessment is by continuous assessment. This will consist of tutorial performance, small presentations, class tests, essays, practical vivas (competency-based), Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE), and work-based placement assessments.

Connected Curriculum

Our learning approach reflects our commitment to the Connected Curriculum where we emphasise the connection between students, learning, research and leadership through our vision for a Connected University. Our staff will support you in making meaningful connections within and between topics such as medicine, healthcare, science, and management.

Placement

There are two clinical placement blocks in Semester 2 and Semester 3 of Year 1 (18 weeks total) and two clinical placement blocks (18 weeks total) in Year 2. Students must engage in supervised clinical practice to meet regulatory requirements. 

Students need to travel and/or arrange short-term accommodation near their placement sites and students will incur the costs of travel to clinical locations as well as the costs of accommodation. To broaden placement experience, students will undertake a 4-week clinical placement in second year outside of the core placement sites, which may be outside of Ireland.

Why Choose This Course

Our MSc programme was the original MSc (Pre-Registration) Diagnostic Radiography programme in Ireland. Diagnostic imaging is a growth area in Ireland, and internationally, and our course, recognised by Ireland’s health regulator (CORU), provides for this demand.

HSE Sponsorship

Some students accepted for the MSc in Diagnostic Radiography may be partly sponsored by the Health Service Executive. The selected students will be funded €5,000 per annum towards the total fee of €11,130. 

The sponsorship from the HSE is subject to agreeing to a commitment to working in the SSWHG or Saolta Group hospitals as required and assigned for two years following completion of the programme.

Available Scholarships

UCC offers scholarships and prizes to prospective and current students. Please see the Scholarships & Prizes page for more information.

Skills and Careers Information

This dedicated Graduate Entry programme offers an intensive route for graduates from any clinical or science-related discipline to gain a recognised qualification in diagnostic radiography. This postgraduate course will prepare graduates for success in a competitive jobs market.

When students complete this programme they do so as Diagnostic Radiographers and can apply for registration. This programme is approved by Ireland’s multi-profession health regulator – CORU. Following qualification, and when successfully registered with CORU, graduates are eligible to work as a diagnostic radiographer within any hospital or clinic that provides a Diagnostic Radiography Imaging Service.

In addition to developing the necessary technical and practical skills required for safe and effective clinical practice, our graduates develop a deep and critical understanding of the profession, vital for shaping the future of radiography. During the course, you build on a wide base of transferable clinical skills which may enable you to specialise in a specific area of Diagnostic Radiography following successful graduation.

Examples of areas which radiographers may progress to include:

• Advanced Practitioner
• Consultant Practitioner
• Management
• Teaching-Academy and Clinical
  Doctoral Research

Examples of clinical areas which radiographers may progress to include:

• Computed Tomography
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• Positron Emission Tomography
• Ultrasound
• Angiography
• Nuclear Medicine
• Radiation Protection
• Medical Image Integration 

An increasing number of graduates also undertake further PhD studies based at the College of Medicine & Health in UCC. This programme offers successful graduates exciting opportunities to pursue research in a field of their interest. 

Requirements

Entry Requirements

Applicants will hold a minimum Second Class Honours in a primary honours degree (NFQ Level 8), in Sciences, or a Health Sciences related discipline e.g. Nursing, Biomedical Science, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, Anatomy or equivalent to any of the above.

Students who have graduated in the discipline of Diagnostic Radiography are not eligible to apply for this programme.

Interview Details

Applicants will be shortlisted for interview based on:

• Educational qualifications
• Academic achievements outside of the curriculum, e.g. publications, conference presentations
• Contributions beyond academia
• Motivation: Applicants will submit a motivation statement as part of this application process. The motivational statement should be no longer than 800 words and will explain their motivation to become a Diagnostic Radiographer, outline their research aspirations in Radiography and indicate how their previous degree will contribute to their research and the practice of Radiography.

Shortlisted applicants will be invited for an interview and each applicant will be scored by an interview panel on the basis of:

• Communication skills and motivation;
• Knowledge of the field.

All applicants accepted onto the programme will need to have evidence of appropriate vaccinations for working in hospital environments.

Garda Vetting Policy

Students, or applicants in receipt of an offer, are subject to Garda Vetting.  Students will be prohibited from engaging in a relevant work placement unless the vetting process has been cleared.

Fees and Costs

Additional Fee Information

• Some students accepted for the MSc in Diagnostic Radiography may be part sponsored by the Health Service Executive (HSE) South/South West Hospital Group (SSWHG). The students will be funded €5,000 per annum towards the total fee of €11,130. The sponsorship from the SSWHG is subject to agreeing to a commitment to working in the SSWHG hospitals as required and assigned for 2 years post-completion of the programme.

Additional Costs

• Students will need to meet the costs of travel to hospitals in Cork City as well as other hospitals and clinical placement sites nationally, as and when necessary throughout the 2 years. Students will also need to cover the costs of accommodation during those placement blocks (usually ranging from 6-12 weeks at a time).
• Students will also incur the costs of uniforms which will be necessary for working on clinical placement.

How To Apply

Note

As part of the online application process you will be asked to include the following:

• Enter the details of professional or voluntary positions held. We strongly encourage you to complete this section with all relevant work experiences that will support your application.
• In addition to your previously declared qualifications, please outline any additional academic courses, self-learning, and professional training relevant to this programme.
• Describe your motivation and readiness for this programme. Please upload relevant certificates of achievement.
• Upload certification of current registration with the appropriate professional body.

Deposit

Please note that successful EU applicants will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit of €500 on acceptance of their place.

Deferrals

Deferrals are not permitted.

The closing date for non-EU applications is Open until all places have been filled or no later than 30 June. Early application is advised.

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