Therapeutic Radiographer - BSc(Hons) Therapeutic Radiography

Introduction

Study our Therapeutic Radiographer apprenticeship to gain a BSc(Hons) Therapeutic Radiography degree, accredited by the Society and College of Radiographers. Benefit from eligibility to register with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and industry-standard facilities on Glenside Campus.

Accreditations and partnerships:

Why study for a Therapeutic Radiographer apprenticeship?

When a patient is diagnosed with cancer, it's vital that they receive an extensive treatment plan with continuous emotional support. Therapeutic Radiographers play a critical role in examining the patients' scans, creating radiotherapy treatment plans, and administering ionising radiation to treat the tumour. By curing cancer, they make a positive difference to many people's lives, offering a hugely rewarding career path.

To start the treatment process, radiographers are equipped with broad knowledge and skills, including patient care, communication, anatomy, physiology, critical thinking and digital technology. Due to the specialist expertise needed and workforce shortages in healthcare services, Therapeutic Radiographers are in high demand, providing vital care and advocacy for patients throughout their cancer treatment.

Our Therapeutic Radiography apprenticeship (Level 6) enables practitioners working in NHS hospitals and specialist radiotherapy centres to train as qualified Therapeutic Radiographers, over a three-year period. You'll study the science that underpins effective cancer care, using advanced specialist equipment and clinical experience to plan and provide effective radiotherapy treatment.

By the end of the apprenticeship, you'll become an adaptive, reflective and confident practitioner who can deliver safe, compassionate and ethical radiotherapy services. As you build your skillset, your experiences and practice will provide valuable insights for your Continuous Professional Development (CPD) and lifelong learning opportunities.

The apprenticeship will also prepare you to develop your specialism further by studying a Master's degree in a dedicated field. On completion, graduates will be capable of administering cancer treatment, evaluating and interpreting pre-treatment scans, and treatment planning.

Why UWE Bristol?

UWE Bristol has developed this course in line with the core values of the NHS Constitution, ensuring you'll engage with relevant content, embedded from recruitment to teaching. From the start, you'll benefit from our established reputation as a radiography educator, thanks to our expert teaching, specialised facilities and continual assistance.

Our experienced lecturers offer a broad range of expertise across a range of patient types and clinical settings. This breadth ensures you'll be adaptable to a range of challenges within your workplace. You'll learn through online learning in our virtual classroom, blending virtual simulations with live teaching and offering you the flexibility to learn from a distance.

During your off-the-job training, you'll have access to our industry-standard facilities on Glenside Campus, our dedicated health community. These include our revolutionary Virtual Linear Accelerator (VERT), plus we were the first university to offer full remote access to the state-of-the-art Eclipse Radiotherapy Planning System.

Benefit from a range of student support during your apprenticeship, including guidance from a mentor and practice educator, and regular tri-partite reviews to monitor your progress. You'll also have access to UWE Bristol's healthcare library and support services, plus IT support, whether you're on campus or at your workplace.

Benefits to your employer

Our Therapeutic Radiography apprenticeship benefits healthcare services looking to 'grow their own' qualified Therapeutic Radiographers from their existing employees. The course offers your employer a new way to plan for their future workforce, investing in your training and education, while retaining your talent in house.

Throughout your clinical placement activity, you'll develop an empathic, reflective approach to your practice. You'll gain the emotional awareness needed to contribute safe and ethical care to your workplace. Plus, to meet the needs of your organisation, your employer will have the flexibility to spread your placement hours over the whole year or in discrete blocks.

On completion, you'll gain a deep understanding of the science that underpins effective cancer care, applied to a range of clinical settings in your workplace environment. You'll train as a confident, autonomous radiographer, not only offering strong clinical skills, but strong interpersonal skills to match.

Careers

On successful completion of this apprenticeship, you'll achieve a BSc(Hons) Therapeutic Radiography degree, accredited by the the Society and College of Radiographers. You'll also be eligible to register with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).

In addition to supporting your development in the workplace, this apprenticeship will help you to understand the career landscape in your sector and plan for your longer-term ambitions. Our award-winning Careers Service is on hand to give you independent advice and guidance at any point in your studies.

Course details

Content

Year one

Clinical Radiotherapy Practice 1
Foundation of Clinical Applications for Radiotherapy
Foundation of Imaging Science and Technology
Fundamentals of Human Anatomy and Physiology (Therapeutic Radiography)
Principles of Oncology and Radiotherapy.

Year two

Clinical Radiotherapy Practice 2
Foundation of Radiotherapy Planning and Simulation
Health Psychology and Wellbeing for Radiographers
Informing Practice through Research and Inquiry (Therapeutic Radiography)
Intermediate Clinical Applications for Radiotherapy
Intermediate Therapeutic Radiography Studies.

Year three

Autonomous Radiotherapy Practice
Cancer Care and Communication Skills in Radiotherapy
Clinical Radiotherapy Practice 3
Healthy Futures
Research and Evidence in Practice (Therapeutic Radiography).

Please note these modules are indicative and can vary.

Learning and Teaching

Throughout the apprenticeship, around 80% of your time will be based in a clinical practice environment with your employer, and you'll spend the remaining 20% in off-the-job training.

For 30 weeks of the academic year, you'll spend one day per week undertaking remote online distance learning. You'll also complete two days a week working in your current role, where you can put your learning into practice. The rest of your time will be spent on assessed placement activity in clinical settings within your own workplace.

You'll undertake one clinical practice module per academic year, as well as three one-week off-site placement blocks at UWE Bristol over 14 weeks each year. This totals 1500 hours of placement activity over the three-year degree apprenticeship.

Material will be delivered through a blend of online distance learning and assessed placement activity. The block weeks will be structured to ensure that you have time for class contact, project work and academic support sessions to create a balanced academic experience.

See our glossary of teaching and learning terms.

Assessment

This blended apprenticeship integrates practical experience and clinical practice with underpinning theory, supported by UWE Bristol's track record as a respected provider of radiography education.

You'll mostly be assessed through exams, presentations, patient examinations and coursework.

Learn more about assessments.

Features

Professional accreditation

On successful completion of this apprenticeship, you'll attain a BSc(Hons) Therapeutic Radiography degree, accredited by the Society and College of Radiographers.

You'll be eligible to apply for registration by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), which is required to practise as a registered Therapeutic Radiographer.

Life

Health and Wellbeing

We provide support in the way you need it.

Bristol

A stunning city for student living with all the qualities to make you want to stay.

Sports, societies and activities

There is more to your experience here than study. Choose to make the most of it and try new things.

Sustainability

It is embedded in our culture, teaching and research.

Campus and facilities

Discover our campuses and the wealth of facilities provided for our students.

Entry

Typical offers

Tariff points: 112
GCSE: Grade C/4 or above in English and Mathematics or equivalent (we accept Functional Skills Level 2 in Maths and English).
A-level subjects: Grade C in a Science subject.
Specific subjects: Biology, Applied Biology, Human Biology, Chemistry, Health and Social Care, Mathematics, Physical Education, Physics, Psychology, Applied Science, Science (Biology route), Science (Chemistry route), Science (Physics route), Science in Society, Sociology, Sport and Physical Education, Sports Studies.
EDEXCEL (BTEC) Diploma: You'll need a minimum of five units in a Science subject. You may be asked to do more based on the size of your units. Please list the units you are studying in your application. For further advice on acceptable units, please email us. For information on required Guided Learning Hours please see our minimum entry requirements page.
Access: 15 Level 3 credits at Merit in a Science subject.
Baccalaureate IB: A minimum Grade 5 in a Higher Level Science subject.
Irish Highers: H2 in a Science subject.
T Levels: Science. If you partially achieve your T Level, you can meet our subject requirements if you have at least a D in your Core Section. For further advice on acceptable subjects please email us.

Entry requirements

If you're applying with considerable relevant work experience we would consider applicants with 96 UCAS Tariff Points (achieved from at least 2 A Levels).

Additional requirements

You're required to complete:

Health assessment/declaration/vaccinations - Applicants must be in good health and be up to date with routine immunisations e.g tetanus, diphtheria, polio and MMR. Employers are responsible for ensuring this can be evidenced at the start of the course. Applicants will also be required to confirm their status in respect of a number of infectious diseases and immunisations (tuberculosis, measles, mumps, rubella, chicken pox, varicella, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV antibodies) and be prepared to have all required vaccinations funded by the employer. If vaccinations are not up to date this will affect ability to continue on the course. Concerns with regards to vaccinations should be raised at the point of application.
Disclosure of criminal background - Applicants are required to complete a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) enhanced check with UWE Bristol. Offers of a place will be subject to Disclosure of Criminal Background. The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 does not apply and all convictions, including those which are spent, must be disclosed. This is in accordance with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.

If youre interested in applying for Advanced Entry onto this course please contact the Degree Apprenticeship Hub, via the contact details at the foot of this page.

Selection process

Shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend an interview.

Prior Certificated Learning

Students wishing to transfer from other institutions will be considered on an individual basis if they meet the course requirements and there is capacity available within the apprenticeship. Applicants whose first language is not English must have a minimum IELTS score of 7 overall with a minimum of 6.5 in any section, (or equivalent). The core values of the NHS Constitution are embedded throughout the apprenticeship and within its recruitment process.

ESFA eligibility requirements

To study an apprenticeship, you need to:

be aged 16 years or over
be an EEA citizen (with Right to Work in the UK) and not be in any other kind of full-time education (including being enrolled on any other apprenticeship programme)
be employed (for at least the full planned duration of your apprenticeship) in a role that is linked to the appropriate industry for the apprenticeship training
receive at least legal minimum wage for apprentices (wages vary depending on experience, employer and level or type of apprenticeship)
commit to at least six hours per week of apprenticeship training during your normal working hours
have support from your employer, including a mentor/line manager. Your employer is also responsible for funding your apprenticeship.

More information about eligibility for apprenticeship funding is available on the GOV.UK website.

Find out more about how to meet our entry requirements.

How to apply

Employed

If youre interested in applying and have the support from your employer, speak to your line manager and/or HR team in the first instance for approval. Your employer will contact us so we can send you an application link.

Unemployed

If youre not employed, you can use the following tools to find an apprenticeship vacancy with an employer:

For more guidance on higher and degree apprenticeship applications.

For further information

For course-specific enquiries, please contact the Programme Leader.

For Entry Requirement enquiries, please contact Admissions@uwe.ac.uk.

For all other enquiries, please email our Apprenticeship Hub apprenticeships@uwe.ac.uk or call +44 (0)117 32 84888.

For further information about Higher and Degree Apprenticeships.

Higher/Degree Apprenticeship Therapeutic Radiographer