Course summary
Our full time, three year diagnostic radiography and imaging programme is accredited by the Health and Care Professions Council and the Society and College of Radiographers, and the skills you obtain are transferable to all NHS organisations and are recognised overseas. This will help you to develop the skills necessary to become a qualified diagnostic radiographer. Diagnostic radiographers are key members of the healthcare team who work closely with doctors, and other healthcare professionals to provide personal and supportive care to people of all ages. They operate a wide range of imaging equipment available in modern medical practice including computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, diagnostic ultrasound and X-ray equipment. As a diagnostic radiographer you will be responsible for providing comprehensive care for patients from new born children to the elderly, producing and interpreting images to be used in the diagnosis of injury and disease. By the end of the programme you will have a thorough knowledge of the professional and clinical aspects of diagnostic radiography, including the wide range of imaging technologies in use today. The School provides an interdisciplinary environment, with opportunities for shared learning and inter-professional education. Therefore, opportunities to learn with and from other healthcare students, especially in respect of person-centred care will be part of the programme. We offer an integrated mixture of university-based study and practice placements in the clinical setting. We work collaboratively with NHS organisations across South and West Wales so that you are competitive in the employment market upon qualification. You will receive close academic support from experienced personal tutors and be taught and supported by experienced staff whilst sharing ideas within a close-knit class and you will also benefit from placements supported by experienced radiography clinical lecturers. A varied profile of placement experience undertaken at optimal times across the three years of the programme will allow you to integrate academic theory with practice and gain insight as to the wide-ranging employment opportunities available to you upon qualification. You will have the opportunity to undertake an original research project representing the culmination of your three years of study. The research study aims to equip you with the necessary skills for ongoing professional development and evidence-based practice. Distinctive Features As part of a large School based at the University Hospital of Wales, we’ll help you to enjoy an academically rich and fulfilling experience. Here are some of the key features of our programme:
- Our Diagnostic Radiography and Imaging programme at Cardiff University is ranked in the Top 5 by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2019 and in the UK Top 10 under Medical Technology by The Complete University Guide 2019
- You will have a well-balanced range of clinical experiences, enabling you to not only meet the required professional competencies for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), but also to be competitive in the employment market.
- You will learn to cannulate during your final year, a skill that is very desirable in clinical practice but is not taught in many institutions.
- As part of the clinical elective placement in the second or final year, you will have the opportunity to organise a clinical placement in a radiology department of your choice, with the opportunity to work or volunteer abroad.
- Practical teaching will take place in our specific diagnostic facilities including a functional diagnostic x-ray room and an image viewing suite.
- Employability upon graduation is excellent with 95% of students in employment 6 months after graduating (UNISTATS 2018).
How to apply
This course is not accepting applications from students requiring a Student visa. For more information, please contact the course provider.
29Jan
This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application codes
- Course code:
- B823
- Institution code:
- C15
- Campus name:
- Main Site - Cardiff
- Campus code:
- -
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
International applicants
An NHS placement is a required part of this course. The NHS only makes placements available to students who are eligible to pay UK fees. Therefore, this course is not available for international students.
Entry requirements
Qualification requirements
UCAS Tariff - Not accepted
A level - BBB - BCC
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) - DDM - DMM
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme - 31 - 29 points
Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (first teaching September 2015)
Extended Project - A
GCSE/National 4/National 5
T Level - M
You must also supply a personal statement that is relevant to the profession. If you are applying to more than one professional programme, you should email a bespoke personal statement for each programme to [email protected] at the same time as submitting your application via UCAS. In your personal statement, you should demonstrate that you understand the profession, have an insight into the course itself, and describe any relevant work experience. Only one personal statement may be submitted for each programme. You must meet the Society and College of Radiographers' good health and character, and fitness to practice requirements. To do this, you will need to provide a statement of character, as well as your UCAS reference. We do not accept Critical Thinking, General Studies, Citizenship Studies, or other similar equivalent subjects. We will accept a combination of BTEC subjects, A-levels, and other qualifications, subject to the course specific grade and subject requirements. ENROLMENT CONDITIONS Before starting your course, you will also need to complete an occupational health questionnaire, attend any subsequent appointments and receive all of the necessary vaccinations to undertake clinical placements safely All applicants must meet the minimum requirements at Level 2 (typically GCSE) and Level 3 (typically A-level) in order to be eligible for consideration for selection. If you meet the minimum entry requirements your personal statement will be reviewed and given a numerical score. Eligible applicants will be ranked according to this score and the top ranking applicants will be made an offer.
Additional entry requirements
Health checks
English language requirements
All applicants are expected to have demonstrable English language skills. Most courses ask for GCSE English grade C/4 or equivalent, but some courses ask for GCSE English grade B/6 or equivalent.
To find out more, please go to:
https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/international/english-language-requirements/undergraduate
Student Outcomes
Operated by the Office for Students
Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)
Go onto work and study
The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
| Republic of Ireland | £9250 | Year 1 |
| England | £9250 | Year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £9250 | Year 1 |
| Scotland | £9250 | Year 1 |
| Wales | £9250 | Year 1 |
| Channel Islands | £9250 | Year 1 |
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .
Additional fee information
Students from the UK and Islands:
A full NHS bursary, including tuition fees and a non-repayable bursary for living costs, is available to applicants from the UK. Full details, including information for applicants from the Channel Islands and the EU, are available on our NHS funding pages: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/funding/funding-your-healthcare-course
Fees stated are for the 2025/26 academic year. The University reserves the right to increase tuition fees in the second and subsequent years of a course as permitted by law or Welsh Government policy. Where applicable we will notify you of any change in tuition fee by the end of June in the academic year before the one in which the fee will increase.
Fees for entry in subsequent years are subject to increase and will be confirmed by the end of October in the year preceding your start date of your programme.
Tuition fees cover all reasonable costs required for you to complete to the degree programme stated. Please note that you may choose to participate in study trips, associated placements or purchase equipment while studying on your degree programme which will be at your own cost. Tuition fees do not include living costs such as accommodation, subsistence or travel.
Students from the EU, EEA, and Switzerland:
If you are an EU/EEA/Swiss national, unless you qualify for UK fee status, tuition fees for 2025/26 will be in line with the fees charged for international students. You can check whether you are eligible for UK (Home) fee status on the UKCISA website: https://www.ukcisa.org.uk/Information--Advice/Fees-and-Money/Wales-fee-status#layer-6099
Students from the rest of the world (international):
An NHS placement is a required part of this course. The NHS only makes placements available to students who are eligible to pay UK fees. Therefore, this course is not available for international students.
Sponsorship information
Cardiff University has many scholarships on offer to our prospective students. Please see our website at http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/funding/scholarships for further information.
Provider information
Cardiff University
PO Box 921
Cardiff
CF10 3XQ