Everything you need to know...
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What is the fee?
Home: £3,650 for the course
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How long will I study?
1 Year
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Where will I study?
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When do I start?
September 2026
Course summary
- Work towards the four pillars of advanced clinical practice.
- Gain hands-on clinical experience and robust theoretical knowledge.
- Learn in a state-of-the-art simulated clinical environment with experienced staff.
- Combine academic study with at least 15 hours of clinical scanning per week.
- Join a course accredited by the Consortium for the Accreditation of Sonographic Education.
On this PgCert Abdominal Ultrasound course, you’ll study academic modules alongside a minimum of 15 hours per week of supervised clinical scanning in your workplace. You’ll complete simulation-based training and focused clinical workbooks that help you apply your learning to practice, alongside academic visits and formative appraisals. You’ll graduate with the skills and professional accreditation of an effective abdominal ultrasound practitioner.
Come to an open day
Find out more at our postgraduate open days. Book now for your place.
How you learn
You’ll be taught and supported by a team of experienced sonographers – who are HCPC registered and have significant clinical, research and teaching expertise – plus a clinical supervisor in your workplace
The PgCert is based on taught academic modules, clinical experience and simulation. You’ll make extensive use of simulated clinical environments while gaining practical experience that you’ve arranged in your own workplace.
The course structure and modules are designed to support your development in the areas most relevant to your own learning needs and your employer's service requirements.
You learn through:
- group discussion
- student-led seminars
- e-learning activities
- workshops and demonstrations
- keynote lectures
- simulation-based training
- academic visits
- formative appraisals
Key Themes
This course provides the essential theoretical foundation to support and enhance your practical ultrasound training, equipping you to become a competent and safe ultrasound practitioner.
We’ll focus on developing advanced skills in abdominal ultrasound assessment. Throughout the course you’ll gain the knowledge and experience needed to practise lawfully, safely and effectively – enabling you to manage and independently report complex caseloads within abdominal ultrasound practice.
Course-Level Support
You’ll be supported in your learning journey towards highly skilled, graduate-level employment through a number of key areas. These include:
- access to student support advisers to help with your personal, academic and career development
- access to our Skills Centre with one-to-ones, webinars and online resources, where you can get help with planning and structuring your assignments
Applied learning
Work Placements
Alongside your academic learning, you’ll be supported in clinical practice by a dedicated clinical supervisor to help you develop in your role as a sonographer. You’ll be expected to complete a minimum of 15 hours of supervised ultrasound scanning each week – please note we don’t arrange this experience for you.
For each clinical area, you’ll complete a clinical workbook, including an appraisal of your clinical competence. You’ll also complete two formative clinical appraisals throughout the year.
If you’re studying a 30-credit ultrasound module, a member of our academic team will visit your placement site. You’ll also undertake a three-day visit to a different ultrasound department – which we’ll organise for you – with your second formative appraisal taking place during the visit.
Course leaders and tutors
Elizabeth Bullivant
Senior Lecturer, Postgraduate Medical Ultrasound Course LeaderElizabeth Bullivant
Modules
Module and assessment information for future years is displayed as currently validated and may be liable to change. When selecting electives, your choices will be subject to the core requirements of the course. As a result, selections may be limited to a choice between one of two or more specified electives in some instances.
Final year
Compulsory modules
Module Aim
This module aims to provide the theoretical underpinning that supports and compliments your practical ultrasound training necessary to achieve advanced competency in patient centred abdominal and general ultrasound practice. You will develop your skills and experience to practise lawfully, safely and effectively to become capable of managing and independently reporting complex caseloads within abdominal ultrasound practice.
Indicative Content
Anatomy and physiology of abdominal systems and the normal sonographic appearances with comparisons between the adult, neonate and the paediatric patient. Abdominal pathology including sonographic appearances, disease processes and patient pathways.
The role of colour and spectral Doppler in the abdomen and impact on patient pathways.
Elastography and contrast enhanced abdominal ultrasound
Safety aspects of diagnostic ultrasound with particular regard to appropriate guidelines and the role in patient safety.
The role of ultrasound in the drainage of abdominal fluid, management of the acute abdomen and oncology.
Invasive procedures and complementary and alternative diagnostic tests.
Health screening programmes and the role of ultrasound.
Overview of additional techniques such as bowel, bladder and prostate
Overview of small parts including testes, hernias and thyroid.
The role of the sonographer in the relation to providing patient centred care and leading service improvements.
Differential diagnosis, report writing, communication of results and referral pathways.
Professional issues in abdominal ultrasound and occupational standards.
Medico-legal and ethical issues relevant to abdominal and general ultrasound and the role of the sonographer.
Management, audit, quality assurance and service improvement.
The role of the sonographer in the relation to providing patient centred care and leading service improvements.
National, professional and local abdominal ultrasound scanning guidelines.
Reflection and development planning.
Advanced Clinical Practitioner Framework and the Sonographer Education and Career Framework.
Career development planning including the four pillars of advanced practice.
Module Aim
This module aims to provide the theoretical underpinning that supports and compliments your practical ultrasound training required to produce a competent and safe sonographer.
Indicative Content
Physics of sound: characteristics and properties of sound
Ultrasound propagation and interaction with tissue: Reflection and transmission of sound, absorption and attenuation coefficients.
Artifacts
Power output, safety, physical aspects of ultrasound in human tissue.
Piezoelectric production of ultrasound.
Ultrasound pulses, beam shape, beam focusing and manipulation
Image formation
Transducers for medical, diagnostic ultrasound equipment.
Equipment controls
Doppler effect, Doppler instrumentation
Application of Spectral, Colour and Power Doppler
Physics of image and Doppler artefacts encompassing all media and quality assurance.
Spatial Compound Imaging
Tissue Harmonic Imaging
Elastography
Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound
3 and 4D
Current image storage systems
Display and analysis of data
Image manipulation and patient management systems.
New developments in technology and techniques
Fault reporting and safety.
Equipment evaluation for clinical application
Elective modules
MODULE AIM
To identify and critically evaluate a specific work based service improvement project. Evaluation of service improvement has direct benefits for your organisation, and will enhance your understanding of the underpinning improvement methodologies whilst further developing your personal and professional skills.
INDICATIVE CONTENT
The content of the module will be driven by personal and organisational goals negotiated at the start of the module. Key areas will be:
- Organisational structures
- Project management and evaluation
- Change management
- Selecting and using evidence
- Reflective practice
- Action planning
- Work based learning and organisational goals
- Action learning set methodology to support learning and progression through the module.
Module Aim
This module aims to provide the theoretical underpinning that supports and compliments your practical ultrasound training necessary to achieve advanced competency in patient centred gynaecology ultrasound practice. You will develop your skills and experience to practise lawfully, safely and effectively to become capable of managing and independently reporting complex caseloads within gynaecology ultrasound practice.
Indicative Content
Normal female pelvic anatomy Including normal variants from pre-puberty to the pre and post menopause.
Ultrasound of the paediatric pelvis, precocious puberty and considerations of the differences in adult scanning.
Critical appraisal of the benefits and limitations of transvaginal ultrasound and transabdominal techniques.
Safety aspects of diagnostic ultrasound with particular regard to appropriate guidelines and your role in patient safety.
Assisted conception and sub-fertility techniques, invasive procedures, ethics and the role of ultrasound in them.
Ovarian cancer screening pathway.
Complimentary imaging techniques such as MRI.
The role of colour and spectral Doppler in gynaecology ultrasound and impact on patient pathways.
The acute abdomen.
Pelvic pathology and patient pathways including additional investigations such as the role of hysteroscopy and sonohysterography.
The role of the sonographer in the relation to providing patient centred care and leading service improvements in care of women.
Current advances in gynaecological ultrasound practice.
Management, audit, quality assurance and service improvement.
Professional issues in ultrasound, and occupational standards.
Differential diagnosis, report writing, communication of results and referral pathways.
Medico-legal and ethical issues relevant to gynaecology ultrasound and the role of the sonographer.
National, professional and local gynaecology ultrasound scanning guidelines.
Reflection and development planning.
Advanced Clinical Practitioner Framework and the Sonographer Education and Career Framework.
Career development planning including the four pillars of advanced practice
This module aims to help you develop an in-depth understanding of the fields of management and leadership in the contemporary health and social care context, whilst considering your role and future development.
INDICATIVE CONTENT
- Overarching concepts of leadership and management
- Leadership overview
- Mapping the field of leadership
- Leadership and learning diagnostic tools
- Leadership learning and development
This module aims to facilitate your reflection and critical appraisal of underpinning theories of learning, teaching and assessment of adults that enables the design, delivery and evaluation of education. The emphasis is on exploring how educational concepts and theories are implemented and how they impact on your professional practice in the health and social care setting.
Indicative content
Lesson planning and evaluation
Theories of adult learning and teaching in higher education
Teaching strategies
Assessment and feedback
Learner support
M level academic writing
Engagement with the HEA UKPSF and other professional body requirements as appropriate.
This module prepares and enables you to embed research and innovation as a core component of your practice and engage in projects that address priorities and seek to transform lives.
It explores the role of research and innovation in healthcare practice and will provide you with an in-depth insight into a range of designs and methods that are used when undertaking such projects. The practicalities of proposing, implementing and undertaking successful projects is explored and you will be supported to create your own research and innovation plan for practice.
Module content:
Health innovation and research - principles and priorities
The research cycle
Formulating research/evaluation questions
Service evaluation design and methods
Research paradigms and methodology
Literature based reviews
Quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods research
Ethics and governance
Public and patient involvement and co-production
Funding and support
Project management
Dissemination and knowledge exchange
Career planning (including PhD study)
Future careers
This course prepares you for a career in:
- medical ultrasound
- NHS and private healthcare sonography roles
- advanced clinical practice roles
You could also progress to the Postgraduate Diploma or the MSc in Medical Ultrasound.
Equipment and facilities
You’ll study at our Collegiate Crescent Campus, in a vibrant student area just off Ecclesall Road. You’ll learn through a structured mix of lectures, seminars, practical sessions and digital learning resources, with access to advanced simulation technology and clinical training environments.
You’ll work with:
- dedicated ultrasound machines
- transvaginal phantoms
- an abdominal phantom
- an obstetric phantom
- online learning platforms and digital resources
These resources help you build clinical confidence and capability in a safe and supported setting.
Where will I study?
You study at Collegiate Campus through a structured mix of lectures, seminars and practical sessions as well as access to digital and online resources to support your learning.
Collegiate campus
Collegiate Campus can be found just off Ecclesall Road, a bustling student district.
Collegiate Campus map | Campus facilities
Collegiate library
Collegiate Library can be found just off Ecclesall Road. It's open 24 hours a day, every day.
Learn moreEntry requirements
All students
Relevant Bachelor's (honours) 2:2 degree in a science or healthcare subject.
Relevant professional qualification which includes: - Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) General Medical Council (GMC) Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Society of Vascular Technologist (SVT)
Relevant work experience
Relevant workplace opportunities and organisation support. You must have access to 15 hours per week ultrasound scanning in the UK, to include all ultrasound examinations required as part of the module. Scanning must be with an appropriately qualified clinical supervisor for the duration of the module. Clinical placement is not provided by the University. Please note, if your clinical placement is terminated for any reason the University is not responsible for finding an alternative. You will be required to withdraw from the course in these circumstances.
As part of your application, you are required to complete a clinical agreement form which includes details of your employing NHS Trust and confirmed arrangements for clinical supervision, including details of your appropriately qualified clinical supervisor.
You need to provide one supporting reference from the department offering clinical placement to confirm your suitability to train in ultrasound.
Recognition of prior learning will be considered for credits achieved from other CASE accredited UK ultrasound courses. Exceptions will be considered on a case by case basis.
Applicants whose first language is not English and who are required to provide a language test certificate as evidence of their proficiency must ensure that it is, or is comparable to, IELTS level 7.0 with no element below 6.5.
Additional information for EU/International students
This course is not open to international students who require a student visa to study in the UK. If you are an international applicant but do not require a student visa, email our Admissions Team to find out whether you’re eligible to apply.
Fees and funding
Home students
Our tuition fee for UK students starting part-time study in 2026/27 is £3,650 for the course. The tuition fee displayed above is for the full course. If the full course is more than one year in duration, the fee will be divided into annual payments which will then be rounded. This may mean the total fee you pay is slightly higher than the fee stated above. If you take a break in study or have to re-take part of the course, you may also be charged an additional fee and will be notified of this at the time.
If you are studying an undergraduate course, postgraduate pre-registration course or postgraduate research course over more than one academic year then your tuition fees may increase in subsequent years in line with Government regulations or UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) published fees. More information can be found in our terms and conditions under student fees regulations.
Scholarships and financial support
Find information on scholarships, bursaries and postgraduate student loans.
International scholarships up to £3000 ›
Alumni scholarships up to £2000 ›
Postgraduate loans for UK students ›
Additional course costs
The links below allow you to view estimated general course additional costs, as well as costs associated with key activities on specific courses. These are estimates and are intended only as an indication of potential additional expenses. Actual costs can vary greatly depending on the choices you make during your course.
General course additional costs
Additional costs for Health and Social Care (PDF, 277.7KB)Legal information
Any offer of a place to study is subject to your acceptance of the University’s Terms and Conditions and Student Regulations.
