Everything you need to know...
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What is the fee?
Home: £7,960 for the course
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How long will I study?
2 Years
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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.
This PgDip Medical Ultrasound Practice course is designed for qualified health professionals – such as radiographers, midwives or nurses – who’d like to develop a specialist career in ultrasound scanning. You’ll combine academic learning and simulated training with clinical experience, completing a minimum of 15 hours of supervised scanning each week. You’ll graduate with the skills and professional accreditation to practise safely and effectively as a sonographer.
You can progress to this award if you’ve previously studied our PgCert Abdominal Ultrasound or PgCert Obstetric Ultrasound. You could later progress to our MSc Medical Ultrasound Practice award.
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 PgDip is based on taught academic modules, supported by practical experience that you’ve arranged in your clinical setting. You’ll also make extensive use of simulated clinical environments during relevant modules. The structure is designed to support your development as an effective ultrasound practitioner, focusing on areas relevant to both your personal learning goals and your employer’s service needs.
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 programme integrates core scientific principles with professional practice, enabling you to develop the skills to safely, effectively and autonomously perform ultrasound scans.
Key areas of focus include the physics and instrumentation of ultrasound, legal and ethical frameworks, and advanced clinical applications across a range of specialisms such as obstetrics, abdominal and gynaecology.
You’ll also build your competence in image interpretation and reporting, patient care and clinical decision-making. The course helps you to become a reflective practitioner who’s capable of contributing to service improvement and leadership within multidisciplinary healthcare environments.
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 complete at least 15 hours of supervised ultrasound scanning each week, which must be arranged by you or your employer. For each clinical area, you’ll complete a workbook and undergo formative and summative assessment.
If you’re studying a 30-credit ultrasound module, a member of our academic team will visit your placement site. You’ll also complete a three-day visit to a different ultrasound department – which we’ll organise for you – where your second formative appraisal will take place.
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.
Year 1
Compulsory modules
Module Aim
This module aims to provide the theoretical underpinning that supports and compliments your practical training necessary to achieve competency in patient centred abdominal and general medical ultrasound practice.
Indicative Content
- Anatomy and Physiology of abdominal systems.
- Cross sectional anatomy.
- Abdominal pathology and disease processes.
- Normal sonographic appearances of the abdomen with comparisons between the adult, neonate and the paediatric patient.
- Sonographic demonstration of abnormal appearances and pathology in the abdomen.
- Elastography in abdominal ultrasound.
- Contrast enhanced ultrasound.
- Abdominal drainage of fluid.
- Oncology.
- Management of the acute abdomen.
- Invasive procedures for diagnosis.
- Complementary and alternative diagnostic tests.
- Differential diagnosis and report writing.
- The role of Doppler and Colour Doppler in the abdomen.
- Guidelines for abdominal ultrasound.
- Professional issues in abdominal ultrasound and occupational standards.
- The role of the sonographer in the relation to providing patient centred care and leading service improvements.
- Health screening programmes and the role of ultrasound.
- Bowel, bladder, prostate and an overview of additional techniques.
- Small parts including testes, hernias and thyroid.
- Advanced Clinical Practitioner Framework.
- Reflection and development planning.
Module Aim
This module aims to provide the theoretical underpinning to support and compliment the practical 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
Module Aim
This module aims to provide the theoretical underpinning that supports and compliments your practical training necessary to achieve advanced competency in patient centred gynaecological ultrasound practice.
Indicative Content
- Normal female pelvis, including the uterus, cervix, ovaries, adnexa.
- Pouch of Douglas and urinary bladder.
- Normal variants in the female pelvis from pre-puberty to the menopause.
- Comparisons of transabdominal and transvaginal scanning techniques.
- Uterus, adnexa, and ovarian and tubal pathology.
- Techniques and invasive procedures for the investigation of sub-fertility.
- Drug regimes in the treatment of sub-fertility.
- Assisted conception techniques.
- Communication skills and ethics of gynaecological scanning including the treatment of sub-fertility.
- Abnormal uterine bleeding, postmenopausal bleeding.
- Ovarian cancer screening.
- Complimentary imaging techniques.
- Doppler ultrasound.
- The acute abdomen.
- Pelvic infections and free fluid in the pelvis.
- Paediatric pelvis, precocious puberty.
- Management, audit, quality assurance.
- Role of hysteroscopy and sonohysterography.
- Patient centred care.
- Recent advances in gynaecological ultrasound practice.
- Professional issues in ultrasound, and occupational standards.
- Differential diagnosis, report writing, communication of results and referral pathways.
- Protocols and guidelines of professional bodies.
- Overview of ethical issues.
- The role of the sonographer in the relation to providing patient centred care and leading service improvements.
- National, professional and local gynaecological ultrasound scanning guidelines.
Module Aim
This module aims to provide the theoretical underpinning that supports and compliments your practical training necessary to achieve advanced competency in patient centred obstetric ultrasound practice.
Indicative Content
- The normal female pelvis including normal variants.
- Physiology of pregnancy and embryological development.
- Safety aspects of diagnostic ultrasound with particular regard to appropriate guidelines.
- Early pregnancy complications and patient care pathways.
- Management of early pregnancy assessment.
- Comparison of transvaginal ultrasound and transabdominal techniques
- Assessment of gestational age.
- Normal foetal anatomy and foetal abnormality.
- Antenatal screening and the role of current relevant diagnostic tests.
- NT screening.
- Chromosomal markers.
- Invasive procedures for pre- natal diagnosis.
- Multiple pregnancies and chorionicity.
- Assessment of foetal growth and well-being including Doppler, charts and foetal environment
- Difficult conversations (breaking bad news)
- Liquor volume assessment, placenta localisation and appearances.
- The role of the sonographer in the relation to providing patient centred care and leading service improvements in ante-natal care of women
- Differential diagnosis, report writing, communication of results and referral pathways.
- Overview of ethical issues.
- National, professional and local obstetric ultrasound scanning guidelines
- Advanced Clinical Practitioner Framework
- Reflection and development planning
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)
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.
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 and development in the health and social care setting.
INDICATIVE CONTENT
In the module, a framework is delivered by staff and is planned to promote discussion. The following is indicative of the 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.
Additional aspects of education may be added depending on learning requirements.
For those studying on the apprenticeship route, the following KSB’s will be met through study of this module
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You will be able to: |
You will know and understand: |
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Knowledge |
2.2 Assess own learning needs and engage in self-directed learning to maximise potential to lead and transform care and services |
2.2 Your role, responsibility and motivation to manage your own learning; the range of tools and techniques that can be used to direct own learning, set goals and evaluate learning |
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2.3 Work collaboratively to identify and meet the learning and development needs of health or care professionals; support practice education; act as a role model and mentor |
2.3 The application of teaching and learning theories and models in health and care; how to identify learning needs; organisational and professional roles and responsibilities in relation to life-long learning |
|
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4.1 Engage in research activity; develop and apply evidence-based strategies that are evaluated to enhance the quality, safety, productivity and value for money of health and care |
4.1 National and international quality standards; the effect of policy on health and social care |
Final year
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.
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 and development in the health and social care setting.
INDICATIVE CONTENT
In the module, a framework is delivered by staff and is planned to promote discussion. The following is indicative of the 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.
Additional aspects of education may be added depending on learning requirements.
For those studying on the apprenticeship route, the following KSB’s will be met through study of this module
|
|
You will be able to: |
You will know and understand: |
|
Knowledge |
2.2 Assess own learning needs and engage in self-directed learning to maximise potential to lead and transform care and services |
2.2 Your role, responsibility and motivation to manage your own learning; the range of tools and techniques that can be used to direct own learning, set goals and evaluate learning |
|
2.3 Work collaboratively to identify and meet the learning and development needs of health or care professionals; support practice education; act as a role model and mentor |
2.3 The application of teaching and learning theories and models in health and care; how to identify learning needs; organisational and professional roles and responsibilities in relation to life-long learning |
|
|
4.1 Engage in research activity; develop and apply evidence-based strategies that are evaluated to enhance the quality, safety, productivity and value for money of health and care |
4.1 National and international quality standards; the effect of policy on health and social care |
Future careers
This course prepares you for a career in:
- medical ultrasound
- NHS or private sonography roles
- advanced clinical practice
You could also choose to progress to the MSc Medical Ultrasound.
Equipment and facilities
You’ll study at our Collegiate Crescent Campus, located just off Ecclesall Road in a vibrant student area. You’ll learn through a structured mix of lectures, seminars, practical sessions and digital resources, supported by dedicated teaching and clinical staff.
You’ll work with:
- dedicated ultrasound machines
- transvaginal phantoms
- an abdominal phantom
- an obstetric phantom
- online learning platforms, learning materials and other resources
These facilities give you the chance to build skills in a safe and realistic clinical 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. Candidates for the PgD need to have completed a CASE accredited PG Cert in Medical ultrasound.
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 2025/26 is £7,960 for the course.
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.
