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
Abdominal And General Medical Ultrasound Practice
Applied Ultrasound Physics For Safe Practice
Gynaecological Ultrasound Practice
Obstetric Ultrasound Practice
Research And Innovation In Healthcare Practice
Elective modules
Evaluating Service Improvement (Distance Learning)
Leadership In Practice (Distance Learning)
Learning And Teaching For Practice (Distance Learning)
Final year
Elective modules
Evaluating Service Improvement (Distance Learning)
Leadership In Practice (Distance Learning)
Learning And Teaching For Practice (Distance Learning)
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.
Postgraduate student loans
Up to £12,858 is available in 2025/26 for home students on most masters courses.
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.
