Everything you need to know...
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What is the fee?
Home: £11,590 for the course
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How long will I study?
31 Months
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Where will I study?
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When do I start?
September 2025
Course summary
- Become a competent ultrasound practitioner working towards advanced clinical practice.
- Study a course accredited by the Consortium for the Accreditation of Sonographic Education.
- Graduate with eligibility to apply to the SCoR Voluntary Register of Sonographers.
- Gain hands-on clinical experience and robust theoretical knowledge.
On this course, you'll gain the skills, knowledge and professional accreditation you need to become an effective sonographer. You'll work in state-of-the-art simulated clinical environments, and apply your skills to your own practice with a Clinical Supervisor. You'll graduate ready for a rewarding career as an ultrasound practitioner.
Come to an open day
Find out more at our postgraduate open days. Book now for your place.
How you learn
At Sheffield Hallam, all our courses are designed to engage you with the world and challenge you to think in new ways. You’ll get to collaborate with others, and you’ll be taught in a supportive environment where you can thrive.
The course is based around academic taught modules, as well as research and dissertation— underpinned by a minimum of 14 hours of supervised clinical practice each week. You'll also make extensive use of simulated clinical environments on clinical modules.
The structure of the course and modules aims to ensure that you develop into an effective sonographer in areas most useful to your own personal development and employer's service requirements.
You learn through
- group discussion,
- student led seminars,
- e-learning activities
- workshops and demonstrations.
- key note lectures
- simulation
Course leaders and tutors
Elizabeth Bullivant
Senior Lecturer, Postgraduate Medical Ultrasound Course LeaderElizabeth Bullivant
Applied learning
Clinical placements
Alongside your academic learning through the University, you will also be supported in practice by your Clinical Supervisor to help develop your role as a sonographer. You will be expected to complete a minimum of 14 hours supervised ultrasound scanning each week. For each clinical area you undertake, you will be required to complete a clinical workbook that includes an appraisal of your clinical competence in that particular area of ultrasound practice.
During your training you will have two formative appraisals throughout the year and two visits from a member of the academic delivery team. About March/April time you will be expected to visit a different department for a week, this will be organised by the university. Your second formative clinical appraisal will be undertaken at the exchange placement.
Future careers
The course is designed specifically to enhance the employability of health professionals who wish to pursue or further their career in medical ultrasound.
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 moreEquipment and facilities
On this course, you'll work with
- dedicated ultrasound machines
- transvaginal phantoms
- an abdominal phantom
- online handbooks, learning materials and other resources
Entry requirements
All students
Academic Qualification
Normally, applicants will hold a first degree (or equivalent professional qualification) which is recognised in the UK by a professional standards regulating body such as HCPC, NMC or GMC, for example BSc(Hons) Diagnostic Radiography or Diploma of the College of Radiographers (DCR), BSc (Hons) Midwifery.
Other formally certified qualifications
Equivalent, international academic and/or professional qualifications will be considered on an individual basis.
Applicants are usually required to provide at least one reference evidencing their capability for postgraduate study. This programme of learning is essentially a work based learning programme so applicants joining the programme must be employed in, or have written agreement for, an appropriately supervised clinical placement. The University is not responsible for finding clinical placements for applicants. Entry into the programme will be determined by the suitability of the clinical placement and access to appropriate workload to support student learning.
Level of English language capability
If English is not your first language you will need an IELTS score of 7.0 overall and a minimum of 5.5 in all skills, or a recognised equivalent.
Relevant work or work-related experience
All applicants are advised to organise, with their clinical sponsor, some observational experience within the ultrasound department prior to the start of the programme. Prior to commencement of the programme you need to ensure you have access to the ultrasound department for the duration of the programme for a minimum of 14 hours per week undertaking 'hands on' supervised scanning. You and your sponsors are expected to enter into a written agreement to meet the clinical and practical demands of the programme by completing a clinical experience form. It is important that both you and sponsor commit fully to the programme. Students must also commit to one day per week during each semester for academic attendance. You are also expected to undertake private study as specified in each module.
As soon as your application has been accepted, the programme team encourage you to spend as much time as possible in the ultrasound department. The programme team do not stipulate a specific induction programme for clinical departments but do stress the importance of you having hands-on prior to the start of the programme, and recommend that you spend 1 month (minimum 14 hours per week) in the ultrasound dept. The module leaders send out introductory tasks to new students prior to their first attendance and these include specific tasks about the Ultrasound and associated departments and protocols that they can only find out by spending time in the clinical department.
Applicants will need to be motivated and prepared to study independently and autonomously. They must be prepared to embrace the challenges of Masters level study including online distance learning, have access to a reliable internet connection to support engagement and have sound basic IT skills.
The programme is intellectually challenging and applicants should be prepared to actively contribute to discussion and debate, critically reflect upon own and others’ practice and; explore and evaluate the evidence base underpinning their ultrasound practice.
Use of Prior Credit (RPL): prior certificated credit or prior experiential credit may be used within the course in the following ways:
Through the University's recognition of prior learning (RPL) process it may be possible for applicants to be exempt from some modules of the course.
Recognition of prior learning (RPL) (previously known as accreditation for prior learning or APL)
Recognition of prior learning (previously known as accreditation for prior learning or APL) is a term used to make explicit the link between assessment used as the basis for recognising learning gained outside of a formal course and that used for learning within a course; the key features of sound practice are common to both forms.
The term 'recognition' is used to describe accurately the process in relation to two widely recognised forms of prior learning: prior certificated learning and prior informal (or experiential) learning. The recognition of prior certificated learning involves the transfer of credit, or exemption from part of a programme, for learning that has previously been formally assessed. The essential characteristic of such learning is that the student has a certificate to evidence that the learning has been assessed. Sheffield Hallam University (SHU) determines the status of that certification (including consideration of its volume and level) as it relates to this specific course. All applicants who wish to apply for Recognition of Prior Learning must have been offered a place on the course and then are supported to complete the University online RPL process.
Through RPL procedures, applicants to SHU, or students already enrolled on SHU courses, may be able to use credit gained from formal study and assessment elsewhere, or from within the University, to count towards this award or to transfer to a different University award. The recognition of prior informal learning involves an assessment process on the part of SHU academic staff that leads to recognition, normally through the award of credit. The essential feature of this process is that it is the learning (gained through experience) which is being assessed not the experience itself.
In both cases recognition takes place within SHU's assessment and regulatory framework, which is designed to ensure that assessment decisions are conducted transparently, fairly and consistently for all programmes or subjects. The QAA indicators of sound practice are fully adhered to, and SHU publishes comprehensive guidance on RPL which is available to read publicly on SHU space under 'Rules and Regulations'. Students can apply for exemption from specific modules if they can provide evidence of previous certificated learning.
The process will commence with confirmation of a student being offered a place on the course. Claims under the RPL regulations will be considered by the course leader and other relevant colleagues. Students must provide evidence in the form of certification, the successful completion of the assessment activity, its academic level and credit rating. Outcomes of successful RPL claims will be ratified by the Board of Examiners and details recorded on individual student records.
Additional information for EU/International students
This course is not open to international students who require a Tier 4 (General) student visa to study in the UK. If you are an international applicant but do not require a Tier 4 (General) student visa, email our Admissions Team to find out whether you’re eligible to apply.
Modules
Important notice: The structure of this course is periodically reviewed and enhanced to provide the best possible learning experience for our students and ensure ongoing compliance with any professional, statutory and regulatory body standards. Module structure, content, delivery and assessment may change, but we expect the focus of the course and the learning outcomes to remain as described above. Following any changes, updated module information will be published on this page.
Year 1
Compulsory modules
Applied Ultrasound Physics For Safe Practice
Elective modules
Abdominal And General Medical Ultrasound Practice
Contemporary Issues In Advancing Practice (Distance Learning)
Evaluating Service Improvement (Distance Learning)
Gynaecological Ultrasound Practice
Leadership In Practice (Distance Learning)
Learning And Teaching For Practice (Distance Learning)
Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Practice
Negotiated Learning Ultrasound Practice
Obstetric Ultrasound Practice
Year 2
Compulsory modules
Researching For Practice (Distance Learning)
Elective modules
Abdominal And General Medical Ultrasound Practice
Contemporary Issues In Advancing Practice (Distance Learning)
Evaluating Service Improvement (Distance Learning)
Gynaecological Ultrasound Practice
Leadership In Practice (Distance Learning)
Learning And Teaching For Practice (Distance Learning)
Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Practice
Negotiated Learning Ultrasound Practice
Obstetric Ultrasound Practice
Final year
Compulsory modules
Dissertation 60 Credits
Fees and funding
Home students
Our tuition fee for UK students starting part-time study in 2025/26 is £11,590 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 £11,222 available 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 Diagnostic radiography courses (PDF, 329.2KB)Legal information
Any offer of a place to study is subject to your acceptance of the University’s Terms and Conditions and Student Regulations.