Healthcare Science (Radiation Physics), BSc (Hons)

Course Overview

Our BSc in Radiation Physics will give you the expert training you need to begin a rewarding and highly-skilled career in the healthcare profession as a radiation physics technologist.

You will learn about the clinical uses of x-rays, radioactive materials, lasers, and ultraviolet radiation in imaging patients, diagnosing and treating disease, and monitoring patients' response to treatment.

You will also gain a clear understanding of the laws and regulations around the clinical use of radiation and the principles of risk assessment and management.

The structure of our course means that you will combine in-depth academic work with practical skills in a range of specialised healthcare settings.

Radiation Physics is a vital field of medicine requiring a high level of responsibility and technical skill. As a radiation physics technologist, you will use sophisticated equipment to measure and calculate the doses of radiation received by patients during treatment and by the staff delivering it.

As your career progresses, you will have excellent opportunities for advanced practice and further study to Master's and doctoral level.

Why Radiation Physics at Swansea?

We are one of just a handful of universities in the UK offering a BSc in Radiation Physics and the only one in Wales.

Our course is accredited by the National School of Healthcare and Science.

Many of our academic staff are also practising healthcare scientists, providing an unrivalled combination of scientific rigour and professional expertise.

Places are also available if you receive sponsorship from a healthcare employer and in some circumstances; we may accept self-funded places with standard tuition fees if you are able to secure your own work placement.

Course Structure

• Year 1 (Level 4):
  • Compulsory Modules:
    • Professional Practice 1
    • Anatomy and Physiology for Healthcare Science
    • Pathophysiology for Healthcare Science
    • Basics of Mathematics and Physics for Healthcare Science
    • Scientific Basis of Medical Physics
    • Informatics and Statistics
• Year 2 (Level 5):
  • Compulsory Modules:
    • Professional Practice 2
    • Research Methods and Statistics
    • Instrumentation Signal Processing and Imaging
    • Medical Imaging
    • Practice of Radiation Protection
    • Medical Equipment Lifecycle
    • Healthcare Science Work Based Placement 1 (Radiation Physics)
• Year 3 (Level 6):
  • Compulsory Modules:
    • Professional Practice 3
    • Healthcare Science Research Project
    • Healthcare Science Work Based Placement 2 (Radiation Physics)
    • Framework of Radiation Governance and Risk Management
    • Practice of Radiation Physics

Entry Requirements

You will need to demonstrate a strong educational profile and commitment to Healthcare Science in the Physical Science field.

• Typical A-level Offer: Minimum BBB at A level, including maths or physics.
• Typical Access to Science Offer: Distinction and Merit profile against the rules of combination. We do not accept Access to Healthcare or Access to Healthcare and Nursing.
• Typical BTEC Offer: DDD
• Typical Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales Offer: B and either BB at A level (including Maths or Physics) or DD at BTEC
• Irish Leaving Certificate: 345
• Minimum five-grade A-C GCSE passes including Welsh/English language, Maths and a Physical Science or Double Award Science.
• If your first language is not English you will need IELTS English language requirement 7.0 with no components below 5.5.
• If you are offered a place you will also need A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, or approved equivalent.

Tuition Fees

• Start Date: September 2025, September 2026
• UK: £9,535
• International: Not specified

Careers and Employability

The NHS starting salary for Radiation Physics Technologists is around £28,407 rising to £50,056. There are also many opportunities to work in research, education, management, and the private sector.

On graduation, you will be eligible to apply for membership of the regulatory body, the Institute for Physics and Engineering in Medicine, and enter the workplace as an independent practitioner.

Academic Support

As well as subject specific support by college teaching staff and your personal tutor, the Centre for Academic Success provides courses, workshops and one-to-one support in areas such as:

• Academic writing
• Maths and statistics
• Critical thinking
• Time management
• Digital skills
• Presentation skills
• Note taking
• Revision, memory and exam techniques
• English language skills (if English is not your first language).

Study Abroad and Global Opportunities

To learn more about study abroad, visit our Go Global webpages.

International summer programmes are open to students from all schools. Programmes typically range from 2 to 6 weeks, across destinations such as Sri Lanka, South Korea, Fiji, Bali, the USA and across Europe. For more information about programmes and eligibility visit our Summer Abroad webpages.

Degree Overview:

Our BSc in Radiation Physics will give you the expert training you need to begin a rewarding and highly-skilled career in the healthcare profession as a radiation physics technologist. You will learn about the clinical uses of x-rays, radioactive materials, lasers, and ultraviolet radiation in imaging patients, diagnosing and treating disease, and monitoring patients’ response to treatment. You will also gain a clear understanding of the laws and regulations around the clinical use of radiation and the principles of risk assessment and management. The structure of our course means that you will combine in-depth academic work with practical skills in a range of specialised healthcare settings. Radiation Physics is a vital field of medicine requiring a high level of responsibility and technical skill. As a radiation physics technologist, you will use sophisticated equipment to measure and calculate the doses of radiation received by patients during treatment and by the staff delivering it. As your career progresses, you will have excellent opportunities for advanced practice and further study to Master's and doctoral level.

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Outline:

Academic Year 1 Module Code Module Name Module Duration Credits SHC150 Professional Practice 1 September-January 10 SHC151 Anatomy and Physiology for Healthcare Science Academic Year 30 SHC152 Pathophysiology for Healthcare Science Academic Year 20 SHC153 Basics of Mathematics and Physics for Healthcare Science September-January 10 SHC160 Scientific Basis of Medical Physics Academic Year 40 SHC161 Informatics and Statistics Academic Year 10 Academic Year 2 Module Code Module Name Module Duration Credits SHC230 Professional Practice 2 Academic Year 10 SHC231 Research Methods and Statistics Academic Year 10 SHC233 Healthcare Science Work Based Placement 1 (Radiation Physics) Academic Year 10 SHC243 Medical Imaging Academic Year 30 SHC244 Practice of Radiation Protection September-June 20 SHC245 Medical Equipment Lifecycle Academic Year 10 SHC246 Non-ionising Radiation and Physiological Measurements Academic Year 10 SHC232 Instrumentation Signal Processing and Imaging The College - Autumn Term (Sep - Dec) 20 Academic Year 3 Module Code Module Name Module Duration Credits SHC330 Professional Practice 3 September-June 10 SHC331 Healthcare Science Research Project Academic Year 30 SHC332 Healthcare Science Work Based Placement 2 (Radiation Physics) Academic Year 20 SHC346 Framework of Radiation Governance and Risk Management Academic Year 30

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Teaching:

We are proud to provide an outstanding educational experience, using the most effective learning and teaching approaches, carefully tailored to suit the specific needs of your course. Apart from a small number of online-only courses, most of our courses consist of in-person, on-campus teaching, enabling full engagement with your lecturers and fellow students. Practical skills sessions, lab work seminars, and workshops predominantly take place in person, allowing for group working and demonstrations. We also operate virtual labs and Simulated Learning Environments which will facilitate greater access to training opportunities in the future. However, our approach also includes the use of some online learning to support and enhance traditional face-to-face teaching. Online learning may take place ‘live’ using software such as Zoom, allowing you to interact with the lecturer and other students and to ask questions. Lecture recordings also allow for more flexibility to revisit material, to revise for assessments and to enhance learning outside of the classroom. Some modules have extra resources in Canvas, such as videos, slides and quizzes enabling further flexible study. We assess your learning through a variety of methods including essays, presentations, examinations and portfolios of practical skill. You will have the chance to put your academic learning into practice with 50% academic study and 50% practical work placements. Over the three years, your total direct contact time at University will be around 850 hours. This will include lectures, tutorials, seminars, group work, laboratory and clinical simulation work. You will attend 50 weeks of placement before graduating. Work placements normally run from 9 am until 5 pm, Monday to Friday, with a half-day to study each week. This totals about 1,600 hours over the three years.

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Careers:

The NHS starting salary for Radiation Physics Technologists is around £28,407 rising to £50,056. There are also many opportunities to work in research, education, management, and the private sector. On graduation, you will be eligible to apply for membership of the regulatory body, the Institute for Physics and Engineering in Medicine, and enter the workplace as an independent practitioner.

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Tuition Fees and Payment Information:

Start Date UK International September 2023 £ 9,000 N/A September 2024 £ 9,000 N/A Fees for full time Undergraduate UK students may be increased in subsequent years of study by an inflationary amount determined by Welsh Government.

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Overview:

• Founded in 1920 as University College of Swansea
• Received its Royal Charter in 1948, becoming Swansea University
• Consistently ranked among the top 30 universities in the UK
• Home to over 20,000 students from over 140 countries
• Notable achievements include:
  • 2019 Queen's Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education for its work in developing and delivering innovative teaching methods
  • 2018 Times Higher Education Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Local Community
  • 2017 Research Excellence Framework (REF) results showed that 90% of Swansea University's research was rated as world-leading or internationally excellent

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Student Life:

• Over 150 student clubs and societies
• Sports teams in a variety of disciplines, including rugby, football, and basketball
• Student support services include:
  • Counseling and mental health support
  • Disability support
  • Financial advice
  • International student support
• Campus facilities include:
  • Bay Campus: Modern campus with state-of-the-art facilities, including a library, sports center, and student union
  • Singleton Campus: Historic campus with a mix of traditional and modern buildings, including the iconic Singleton Abbey
  • Tycoch Campus: Home to the College of Engineering and the School of Management

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Academics:

• Academic resources include:
  • Over 400 undergraduate and postgraduate programs
  • World-class research facilities
  • Extensive library resources
• Faculty:
  • Over 1,000 academic staff, including internationally renowned researchers and industry experts
• Teaching methodologies:
  • Focus on student-centered learning
  • Use of innovative teaching methods, such as problem-based learning and flipped classrooms
• Academic support services:
  • Academic skills workshops
  • Writing center
  • Math and statistics support
• Unique academic programs or initiatives:
  • Swansea Employability Academy: Provides students with opportunities to develop employability skills
  • Swansea University Global: Offers international study and research opportunities

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Top Reasons to Study Here:

• Top 30 UK university
• Excellent teaching and research
• World-class facilities
• Strong industry connections
• Vibrant student life
• Notable alumni include:
  • Michael Sheen, actor
  • Catherine Zeta-Jones, actress
  • Sir Terry Matthews, entrepreneur

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Services:

• Counseling and mental health support
• Health center
• Housing services
• Library resources:
  • Over 1 million books and journals
  • Access to online databases and e-resources
• Technology support:
  • Free Wi-Fi across campus
  • Computer labs and printing facilities
• Career development services:
  • Career counseling
  • Job search assistance
  • Employer networking events