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University of South Australia (UNISA)

Adelaide , South Australia ,Australia

Master of Medical Sonography (General)

If you are a medical radiation or other allied health professional and want to broaden your career prospects, this master degree may be for you.

In just three years of part-time study you will extend your knowledge, practical skills and understanding of medical sonography, with the opportunity to learn advanced clinical skills, or pursue research. This is great news for students who want to study in among work and other life commitments, giving you the freedom to learn wherever, whenever. 

General sonographers require highly developed technical skills and a strong understanding of physics, anatomy and pathology for the examination of body parts such as internal organs, blood vessels, musculoskeletal systems, reproductive organs and pregnancies.

Practical learning is a major focus, with students embarking on 2,200 hours of ultrasound training and associated clinical placements. This degree in only offered online, with attendance at an on-campus final clinical assessment. It can only be studied part-time, over a minimum of three years. 

This qualification may also suit qualified sonographers seeking to upskill in an area of interest.

Through a combination of theory and practice you will gain advanced technical skills and a strong understanding of health science, physics, anatomy and pathology.

You will acquire:

  • advanced knowledge in a specialist area of medical sonography
  • critical thinking and analytical skills for effective practice as a medical sonographer
  • foundational research knowledge.
  • You can choose to study areas of your interest, including fetal echocardiography, obstetrics, advanced musculoskeletal sonography, management and ethics, or research.

You will also be required to complete at least 2,200 hours of supervised ultrasound scanning experience (verified by an ASAR accredited sonographer or equivalent).

Campus Information

Adelaide- City East

Study in the heart of the city centre, in an area rich in history and culture. City East is home to modern health science facilities.

Intakes

  • Feb
  • July

Application Processing Time in Days: 14

Minimum English Language Requirements

English Level Description IELTS (1.0 -9.0) TOEFL IBT (0-120) TOEFL CBT (0-300) PTE (10-90)
Expert 9 120 297-300 86-90
Very Good 8.5 115-119 280-293 83-86
Very Good 8 110-114 270-280 79-83
Good 7.5 102-109 253-267 73-79
Good 7 94-101 240-253 65-73
Competent 6.5 79-93 213-233 58-65
Competent 6 60-78 170-210 50-58
Modest 5.5 46-59 133-210 43-50
Modest 5 35-45 107-133 36-43
Limited 4 32-34 97-103 30-36
Extremely Limited < 4 < 31 < 93 < 30

Job Opportunity Potential

Teaching and Research

UniSA has an excellent reputation in teaching and learning and an enviable record of achievement in graduate employability. Our teaching focuses around preparing students to be work-ready through relevant and industry-informed curricula. UniSA ensures its teachers motivate, challenge and stimulate students’ learning, with our research activity informing our teaching across our broad discipline profile.

Teaching and learning excellence are at the centre point of our promotion criteria, performance management practices, and approaches to rewards and recognition for our academic staff.

Research at UniSA is inspired by challenges and opportunities, partnered with industry and communities, and underpinned by excellence. Our academics engage in interdisciplinary teams to translate their research into meaningful outcomes. Contributing to a research environment that is vibrant, responsive and outward-facing are the University’s research themes. The themes link our research strengths and address local and global socio-economic needs:

  • An age friendly world
  • Transforming industries
  • Scarce resources
  • Cancer
  • Healthy futures
  • Transforming societies

Our flagship institutes and strategic alliances include the Future Industries Institute, Ehrenberg-Bass Institute, Sansom Institute for Health Research and the Centre for Cancer Biology. Further information about our enterprising research and research centres and concentrations can be found at our Research page.

Industry Connections

Real solutions don’t happen without great partnerships. We have partnered with local icons and international heavyweights to drive the advancements behind a better society. Across the University, we seek to match our research capability and strengths with the opportunities, challenges and needs of our partners, and maximise the mutual benefits of engagement.

With a growing presence on Adelaide’s cultural calendar and as a partner across arts, culture and sporting events, we’re acting on a social mission to enrich our society. Our campus spaces stimulate and foster creativity and innovation, support new models of learning, support our enterprise researchers and connect with the community.

Professional staff

As a professional staff member you get exposure to the research and teaching at UniSA, and work closely with leading academics who through research and teaching, are shaping the professionals of the future.

Professional staff support both staff and students, and this ranges from career advice services to students, finance, HR, marketing, facilities and management, research support – all of these areas are critical to supporting the day-to-day operations of departments and the university as a whole. There are numerous benefits and opportunities for personal development at UniSA.

There is a current shortage of specialised sonographers in Australia and New Zealand.1 Sonographers require highly developed technical skills and a strong understanding of health science, physics, anatomy and pathology for examination of body parts such as internal organs, blood vessels, musculoskeletal systems, reproductive organs and pregnancies. As a graduate, you can find work as an accredited medical sonographer in metropolitan, rural and remote locations, across settings including:

hospitals
private practices
tertiary education providers. 
As a masters graduate you may also choose to pursue a career in research – if you do choose to pursue a career in research you can further your studies with a Masters by Research or a Doctor of Philosophy qualification.

PSW Opportunity

NA

Admission Requirement / Eligibility Criteria

Sonographers require highly developed technical and interpersonal skills, as well as a strong understanding of health science, physics, anatomy and pathology. As a graduate, you can find work as an accredited medical sonographer in metropolitan, rural and remote locations across:

  • hospitals
  • private practices
  • tertiary education providers

Medical sonographers perform a broad range of tasks and duties, including:

  • explaining procedures to patients, answering questions and ensuring patient welfare throughout the exam
  • examining referrals from and writing reports for doctors.
  • operating equipment to ensure the interior images are clear
  • positioning patients, equipment and screens for maximum exposure and clarity
  • selecting the images needed for diagnostic purposes