Bachelor of Echocardiography and Cardiac Physiology / Graduate Diploma of Echocardiography
| Rank threshold | ATAR: 77 SR: 77 |
| Duration | 4 years full-time |
| Location | Brisbane and Sydney |
| Next start term | Term 1, 2024 |
| Study mode | On Campus |
| Course code | CV69 |
Overview
Enjoy the opportunity to join a niche medical profession with no prior degree in health sciences. The Bachelor of Echocardiography and Cardiac Physiology/Graduate Diploma in Echocardiography is the first Australian course allowing undergraduate entry to this growing field within diagnostic medical imaging.
An Echocardiographer (or cardiac sonographer) is a health professional who uses a range of diagnostic tools, including ultrasonic equipment, to produce diagnostic images, video loops, laboratory data and three dimensional and four-dimensional volumes of cardiovascular anatomy.
You will undertake a four-year full-time course of study, comprising a three-year undergraduate Bachelor of Echocardiography (Cardiac Physiology) and a one-year Graduate Diploma of Echocardiography.
You will be able to apply your knowledge of cardiac physiology, measurement science and practical echocardiographic scanning skills in the diagnostic setting.
Why choose Echocardiography at CQUni?
- Australia's only combined undergraduate/postgraduate course
- Fully competent to perform full cardiac assessment including echocardiography
- Extensive clinical experience, placed by CQUniversity
- State of the art, purpose-built training environments for real-world simulation
- Global accreditation - students will be eligible to seek registration as Echocardiographers within Australia, Europe, Britain and the United States of America
“I would love to work in a hospital or practice as a cardiac sonographer – I love the patient interaction. And hopefully someday, when I have enough experience, I would love to open up my own practice.
Sonam Jalota
Bachelor of Echocardiography (Cardiac Physiology) / Graduate Diploma of Echocardiography
Career Opportunities
The Bachelor of Echocardiography (Cardiac Physiology) and Graduate Diploma of Echocardiography prepares you to practise as an Echocardiographer.
Employment opportunities may exist in organisations such as:
- public and private hospitals
- community health care services.
Echocardiographers are highly specialised health professionals, who require specialised education and skills to view, analyse, modify and provisionally report on cardiac scans. An echocardiographer has an important degree of responsibility within the diagnostic process and often work closely with surgical staff.
Echocardiographers are in demand in many public and private health facilities, and this demand is likely to grow due to the aging population.
Australian Sonographers and Echocardiographers are well regarded globally and there are strong employment opportunities if you are looking to travel and work overseas.
Structure & Availability
Course structure
You are required to complete 23 core units throughout the course. The units you will study in the fourth year are postgraduate-level units. This course provides sequential clinical learning to ensure the attainment of a high level of diagnostic and psychomotor skills and excellence in professional practice, hence most units must be taken in the order in which they are offered.Unit information
For information on the units, you could study as part of this course, visit the Handbook and select the "Course Structure" tab.Credit transfer information
If you have already completed study relevant to the course you have enrolled in, you may be eligible for credit transfer.On-Campus Availability
| Intake | Locations |
|---|---|
| Term 1, 2024 | Brisbane, Sydney |
Campus Transfers
To ensure that you can attend designated times in our simulation labs and use our ultrasound equipment, this course has strict quota limits that apply to each campus. This means that internal transfers between campuses to our CQUniversity Brisbane campus are not permitted. If you apply for a particular campus of study for this course and wish to transfer to another campus (excluding CQUniversity Brisbane), transfer applications are considered case-by-case, provided you meet specific requirements. For details, please refer to the 'More Details' section of our student handbook.Deferment/Leave of Absence
Due to accreditation requirements, the Bachelor of Echocardiography (Cardiac Physiology)/Graduate Diploma of Echocardiography does not currently permit a deferment and/or Leave of Absence (LOA). In order to meet accreditation requirements, as a student, you must be able to demonstrate continuous enrolment in this course. This means that you must enrol in the units available for you to study in each term, taking into account pre and co-requisite requirements.Application Closing Dates for Term 1, 2024
This course has early closing dates for Term 1, 2024, as follows:
- Direct applications (STEPS) close on Friday, 8 December 2023.
- QTAC applications close on Friday, 8 December 2023.
- UAC applications close on Monday, 15 January 2024.
Majors and minors are not applicable to this course.
Professional Practice - Australasian Sonographer Accreditation Registry (ASAR)
Core
The CV69 Bachelor of Echocardiography and Cardiac Physiology / Graduate Diploma of Echocardiography has been accredited by the Australasian Sonographer Accreditation Registry (ASAR). Students must complete both the Bachelor of Echocardiography and Cardiac Physiology and the Graduate Diploma of Echocardiography to gain accreditation.The external accreditation body sets a MAXIMUM time that individuals may be on the ASAR Registry as a Student of 5 years from the date of initial entry onto the registry. Students must register as an Accredited Student Sonographer with ASAR during year 2 of CV69 course enrolment, prior to their first clinical practicum. This requirement means that students must complete this course of study within 5 years of their student registration date in order to qualify as an accredited Echocardiographer.
Cardiac Clinical Unit 3 - ECHO13007
640 hours of clinical placement. Students perform a broad range of echocardiographic studies under the direct supervision of a qualified cardiac sonographer, or delegate. Student learning is supported on-site by the clinical supervisor, in-conjunction with support from the CQUniversity academic unit coordinator. Clinical facilities can often only host one student at a time so the placement locations are spread over a large geographical area. As a result prospective students are advised that they should prepare personally and financially to relocate for some or all of their placement.
Cardiac Clinical Unit 2 - ECHO12005
320 hours of clinical placement. Students perform a broad range of cardiac physiology and echocardiographic studies under the direct supervision of a qualified cardiac sonographer, or delegate. Student learning is supported on-site by the clinical supervisor, in-conjunction with support from the CQUniversity academic unit coordinator. Clinical facilities can often only host a small number of students at a time so the placement locations are spread over a large geographical area. As a result prospective students are advised that they should prepare personally and financially to relocate for some or all of their placement.
Cardiac Clinical Unit 5 - ECHO20005
640 hours of clinical placement. Progressing to independent practice in preparation for entry to professional practice, students perform a broad range of echocardiographic studies under the direct supervision of a qualified cardiac sonographer, or delegate. Student learning is supported on-site by the clinical supervisor, in-conjunction with support from the CQUniversity academic unit coordinator. Clinical facilities can often only host one student at a time so the placement locations are spread over a large geographical area. As a result prospective students are advised that they should prepare personally and financially to relocate for some or all of their placement.
Cardiac Clinical Unit 4 - ECHO20004
640 hours of clinical placement. Students perform a broad range of echocardiographic studies under the direct supervision of a qualified cardiac sonographer, or delegate. Student learning is supported on-site by the clinical supervisor, in-conjunction with support from the CQUniversity academic unit coordinator. Clinical facilities can often only host one student at a time so the placement locations are spread over a large geographical area. As a result prospective students are advised that they should prepare personally and financially to relocate for some or all of their placement.
Requirements
Rank Threshold
A rank threshold is the minimum competitive rank that applications will be considered for entry to this course. The rank threshold for this course is: SR 77 | ATAR 77.0
Lowest Ranks
The lowest selection rank refers to the lowest rank to which an offer was made for an intake or term and includes adjustment factors applied to an applicant's ATAR such as the Regional Adjustment Scheme and Educational Access Scheme. An ATAR with adjustment factors applied is referred to as a selection rank.
The lowest selection ranks (includes adjustment factors) for Term 1, 2023 for the following locations are as follows:
Brisbane: 77.95
Sydney: 78.7
Please note entry to courses is competitive and the lowest score (ATAR or selection rank) will vary from year to year and campus to campus and is provided as a historical guide of past performance.
Student profile
If you would like to know more about entry scores for applicants with recent secondary education and the student profile for this course view our Course and Entry Score Profile for Term 1, 2023.Institute profile
To find out about CQUniversity's Undergraduate Profile for Term 1, 2023 view our Institute Profile.Recommended study
Prerequisites
When applying, you must demonstrate that you have met the listed Entry Requirements and English Language Proficiency requirements.
After you have applied and enrolled in this course, you will need to be able to meet the Security and Health Requirements as these generally relate to work-integrated learning activities that form part of your course. You will be provided with more information about security and health requirements after enrolling in the relevant units that these relate to.
Entry Requirements
English Language Proficiency Requirements
If you were not born in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Ireland, South Africa or United States of America you are required to meet the English Language Proficiency requirements set by the University. Applicants are required to provide evidence of completion within the last 5 years of:
- A secondary qualification (Year 11 and 12, or equivalent), or
- Bachelor level qualification study for a period of at least 2 years fulltime with a minimum overall GPA 4. Completed within Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom, South Africa, Ireland, or United States of America, which will meet the English proficiency.
If you do not satisfy any of the above you will need to undertake an English language proficiency test and achieve the following scores as below:
- An International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic) overall band score of at least 7.0 with a minimum 7.0 in each subset; or
- An Occupational English Test with Grades A or B only in each of the four components; or
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) iBt - 94 or better overall and no score less than 24 for listening and reading, 27 for writing, and 23 for speaking; or
- Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic) - Requires an overall score of 65 with no sub-score less than 65.
English test results remain valid for no more than two years between final examination date and the date of commencement of study, and must appear on a single result certificate.
Each student will be assessed individually.
The COVID-19 vaccination is mandatory to be eligible to attend a WIL placement for this course. Students will be required to provide evidence of having an up-to-date COVID-19 vaccination status by the closing date prior to a WIL placement. The vaccine received must be a vaccine approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) of Australia.
Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) placements apply to this course in years 2-4, and must be completed to satisfy both degree and Australian Sonographer Accreditation Registry (ASAR) requirements. Attendance is subject to compulsory pre-placement conditions referred to as mandatory checks.
Mandatory checks are determined by industry, organisations, legislation, regulations, policies, and procedures. To be eligible for a WIL placement, students must both achieve compliance with mandatory checks by published closing dates and maintain current evidence for the duration of course enrolment.
Mandatory health requirements include immunisation and vaccination evidence (and serology where required) to the following diseases: COVID-19 (up-to-date status), Hepatitis B, Measles, Mumps and Rubella, Varicella, Pertussis, Influenza, and Tuberculosis screening. Additional vaccinations and screening are subject to the site or state health authority. Respirator mask fit testing is also an annual requirement for this course.
Whilst on placement, students will perform cardiac assessment and provide hands-on care to people who may be ill or injured. Students will need to be physically fit, able to stand and walk for extended periods, lift, stretch, carry heavy loads and have sufficient visual acuity and contrast sensitivity to assess fine detail in images and perform safely in a range of lighting conditions. A student may be determined ineligible for placement based on the inability to perform required tasks, or if the student is determined as a risk to clients, staff or other stakeholders.
Mandatory security requirements include an Australian Federal Police clearance and working with children check.
Other mandatory requirements include a CPR certificate, student agreement to privacy and confidentiality, fitness to participate in WIL student declaration, jurisdictional and site-specific compulsory requirements, and other training modules.
Students must prepare financially and personally to relocate for WIL placements. Due to limited host availability, students may be allocated to facilities or regions not of their choosing.
Students are encouraged to review published Inherent Requirements that outline essential capabilities, knowledge, behaviours and skills that are need to complete clinical placement units and this course.
Fees & Scholarships
2023 Indicative Fees
| Fee Type | Fees |
|---|---|
| Commonwealth Supported Place – Indicative First Year Fee | $9,172 |
Indicative first-year fee
The fees listed are indicative only and based on enrolling in a full-time study load for one academic year (generally, this is eight units over two terms). Your fees may vary depending on the units you select and the number you study per term. Fees are reviewed annually and are subject to change. Understanding your fees.
Commonwealth support and government assistance loans
Commonwealth Supported Places (CSPs) are subsidised by the Australian Government, meaning you are only required to pay the student contribution rather than full tuition fees if you meet eligibility requirements. If offered a CSP, you may be eligible for a HECS-HELP government loan. HECS-HELP is an Australian Government loan scheme that assists you in paying your student contributions. Provided you meet the HECS-HELP eligibility criteria, you may use HECS-HELP to defer part or all of your student contribution fees. Learn more about paying for university.
Other study costs
Part of your course costs includes Student Services and Amenities Fees (SSAF). There may also be additional costs as part of your studies, such as textbooks, technology expenses, travel expenses, professional certifications, uniforms, or vaccinations. Explore other study costs.
At CQUniversity, we believe higher education should be for everyone. No matter your situation, we know that everyone needs a helping hand from time to time, and we are proud to offer a wide range of scholarships, bursaries and stipends.
Our scholarships could help you pay for things like relocation, living on campus, laptops and technology, childcare, study and living expenses, travel and more.
How to apply
| State | Admission Code |
|---|---|
| Queensland | Brisbane: 881851 |
| New South Wales | Sydney: 160610 |
If you have decided what you would like to study and are ready to apply, we’re here to help you along the way. Before you apply, you will need to have a Unique Student Identifier (USI). If you do not have a USI, creating one is quick and easy. Simply visit usi.gov.au to create one.
Want to know more about application dates and other admission information?
View our important dates information and read about other admission considerations such as information for domestic students with overseas qualifications, indigenous support, and elite athlete, coach and performer support.
What’s the best way to apply?
- Option 1: Ideal for most situations, whether you have completed high school recently or some time ago.
- Option 2: Ideal if you have studied CQUniversity's Skills for Tertiary Entrance Preparatory Studies (STEPS) program or Tertiary Entrance Program (TEP).
Option 1: In most situations, you will need to apply via a tertiary admission centre
View the table below for the best application option based on where you live.
| If you live in: | Tertiary Admissions Centre (TAC)* |
| Queensland | Apply via QTAC |
| New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory (ACT) | Apply via UAC |
| Victoria, Western Australia, Tasmania, Northern Territory, South Australia | Apply via the TAC relevant to the campus location you are applying for. |
*Please note that you may be required to pay a fee when applying via a TAC.
Option 2: Are you a CQU STEPS or TEP graduate? Apply direct to CQUniversity
You may be eligible to apply directly to CQUniversity provided you meet one of the following criteria:
- You have successfully completed or are currently completing CQUniversity's Skills for Tertiary Entrance Preparatory Studies (STEPS) program.
- You have successfully completed or are currently completing CQUniversity's Tertiary Entrance Program (TEP).
