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, 2025 |
| Study mode | On Campus |
| Course code | CV69 |
| First-year fee | $9,888 (Indicative) (CSP) |
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, 2023 | Brisbane, Sydney |
| Term 1, 2024 | Brisbane, Sydney |
| Term 1, 2025 | 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.
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
To be eligible
For your application to be considered, you must meet the following entry requirements.
Student and Course Profiles
View the student and course profiles for this course and learn about CQU's Undergraduate Profile for Term 1, 2023 via our Institute Profile.
During your study
While not needed to apply, you'll need to meet the following requirements throughout your studies.
Fees & Scholarships
Indicative First-Year Fee
The Indicative First-Year Fee is the approximate cost of enrolling in this course for one full-time academic year (eight units over two terms) for a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP). Your actual fees may vary, depending on the units you select to study and your study load. Fees are reviewed each year and are subject to change. Understanding your fees.
Commonwealth Supported Places
This course has Commonwealth Supported Places (CSPs) available, and as a domestic student, you'll be offered a CSP, provided you meet CSP eligibility requirements. CSPs are subsidised by the Australian Government, meaning you are only required to pay the student contribution rather than full tuition fees.
HECS-HELP Loan
You may be eligible for a HECS-HELP government loan if you are offered a CSP. 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.
Part of your course costs will include Student Services and Amenities Fees (SSAF). SSAF is charged in addition to your student contribution or tuition fees and is used to help enhance your study experience. There may also be other costs as part of your studies, such as textbooks, technology expenses, travel expenses, professional certifications, uniforms, or vaccinations. Explore other study costs.
We believe a quality education can be for everyone – regardless of background, location, or life circumstances. That's why we offer a variety of scholarships and bursaries that can give you a helping hand with a range of expenses and enhance your employability.
How to apply
How to apply
Select where you'd like to study and your preferred intake
You'll need to choose where you would like to study in the 'choose where you live' selector. This course is only available on campus, so not all states or territories will be listed.
Your application options
Follow these steps
Extra admission information
Prior to applying, take a look at important application dates and learn about our admission considerations, such as information for domestic students with overseas qualifications, indigenous support, and elite athlete, coach and performer support. You should also check out the adjustment schemes that might be available to you and how to access them. You can also explore our offer information to learn more about what happens after you've submitted an application and how to respond to an offer to study with CQU.
Start your application
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