Bachelor of Echocardiography and Cardiac Physiology / Graduate Diploma of Echocardiography

The Bachelor of Echocardiography and Cardiac Physiology / Graduate Diploma of Echocardiography will enable you to apply knowledge, skills and professional behaviours appropriate to a career in cardiac physiology, cardiac science and echocardiography.

You will build a high level of practical skill and data / image evaluation so you can assess patients and evaluate their findings in a safe and effective manner.

There is an emphasis on high level communication skills so that you can interact positively with patients and other health professionals in the clinical environment.

Clinical decision making and problem solving ability will be promoted through the use of simulation based learning techniques and exposure to 'real world' conditions while on clinical practice.

Domestic graduates can seek registration as ‘Echocardiographers (Cardiac Sonographers)’ as recognised by the accreditation body and / or seek international recognition by sitting European, British or American qualification exams.

Core Structure

Course Structure

--> In order to complete this course, you must:

1. Complete the core structure

Core Structure

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There are a number of units within this course that slightly exceed the notional hours recommended by the Australian Qualifications Framework.

To be eligible to graduate with the Bachelor of Echocardiography and Cardiac Physiology / Graduate Diploma of Echocardiography, students must complete the 23 core units (192 units of credit), complete clinical placement requirements, attend all mandatory laboratory activities / residential schools / intensive workshops on associated campus of enrolment, as determined in the unit profiles.

Clinical Placement: Course years 2-4 include clinical placement. Students must satisfy specific pre-clinical health, safety, security, including a clear criminal record check, and licensing requirements prior to each placement, and must disclose any condition that may put himself or herself, or the public, at significant risk whilst on placement.Students are required to meet all mandatory requirements to Clinical Placements. Clinical placements are a requirement for the award of the Degree. Students who have a criminal history check disclosure, prior to commencing the degree or recorded during the course of the degree, are required to have their fitness for placement assessed on a case by case basis by the University or in conjunction with the placement site or State Health Department (as appropriate). Where a student has a criminal history check, prior to enrolment in the degree, the student may be required to apply for clearance through the applicable State Health Department to determine fitness for placement, prior to enrolment in the degree.A student may be determined ineligible for placement, based on the nature of the criminal history disclosure, the inability to perform required tasks, or if the student may be determined a risk to clients, staff or other stakeholders. A student may be determined ineligible for placement, if the placement site is unable to work within the constraints of any conditions or work modifications placed upon the work site by the State Health Department or Assessment Unit within a private organisation. If conditions imposed upon the placement are too restrictive for placement sites within the current offer round, the student is determined not fit for placement and is at risk of the University terminating enrolment in the degree.Due to limited availability of clinical placements, some block placements have start and/or end dates that fall outside standard term start and end dates. As placements are located throughout Australia / New Zealand and availability is limited in each community, students may be located in regions that are not of their choosing. 100% attendance is required when undertaking clinical placement. Students must prepare financially and personally to relocate for placements, and are responsible for the associated costs. In accordance with the course accreditation standards, students must achieve competency in a range of cardiac assessment techniques that may require attending different clinical facilities. Whilst on placement, students will perform cardiac assessment on, 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 of images and perform safely in a range of lighting conditions. Students will undergo clinical assessments on performance of cardiac assessment cases, professional behavioural and technical skills. Clinical Simulation Laboratory Learning Years 1 - 3 of the course includes hands-on learning in the clinical simulation echocardiography and computer laboratories on campus during terms 1 and 2. Students can study year 1 of the course by distance, if they chose, with attendance on-campus required for scheduled residential schools. Year 2 and 3 are internal for all students (except for term 2 year 3) with compulsory weekly lab attendance required. Students must attend all other laboratory, residential school and intensive workshop activities at their campus of admission.

The term specific dates and scheduling for residential schools, laboratory sessions, and associated workshops are published two weeks prior to term commencement. Students must prepare financially and personally for any associated travel costs to attend residential schools, laboratory sessions or workshops. Students are reminded that eligibility for attendance requires all pre- and co- requisites for enrolment in unit to be met.

Students must demonstrate professional behaviours including regular attendance and meeting the course dress code during clinical simulation laboratory sessions. During simulations of cardiac assessment techniques, all students will participate in role-play as sonographer and patient. These essential learning activities will require partial removal of clothing to the level that is required for the simulation and will involve touching and being touched by peers. These simulation-learning activities take place in a mixed gender environment, including the presence of male academic tutors. If a student is unable to participate, it may affect the student's ability to attain required skills and complete unit assessments. Completion Timelines Students must apply for admission to the Register of Student Cardiac Sonographers during the 2nd year of the course prior to the second year clinical placement. Please note that the external accreditation body sets a maximum completion time of five years for this course from each student’s registration with them. To maintain clinical currency specified cardiac assessment and clinical skills units require completion within one calendar year as scheduled in the course structure.

• ECHO12004 Cardiac Assessment Skills 1, ECHO12006 Cardiac Science and ECHO12005 Cardiac Clinical Unit 2 require completion within one calendar year of each other,
• ECHO13006 Adult Echocardiography, ECHO13002 Cardiac Assessment Skills 2 and ECHO13007 Cardiac Clinical Unit 3 require completion within one calendar year of each other,
• ECHO13007 Cardiac Clinical Unit 3 and ECHO20004 Cardiac Clinical Unit 4 require completion within one calendar year of each other,
• ECHO20004 Cardiac Clinical Unit 4 and ECHO 20005 Cardiac Clinical Unit 5 require completion within one calendar year of each other.

Failure to adhere to these timelines will necessitate completion of a student-learning contract that will detail specific learning and assessment requirements to maintain the student's clinical currency.

What do I need to start?

Entry Scores

Entry Requirements

English Language Proficiency Requirements

If you were not born in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Ireland, South Africa or Untied 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 4.0

completed within Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom, South Africa, Ireland or Untied 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:

• 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 n each of the four components.

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.

International Students should visit http://www.cqu.edu.au/international for further information.

Each student will be assessed individually.

Security Requirements

Course years 2-4 include clinical placement.

Students must satisfy specific pre-clinical safety and security requirements prior to each placement, including a clear criminal record check, and must disclose any condition that may put himself or herself, or the public, at significant risk whilst on placement.

Students are required to meet all mandatory requirements to attend Clinical Placements.

Clinical placements are a requirement for the award of the Degree.

Students who have a criminal history check disclosure, prior to commencing the degree or recorded during the course of the degree, are required to have their fitness for placement assessed on a case by case basis by the University or in conjunction with the placement site or State Health Department (as appropriate).

Where a student has a criminal history check, prior to enrolment in the degree, the student may be required to apply for clearance through the applicable State Health Department to determine fitness for placement, prior to enrolment in the degree.

A student may be determined ineligible for placement, based on the nature of the criminal history disclosure, the inability to perform required tasks, or if the student may be determined a risk to clients, staff or other stakeholders.

A student may be determined ineligible for placement, if the placement site is unable to work within the constraints of any conditions or work modifications placed upon the work site by the State Health Department or Assessment Unit within a private organisation.

If conditions imposed upon the placement are too restrictive for placement sites within the current offer round, the student is determined not fit for placement and is at risk of the University terminating enrolment in the degree.

Health Requirements

Course years 2-4 include clinical placement.

Students must satisfy specific pre-clinical health, safety, security, including a clear criminal record check, and licensing requirements prior to each placement, and must disclose any condition that may put himself or herself, or the public, at significant risk whilst on placement.

Whilst on placement, students will perform cardiac assessment on, 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 of images and perform safely in a range of lighting conditions.

A student may be determined ineligible for placement, based on the nature of the criminal history disclosure, the inability to perform required tasks, or if the student may be determined a risk to clients, staff or other stakeholders.

A student may be determined ineligible for placement, if the placement site is unable to work within the constraints of any conditions or work modifications placed upon the work site by the State Health Department or Assessment Unit within a private organisation.

If conditions imposed upon the placement are too restrictive for placement sites within the current offer round, the student is determined not fit for placement and is at risk of the University terminating enrolment in the degree.

Assumed Knowledge

English, Biology, Science, Physics, Maths

Fees and Charges

• Domestic Fees -->

Core Learning Outcomes

• 1.
• Practice competently as a graduate echocardiographer
• 2.
• Apply a broad and coherent body of echocardiography and cardiac physiology knowledge to clinical practice
• 3.
• Perform competences in a broad range of measures of cardiac physiology
• 4.
• Behave professionally, using appropriate professional and personal skills to practice as an echocardiographer and cardiac physiologist (cardiac scientist)
• 5.
• Report the outcomes of a research study in echocardiography and / or cardiac physiology.