Undergraduate Course 

BSc (Hons)

Diagnostic Radiography with Foundation Year

Top 30for Health ProfessionsGuardian University Guide 2024
Top 15for satisfaction with teaching in Health ProfessionsGuardian University Guide 2024
1stfor learning resourcesBSc (Hons) Diagnostic Radiography - National Student Survey 2024
92%of Students agreed that teaching staff are good at explaining thingsBSc (Hons) Diagnostic Radiography - National Student Survey 2024

A career in Healthcare means you will be making a difference to the lives of other every day.

Please note that it is not possible to apply directly to the following course. For this foundation year course, it is only possible to attain a place if you do not get the grades expected having been provided with an offer for the BSc equivalent.

Beginning with a foundation year

Studying BSc (Hons) Diagnostic Radiography with a Foundation Year is for you if you have the ability to study for a degree, but don’t have the necessary formal qualifications to enter directly on to the Honours degree programme.

It provides you with a firm grounding in the skills and knowledge you need and introduces you to the subject area, enabling you to achieve your full honours degree in four years.

Please see our BSc (Hons) Diagnostic Radiography page for more information.

Foundation Year - helping you to achieve more

Including a foundation year as part of your four-year study programme will give you a head start in your academic and professional life. The foundation year offers the chance to strengthen your skills, knowledge and confidence – with extensive support from our expert staff – before you advance to stage one of your honours degree. It could also be beneficial if you are planning a career change and want to get to grips with aspects of subjects which are new to you.

Our degrees with a foundation year are continuous, meaning that you won’t need to apply again once you have successfully completed the first year.

Diagnostic Radiography - your questions answered!

In the below video, Head of Diagnostic Imaging, Emma Hyde, answers some of the most frequently asked questions about Diagnostic Radiography at the University of Derby. 

Head of Diagnostic Imaging, Emma Hyde, answers some of the most frequently asked questions about Diagnostic Radiography at the University of Derby.

View Diagnostic Radiography - your questions answered! video transcript

What you will study

Please note that our modules are subject to change - we review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects.

Kedleston Road, Derby Campus

Big spaces for big ideas

Kedleston Road offers it all: study in our largest library, relax at Basecamp, train in real-world healthcare settings, and stay active in our state-of-the-art Sports Centre.

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Kedleston Road, Derby Campus entrance

Undergraduate Open Days

The best way to find out if studying at Derby is right for you is to experience an Open Day. Get a feel for the city and campus, tour our first-class facilities and see where you could be living.

Book your Undergraduate Open DayBook your Undergraduate Open Day

How you will learn

From day one you’ll get all the benefits of being a University of Derby student, plus extra support to help you build your knowledge, skills and confidence.

Our teaching team includes qualified health professionals with experience of working in clinical or community settings. Many hold external roles with hospitals, the College of Radiographers, the Health and Care Professions Council, and other universities.

Our Programme Leader, Alex Partner, previously worked as a full-time clinical radiographer at Leicester Royal Infirmary, gaining experience in CT, theatre, fluoroscopy, paediatrics, plain film and accident and emergency radiography. 

She has a special interest in plain film trauma imaging and CT. Her research interests centre on radiography education. Alex is an external examiner for Portsmouth University, a peer reviewer for the Radiography journal and an ISAS assessor. She also sits on the HCPC ‘fitness to practise’ panels.

Person offering support to a student Person offering support to a student with a laptop Student smiling with tutor Tutor smiling with student and laptop

Helping you reach your full potential

Our Personal Academic Tutoring programme supports your academic journey, helping you achieve your goals and unlock your potential.

Explore the programme

Careers

Graduates from the BSc (Hons) Diagnostic Radiography degree are able to apply for registration with the UK Health and Care Professions Council as a diagnostic radiographer, as long as you meet the HCPC’s requirements, fully prepared to work in the rapidly expanding field of medical imaging.

Many graduates from the BSc (Hons) Diagnostic Radiography degree go on to secure jobs at their placement hospitals and build on the skills they have gained on the course to become advanced practitioners.

Extensive careers guidance is integrated at every stage of the course, including CV writing and interview skills. There are annual recruitment days held at the University where you will have the chance to meet prospective employers.

Opportunities for further study

We offer an exciting range of postgraduate courses to help you take your qualifications, skills and experience to the next level or to pursue new directions within the profession. These include our innovative MSc Medical Ultrasound which features a flexible part-time pathway as well as a fast-track full-time pathway.

You could also consider various postgraduate qualifications specialising in areas such as osteoporosis and falls management, bone densitometry reporting, and radiographic image analysis of the appendicular skeleton.

Getting you career ready

Your degree is only part of your story.

We're here to help prepare you for life after university.

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96%
of UK graduates are in employment or further study.

Top 5
for employability.
Uni Compare Annual Student Review Rankings 2025.

87%
of UK graduates say their current activity is meaningful.

Entry requirements

2025 entry

These are the typical qualification requirements for September 2025 entry.

Contextual offers may apply to students who meet certain criteria.

RequirementWhat we're looking for
UCAS points80
A LevelCDD
T LevelPass (C or above in the core)
BTECMMP
GCSEGCSE Maths, English and double Science grade 4/C (or above) or equivalent qualification
Access to HEPass Access to HE Diploma with 60 credits: 45 at Level 3 with a minimum of Distinction: 0, Merit: 30, Pass: 15
English language requirementsIELTS: 6.5 (with at least 6.0 in each skills area)

Additional entry requirements

Fees and funding

2025/26

 Full-timePart-time
UK

£9,250 per year

N/A

International

N/A

N/A

Further information about our fees and support you may be entitled to.

Additional costs and optional extras

Additional information about your studies

Teaching hours

Like most universities, we operate extended teaching hours at the University of Derby, so contact time with your lecturers and tutors could be anytime between 9am and 9pm. Your timetable will usually be available on the website 24 hours after enrolment on to your course.

Course updates

The information provided on this page is correct at the time of publication but course content, costs and other individual course details do change from time to time and are updated as often as possible, so please do check these pages again when making your final decision to apply for a course. Any updated course details will also be confirmed to you at application, enrolment and in your offer letter.

If you are thinking about transferring onto this course (into the second year for example), you should contact the programme leader for the relevant course information as modules may vary from those shown on this page.

Minimum numbers

Please note that this course is subject to minimum numbers in order to run.

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Full-time

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Contact us

EnquiryEmailPhone
Course: Alex Partner (Programme Leader) admissionsBScDR@derby.ac.uk  +44 (0)1332 593035
Course: Nichola Tucker (Admissions Tutor) admissionsBScDR@derby.ac.uk  +44 (0)1332 593695

If you need any more information from us, eg on courses, accommodation, applying, car parking, fees or funding, please contact us and we will do everything we can to help you.

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