Bachelor’s Programme in Radiography Programme description

Candidates will conduct independent research that leads to a scientific dissertation of high international standard. The candidate will receive advanced training in theories and methods which will provide a foundation for independent and objective thinking suitable for research in the field of behavior analysis. The graduated candidate will be qualified for research activities and academic work with high scientific requirements.

Admission to the program is processed in accordance with the Regulations Relating to the Degree of Philosophiae Doctor (Ph.D.) at Oslo Metropolitan University (hereinafter referred to as "the Ph.D. Regulations").

Applicants to the Ph.D. program must hold a master's degree (120 ECTS credits) or equivalent qualification. Admission to the program is regulated by the Ph.D. Regulations and the supplementary Guidelines for applications for admission to Ph.D. programs at Oslo Metropolitan University.

A graduate from the Ph.D. program in behavior analysis will be qualified for high level research and teaching positions in academic institutions. The program will give the graduates qualifications for applied and clinical work, but does not grant licenses or certification necessary to provide services where such provision of services is otherwise restricted through licenses or certification granted by national or local boards, agencies or authorities.

Graduates of the program will observe the rules of conduct described by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board.

The admission requirements are the Higher Education Entrance Qualification or an assessment of prior learning and work experience.

Applicants must submit a transcript of police records in connection with admission to the programme, cf. the Regulations concerning Admission to Higher Education.

The use of clothing that covers the face is incompatible with taking the programme's theoretical and practical training courses. During the practical training, the students must comply with the clothing regulations in force at all times at the relevant practical training establishment.

Requirements for admission based on prior learning and work experience

• The applicant must be over 25 years of age
• The applicant can not have general study competence
• The applicant must document a minimum of five year full-time professional experience within the health or social sector or equivalent, where the applicant has worked with patients, students or clients.
• Course requirements
  • Norwegian 393 hours
  • English 140 hours
  • Mathematics 224 hours

The Dublin Descriptors that signify completion of third cycle higher education (Doctoral awards) demand that graduates:

• have demonstrated a systematic understanding of a field of study and mastery of the skills and methods of research associated with that field;
• have demonstrated the ability to conceive, design, implement and adapt a substantial process of research with scholarly integrity;
• have made a contribution through original research that extends the frontier of knowledge by developing a substantial body of work, some of which merits national or international refereed publication;
• are capable of critical analysis, evaluation and synthesis of new and complex ideas; can communicate with their peers, the larger scholarly community and with society in general about their areas of expertise;
• can be expected to be able to promote, within academic and professional contexts, technological, social or cultural advancement in a knowledge based society.

Graduates of the Ph.D. program in behavior analysis will be required to show that they can:

• describe, discuss and use natural scientific research methods
• describe and discuss classic scientific concepts, and show how these concepts form the basis of an experimental and applied science of behavior
• distinguish description from explanation
• describe and discuss the relationship between theoretical, experimental and applied scientific knowledge
• analyze a practical problem with the theoretical knowledge from the relevant research literature
• justify their analyses with references to scientific literature of a high standard
• design, implement and manage a research project
• apply different strategies for measuring and recording the effect of experimental manipulations
• analyze the results of their research using relevant theory
• share their knowledge with others in a way that meets the requirements of scientific communication
• discuss ethical, practical and social implications of their own research and that of others

Learning outcomes have been defined for the radiographer education in the following areas:

• Anatomy, physiology, pathology and pharmacology (1)
• Physics and imaging (2)
• Patient care, communication and ethics (3)
• Radiation protection (4)
• Digitalisation and e-health (5)
• Research, development and innovation (6)
• Health policy and society (7)

The topics are closely intertwined in the teaching and form the basis for the skills required to practise the profession. Students will develop knowledge, skills and general competence that enable them to follow up and influence the development of the discipline and society’s requirements of radiography services.

The first year of the programme emphasises basic subjects, with a focus on basic modalities such as conventional radiography, and six weeks of practical training. The common course Public Health and Health Management is also part of the first year.

The second year of the programme focuses on pharmacology and more advanced diagnostic imaging examinations and forms of treatment. This year also provides an introduction to evidence-based practice. The year concludes with a long period of external practical training, lasting for 12 weeks.

The third year of the programme contains courses that deal with the radiographer profession, external practical training (12 weeks), in-depths study of CT and work on the bachelor's thesis. The final common course, Technology and Society, is taught during the final semester and provides an introduction to life and work in a digitalised world.

Common courses and teaching activities

The Bachelor’s Degree Programme in Radiography has the following common course and common teaching activities: RAB1050 Public Health and Health Management, 5 credits. RAB1050, focus is on the health services’ organisation, health legislation and health administration, as well as preventive and health promoting work.

The structure of the programme

The programme is divided into 13 compulsory courses and incorporates both practical and theoretical teaching at the university and external practical training. Each year of the programme has a scope of 60 credits.

The courses are based on each other to facilitate progress with increasing requirements for knowledge and understanding of radiography. The practical training courses are a key part of the radiographer education. The practical training gives students experience of planning, carrying out and evaluating radiography, both in terms of theoretical and practical knowledge. All the courses conclude with a final assessment. The academic year is 40 weeks long, and the expected workload is 40 hours per week. This includes scheduled activities, students’ own activity and exams.

Study progress

The following progress requirements apply to the programme:

• In the first year of the program, students must have passed RAB1100 and RAB1200 in order to start RAB1350.
• Students must have passed the first year of the programme before they can start the second year.
• In the second year of the programme, students must have passed RAB2010 in order to start RABPRA2.
• Students must have passed the second year of the programme before they can start the third year.

The Ph.D. program is a full time study. It runs for 3 years, or 4 years if academic duties are included. It includes a 30 ECTS educational component, and supervised research and doctoral dissertation work equaling 150 ECTS. The courses on philosophy of science and on research methods in the educational component are mandatory. One course is elective.

The content of the program is partly educational, with mandatory and elective courses, and partly (mainly) research based, with students doing their own research under close supervision from faculty.

Educational component

The educational component consists of 30 ECTS from 3 courses. The program offers 8 courses, and two are mandatory:

(1) Research ethics and professional standards, and

(2) Research methods in behavior analysis.

The 6 elective courses are:

(1) The philosophical and conceptual basis of radical behaviorism and behavior analysis

(2) Learning and complex behavior: Advanced concepts - research and application,

(3) Complexity, science and society,

(4) Pervasive Developmental Disorders - diagnosis, aetiology, prevalence and intervention

(5) Complex stimulus control - research and application

(6) Empirically Supported Treatments - research, control and validation.

Research component

The students conduct an independent research project and report it in a doctoral dissertation for public defense, according to the regulations for the program. (Independent in this context does not exclude participation in ongoing projects, merely that the student's contribution can be separately identified.) This part of the program constitutes 150 ECTS. Students write a doctoral dissertation on the basis of their research.

The students submit their dissertation for evaluation, and defend it at a public defense. In advance of the defense, they hold two trial lectures, one on a topic decided by the evaluation committee, and one on a topic of their own choice. The procedures regarding dissertation submission and defense are described in the regulations for the Ph.D. program.

The programme emphasises cooperation with the field of practice and patients as an important arena for learning. The practical training is compulsory, and must have a scope of at least 30 weeks (45 credits). The practical training is organised in such a way that the students will encounter users from all age groups and have the opportunity to take part in interprofessional cooperation. During the practical training, students are to apply their theoretical knowledge, acquire practical skills and develop good ethical attitudes in actual patient situations to achieve the learning outcomes for each period.

Most of the institutions that make up the external practical training arenas for this programme are located in Oslo and Eastern Norway. The students must therefore expect to commute during one or more of their periods of practical training. Students are assigned to diagnostic imaging and radiotherapy units. It is emphasised that the students should become familiar with the profession early on and that they will have practical training in all three years of the programme.

• First year of the programme, course RAB1350 Basic Radiographic Theory and Skills, 6 weeks of practical training in conventional radiography (including 3 weeks of external practice)
• Second year of the programme, course, RABPRA2 Clinical Placement – Radiation Therapy, 12 weeks of practical training in CT, MRI, radiation therapy and conventional radiography
• Third year of the programme, course RABPRA3 Clinical Placement, 12 weeks of practical training in CT, MRI and conventional radiography

Depending on the place of practice, students may be offered a variety of modalities, such as ultrasound, nuclear medicine, pediatric radiography, mammography and intervention.

Students must comply with the clothing regulations in force at the practical training establishment. Special requirements for tests or vaccination may apply at individual establishments.

A 90 % attendance requirement applies to the practical training. Students who exceed the maximum permitted absence will fail the practical training period and are deemed to have used one of their attempts. For more information about practical training, see the Regulations relating to Studies and Examinations at OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University.

Requirements for supervision and assessment of students apply to the practical training. The assessment is based on the student's achievement of the learning outcomes for the practical training period and suitability assessments on a continuous bases in line with the university's assessment system. This means that a supervisor from the field of practice, referred to as a practical training supervisor, will follow up the student in cooperation with a contact lecturer from the university. The midway and final assessments are made by the practical training supervisor in cooperation with the contact lecturer.

The educational component consists of literature studies, lectures, seminars, essays and reaction papers. Some courses may include laboratory exercises and / or simulations. The research component consists of finding and defining a research question, framing it in terms of investigative strategy and conducting the research with the tactics and tools that are signal features of behavior analysis: experimental design for demonstration of functional relations between variables, and conceptual rigor. Reports of the research are written according to the standards of the field, and observing the guidelines of the APA Publication Manual.

Ph.D. scholars, employed by the Department of Behavioral Science will supervise master students on their research projects and theses, and participate in the courses in the master program, under the supervision of core faculty. They will have encouragement and financial assistance in attending conferences to present papers, and in submitting research papers to scientific journals with peer review. Students financed by their external employer or otherwise are expected to have sufficient support so that they may attend relevant conferences.

Required coursework is all forms of work, tests and compulsory attendance that are requirements for a student to be assessed/permitted to take the exam or complete practical training. Required coursework is assessed as approved/not approved. The coursework requirements for each course are described in the relevant course description.

The purpose of the coursework requirements is to:

• promote progress and academic development
• encourage students to seek out and acquire new knowledge
• facilitate cooperation and communication on radiography issues

The programme has coursework requirements in the form of compulsory attendance, oral presentations, written assignments and tests. The coursework requirements are set to help students to develop their competence in accordance with one or more of the expected learning outcomes of the course. Required coursework is carried out individually or in groups.

Compulsory attendance

Attendance is compulsory for all parts of the programme where the students cannot achieve the learning outcomes on their own. Participation is necessary in order to ensure that patient assessment and treatment are based on both theory and thorough supervised skills training on fellow students.

The minimum attendance requirement for the practical training period is 90 %. A minimum attendance requirement in scheduled group work, project work and seminars are 80 %. Other activities may also be subject to compulsory attendance requirements. Detailed provisions on compulsory attendance are included in the course descriptions.

If a student exceeds the maximum limit for absence, the lecturer will consider whether it is possible to compensate for the absence by meeting alternative requirements, for example individual oral or written assignments. Whether or not it is possible to compensate for absence depends on the extent of the student's absence and which activities he/she has missed. Absence from compulsory teaching activities that cannot be compensated for may lead to delayed progress in the programme.

Written assignments and compulsory activities

Several courses have written assignments, oral presentations and practical tests as required coursework. Written work that is not approved must be reworked before re-submission. Oral presentations and practical tests that are not approved will normally have to be retaken. If re-submitted written work or a retaken presentation/test is not approved, the student cannot take the ordinary exam/assessment.

The student is entitled to a third attempt before the resit/rescheduled exam. If a piece of required coursework is not approved, this may lead to delayed progress in the programme. More detailed requirements for written work, oral presentations and tests, deadlines etc. are set out in the teaching plan for the course in question.

The Ph.D. program is organized as an international collaborative degree. Students are encouraged to take educational courses and do research for their theses at University of North Texas and Pontificia Universdade Católica de São Paolo. The educational courses can be offered in all the partner institutions, depending on student demand. Research activities and supervision are offered at all the partner institutions. All partner institutions have faculty with the necessary qualifications to cover all three fields of behavior analysis.

Approved by the Academic Affairs Committee at the Faculty of Health Sciences on 6 November 2019

Most recent amendments adopted by the Vice/dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences on 27 November 2024

The programme description applies to students starting the programme in 2024 Autumn Full-time