Further Education in Radiotherapy Programme description

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After completing the course, the student should have the following overall learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The student has

• broad knowledge about the strategic significance of HRM
• broad knowledge concerning relevant HRM activities, specifically selection, performance management and human resource development
• insight into the different stages within the recruitment process starting from job analysis to hiring procedures
• knowledge about systems and methods for performance management and human resource development in organizations
• insight into the significance of managing diversity
• insight into how national culture may affect HRM practices
• knowledge about methods commonly used to measure human resource and performance development
• knowledge about how to conduct employee appraisals and how to utilize appraisals for career development

Skills

The student can

• prepare a job analysis and plan the different steps of a recruitment process
• interpret different tests commonly used to measure human resource and performance development
• actively contribute to the implementation, follow-up and conclusion of a recruitment process
• use relevant methods to analyze human resource needs of an organization
• use relevant methods to follow-up employees regarding performance and competence development

General competence

The student has

• understanding of ethical issues regarding recruitment processes, performance management and career development

Teaching methods will include lectures, group work and case studies.

Students will have the opportunity to work on their group term paper throughout the semester.

The following coursework requirements must have been approved in order for the student to take the exam:

• Coursework: The students are required to, in groups of 2-5 people, give a poster presentation of an assigned topic. The group will present to another group with the same topic. You will critically discuss, ask questions, provide feedback, and compare each other’s presentations. The presentation should last for about 10 minutes, and the discussion should last for about 15 minutes.

The goal of the coursework is for students to familiarize themselves with various topics in the field and gain experience in providing feedback and presenting in front of other people.

All required coursework must be completed and approved by the given deadline in order for the student to take the exam. If the coursework requirements has not been approved, the student will be given the opportunity to submit an improved version one time by the given deadline.

The programme consists of five mandatory courses:

STRÅL6010 – Scientific Subjects and Quality Assurance in Radiotherapy 

The course covers basic knowledge of radiotherapy: clinical physics, dosimetry, knowledge of equipment/machines and quality assurance.

STRÅL6020 – Oncology and Cancer Care

The topic covers general and specific oncology, and communication with and care for cancer patients, with special emphasis on the care needs that arise during radiotherapy.

STRÅLPRA – Clinical Practice in Radiotherapy

The course consists of two periods of practical training (STRÅLPRA-101 and STRÅLPRA-102) and covers treatment planning, performance and quality assurance of radiotherapy, as well as patient care.

STRÅL6110 – Radiobiology and Treatment Planning in Radiotherapy

The course covers treatment plans, treatment planning, assessment of radiobiological effects and quality assurance in radiotherapy. The course is also offered as a master’s degree course to students in the master’s degree programme in biomedicine. This means that the group of students may comprise both further education and master’s degree students.

STRÅL6200 – Thesis

The course consists entirely of a project that concerns a relevant topic in the field of radiotherapy. The courses build on each other with increasing requirements for knowledge and understanding of radiography. All courses conclude in a final assessment/exam

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 provisions on progress apply to the study programme:
• Students must have passed the course STRÅL6010 before they can take the exam in STRÅL6020.
• STRÅL6020 and the practical training period STRÅLPRA-101 must be approved before the student can start the practical training period STRÅLPRA-102.
• STRÅL6020 must be approved before the student can take the exam in the course STRÅL6200.

The programme’s learning outcomes cover a broad spectrum. This requires varied and complex work and teaching methods in order to support students’ learning process. The work methods promote learning processes that build on the students’ own activity and responsibility for their own learning. Students are expected to use problem-solving work methods and develop their ability to work both in groups and independently. A good learning outcome is first and foremost dependent on the students’ own effort. This applies both to benefiting from teaching and academic supervision and to independent work in the form of theoretical studies and practical skills training. Independent work includes both cooperation with fellow students and individual work.

The following work and teaching methods are used in the course: lectures, seminars, skills training, lab exercises, practical training, self-study, project work and other independent or group assignments. The students may also be taken on excursions.

The students will receive regular supervision and feedback throughout the study period, both in connection with theoretical tuition, written assignments and practical training.

Lectures

Lectures will primarily be used to introduce important subject matter. The purpose of the lectures is to highlight connections and main elements in topics, and to communicate relevant issues. The theoretical tuition will take place at Oslo University Hospital (OUS) – the Norwegian Radium Hospital.

Seminars and workshops

Seminars and workshops are used to focus on a specific topic and require active participation by the students. The seminars are led by the course lecturer and are a forum for discussing and communicating issues in the field of radiography.

Written assignments

The students will work continuously throughout the study period on written reports and project assignments, individually and in groups. The thesis is a project that students work on over time in groups. Presentations in plenary sessions to fellow students, lecturers and others may also be relevant. The work will give the students experience of presenting their own knowledge, experience and opinions, in writing and orally. Students will receive feedback on their written assignments from the supervisor and/or fellow students.

Skills training and lab exercises

Skills training and lab exercises take place in smaller groups. In clinical practice in radiotherapy, skills training will take place in different modalities where the students acquire skills through practical training and reflection. In clinical physics and dosimetry, lab exercises will be carried out and tuition will be provided in how to conduct different measurements and calculations.

Practical training

Clinical practice ensures that the students participate in real-life activities that provide insight into and experience of issues that arise in a radiotherapist’s area of work. The students will be given an opportunity to test, process and develop knowledge obtained through other work methods.

Clinical practice will take place in the course STRÅLPRA Clinical Practice in Radiotherapy, worth 15 credits. The students will undergo a practical training placement for the purpose of developing new knowledge, skills and competence through direct contact with the professional field. Based on theory and experience gained earlier in the study programme, the students will immerse themselves in theoretical and practical knowledge that is important in the professional field.

Practical training can take place at any one of the radiotherapy centres in Norway. Students may be assigned practical training placements outside Oslo. Reference is made to the course description for STRÅLPRA for more information about the organisation and content of the practical training.

Grade scale A-F

The exam papers are assessed by one internal and one external examiner.

At least 25% of the exam papers will be assessed by two examiners. The grades awarded for the papers assessed by two examiners form the basis for determining the level for all the exam papers.

The assessment arrangements are intended to assess the students regularly throughout the programme in order to promote learning, while also providing information about study progress and the results achieved to the programme and the student. The assessment of exams and clinical practice is in accordance with the applicable provisions set out in the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges and the Regulations Relating to Studies and Examinations at OsloMet.

Detailed information about the exam will be provided in the guidelines for the individual exams well before the exam date.

Resit and rescheduled exams are carried out in the same manner as the ordinary exam unless otherwise specified in the course description.

The grade awarded for a written exam can be appealed, cf. Section 5-3 of the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges and Section 7-3 (2) of the Regulations relating to Studies and Examinations at OsloMet. It is not possible to appeal the grades awarded for oral and practical exams. For a group exam, the result of an appeal will only have consequences for the candidates who submitted the appeal. This means that all members of the group do not have to participate in the appeal.

Assessment of clinical training

The practical course STRÅLPRA consists of two periods of practical training: STRÅLPRA-101 and STRÅLPRA-102. The grade pass or fail will be awarded for each practical training period. Credits are awarded on completion of both practical training periods.

The coursework requirements must be met in order to receive a final assessment in the course. To pass the practical training, the student must have met the compulsory attendance requirements and achieved the learning outcomes for the course.

The student must attend at least 90 per cent of the scheduled activities in clinical practice. The student will be allowed to make up for absence of between 10 and 20 per cent by agreement with the practical training supervisor. Absence in excess of 20 per cent means that the whole period must be retaken. This leads to delayed progress and must be seen in conjunction with the student’s individual education plan.

Programme description:

Adopted by the department board at the Department of Health Sciences on 28 March 2001

Latest amendments approved by the Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences on 27 January 2021

The programme description applies to students starting the programme in 2021.