Radiotherapy and Oncology

Radiotherapy and oncology is a clinical healthcare discipline focused on the use of radiation to diagnose and treat cancer. Therapeutic radiographers are the specialist health professionals who plan and deliver radiotherapy treatment, working closely with oncologists, medical physicists and other members of the multidisciplinary cancer team to provide treatment that is precisely targeted, clinically effective and as safe as possible for each patient. The discipline requires both scientific rigour, understanding the physics of radiation, the biology of cancer and the technology of treatment machines, and a high degree of clinical skill and interpersonal sensitivity, since patients receiving cancer treatment are often anxious and vulnerable.

At Cardiff University, you will study this three-year full-time programme in a setting with strong links to NHS Wales and to the cancer services that operate across the region. The programme combines academic study with substantial clinical placement experience, ensuring that you graduate with the competence to enter professional practice as a qualified therapeutic radiographer. The typical entry tariff is around 136 UCAS points.

You will study the physics of radiation and its biological effects on normal and cancerous tissues, oncology and the principles of cancer management, treatment planning using CT imaging and specialist software, radiotherapy techniques across different cancer sites, patient care and communication, and the ethical and professional frameworks of healthcare practice. Clinical placements in radiotherapy departments, which are woven throughout the programme, give you experience working with real patients under the supervision of qualified radiographers.

Graduates of radiotherapy and oncology programmes are eligible to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council and to practise as therapeutic radiographers in NHS trusts and private oncology centres across the UK and internationally. Specialist areas of practice include stereotactic radiosurgery, proton beam therapy, brachytherapy and imaging-guided radiotherapy. Many radiographers go on to take on specialist practitioner or consultant roles in areas such as treatment planning, image-guided radiotherapy or supportive care.

Academic and research careers in radiation sciences, clinical oncology or health professions education are also available, as is further study at postgraduate level.