Radiotherapy and Oncology

Radiotherapy and oncology is the clinical science concerned with the use of ionising radiation and other therapeutic modalities to treat cancer and certain other conditions. Therapeutic radiographers are registered healthcare professionals who plan, deliver, and review radiotherapy treatments, working closely with oncologists, physicists, dosimetrists, and other members of the multidisciplinary team to provide individualised care for patients at one of the most difficult periods of their lives. The discipline demands both a thorough understanding of the physics of radiation and its biological effects and the compassionate, skilled patient care that therapeutic radiography entails.

At Sheffield Hallam University, this three-year full-time programme includes a foundation year, providing a structured academic preparation for students entering from a range of educational backgrounds. Across the programme you will develop knowledge of radiation physics, radiobiology, anatomy, oncology, treatment planning, and the technology used to deliver modern radiotherapy, including linear accelerators, image guidance systems, and emerging techniques such as intensity-modulated radiotherapy and stereotactic radiosurgery. Clinical placements throughout the degree provide direct patient care experience in radiotherapy departments, building the practical competence, professional judgement, and compassionate communication skills that the role demands.

You will graduate with both the scientific understanding to engage critically with an evidence-based and rapidly evolving field and the clinical skills needed to practise as a therapeutic radiographer.

Graduates are eligible to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council and to work as therapeutic radiographers across NHS cancer centres and independent sector providers. The profession offers a meaningful and technically demanding clinical career with good employment prospects, reflecting the continued growth in cancer diagnosis and treatment. Career progression leads to advanced practice, specialist roles in specific tumour sites or techniques, management, radiotherapy physics, education, and research.

Many therapeutic radiographers pursue postgraduate qualifications to advance their clinical expertise or move into leadership and research careers.