MSc Medical Ultrasound
Equipping you with the research and development skills required to progress the field of Medical Ultrasound
Award titles
MSc Medical Ultrasound (Echocardiography)
MSc Medical Ultrasound (Vascular)
Overview
If you’re a clinician or a medical scientist who wants training in the theory and practice of medical ultrasound, this course, which uniquely offers a clinical attachment, is for you.
Through face-to-face and online teaching sessions, webinars and discussion forums, you’ll gain a solid grounding in the physics and scientific theories of medical ultrasound.
You’ll choose to specialise in Echocardiography or Vascular Ultrasound and develop the practical skills to perform a diagnostic ultrasound as part of a placement in a hospital department.
On the course, you’ll have the opportunity to develop the skills for a range of careers in healthcare, in the NHS or abroad, or go into further research.
On either specialism, you’ll follow an accredited national syllabus which prepares you to take the national examinations required to practise as a sonographer.
Awards
Please note that upon successful completion of the course, you'll receive the following award depending on your specialism:
- If you specialise in echocardiography, you'll receive 'MSc Medical Ultrasound (Echocardiography)'
- If you specialise in vascular ultrasound, you'll receive 'MSc Medical Ultrasound'
Meet our students
Hear from National Heart and Lung Institute students and graduates.
Structure
This page reflects the latest version of the curriculum for this year of entry. However, this information is subject to change.
Find out more about the limited circumstances in which we may need to make changes to or in relation to our courses, the type of changes we may make and how we will tell you about changes we have made.
Page last reviewed on 25 October 2021.
The course follows the core British Society of Echocardiography syllabus (for the Echocardiography specialism) and the Vascular Society for Great Britain and Ireland syllabus (for the Vascular specialism).
Structure
Echocardiography (full-time)
Year 1
Physics of Ultrasound
Module Leader: Abigail Thrush
Ultrasound relies on signals from the patient that are captured, processed and displayed by machines. The interpretation of physical signals is the indispensable basis of clinical practice in ultrasound. You will learn how these signals arise from the interaction of ultrasound with tissue, the role of instrumentation, and how equipment controls are applied to optimise images.
Ultrasound Specialism: Echocardiography
Module Leader: Professor Petros Nihoyannopoulos
The module examines a comprehensive range of heart conditions encountered in clinical practice, including valvular heart disease, coronary artery disease, heart muscle and pericardial disease, endocarditis and systemic disease. You will learn applications of ultrasound physics in the normal heart, and in the range of cardiac pathologies, as well as the pathophysiology of various heart conditions.
Clinical Studies: Echocardiography
Module Leader: Professor Petros Nihoyannopoulos
You will learn to perform and interpret a comprehensive diagnostic cardiac ultrasound examination in defined clinical settings, before and after treatment. You will learn to obtain optimised images and to make and interpret a scan under observation by a professional. Both of these skills will be assessed.
Experimental Design and Individual Project
Module Leader: Professor Petros Nihoyannopoulos
You will design and implement your own research project in ultrasound, and consolidate your skill in the use of statistical principles. During the research project, you will pass a series of milestones, including submission of a proposal, an essay and a presentation. The project culminates in the submission of a dissertation, and a viva voce exam. There is a separate assessment in statistical principles.
Vascular (full-time)
Year 1
Physics of Ultrasound
Module Leader: Abigail Thrush
Ultrasound relies on signals from the patient that are captured, processed and displayed by machines. The interpretation of physical signals is the indispensable basis of clinical practice in ultrasound. You will learn how these signals arise from the interaction of ultrasound with tissue, the role of instrumentation, and how equipment controls are applied to optimise images.
Ultrasound Specialism: Vascular Ultrasound
Module Leader: Dr Mohammed Aslam
You will study the application of ultrasound imaging to vascular anatomy, normal function, and pathophysiology. The nature of ultrasound signals from healthy and diseased tissue gives clues to diagnosis, and you will learn about the interpretation of these signals in diagnostic techniques. Moreover, vascular tissue can be probed by various physical modalities, depending on the clinical question, and you will study the different elements of the toolkit.
Clinical Studies: Vascular Ultrasound
Module Leader: Dr Mohammed Aslam
You will learn to perform and interpret a comprehensive diagnostic vascular ultrasound examination in defined clinical settings, before and after treatment. You will learn to obtain optimised images and to make and interpret a scan under observation by a professional. Both of these skills will be assessed. You will also carry out a reflective observation of a clinical session by a skilled practitioner.
Experimental Design and Individual Project
Module Leader: Professor Petros Nihoyannopoulos
You will design and implement your own research project in ultrasound, and consolidate your skill in the use of statistical principles. During the research project, you will pass a series of milestones, including submission of a proposal, an essay and a presentation. The project culminates in the submission of a dissertation, and a viva voce exam. There is a separate assessment in statistical principles.
Vascular (part-time)
Year 1
Physics of Ultrasound
Module Leader: Abigail Thrush
Ultrasound relies on signals from the patient that are captured, processed and displayed by machines. The interpretation of physical signals is the indispensable basis of clinical practice in ultrasound. You will learn how these signals arise from the interaction of ultrasound with tissue, the role of instrumentation, and how equipment controls are applied to optimise images.
Ultrasound Specialism: Vascular Ultrasound
Module Leader: Dr Mohammed Aslam
You will study the application of ultrasound imaging to vascular anatomy, normal function, and pathophysiology. The nature of ultrasound signals from healthy and diseased tissue gives clues to diagnosis, and you will learn about the interpretation of these signals in diagnostic techniques. Moreover, vascular tissue can be probed by various physical modalities, depending on the clinical question, and you will study the different elements of the toolkit.
Clinical Studies 1: Arterial Ultrasound
Module Leader: Dr Mohammed Aslam
You will learn and practice Clinical Studies over two modules, Clinical Studies 1 and 2. In this first module, you will utilise the scanning equipment in a clinical setting, obtaining scan data for interpretation under the guidance of an ultrasound professional. As part of your training, you will keep a log book of scans that you have made. The module culminates in your observation of a skilled practitioner's diagnostic scanning session, and your focused reflection on what you have observed.
Year 2
Clinical Studies 2: Venous Ultrasound
Module Leader: Dr Mohammed Aslam
You will learn and practice Clinical Studies over two modules, Clinical Studies 1 and 2. In this second module, you will deepen your skill in operating scanning equipment in a clinical setting, under the guidance of an ultrasound professional. As part of your training, you will expand the log book of scans that you started in Clinical Studies 1. The module culminates in a direct observation of your practical skills by an experienced operator.
Experimental Design and Individual Project
Module Leader: Professor Petros Nihoyannopoulos
You will design and implement your own research project in ultrasound, and consolidate your skill in the use of statistical principles. During the research project, you will pass a series of milestones, including submission of a proposal, an essay and a presentation. The project culminates in the submission of a dissertation, and a viva voce exam. There is a separate assessment in statistical principles.
Teaching and assessment
Teaching methods
- Clinical and private study
- Experimental design
- Laboratory practicals
- Lectures
- Problem solving
- Seminars
- Work-based learning
Assessment methods
- Coursework
- Examination
- Practical
- Presentations
- Research project
- Vive Voce
Course timetable
There are two full days of lectures each week between October and January. There is also one day of lectures between January and March. Mock examinations on the lecture content take place in April, and final exams in June.
You will be allocated to groups for practical department sessions and will be in the department at least one day per week. These practical sessions include performing scans with patients.
Allocation of projects and supervisors takes place between October and December, and you begin work on your project in December. You will work on your research project, submitting progress reports, giving progress presentations and submitting a draft, before final submission in August.
You can complete research projects in the echocardiography or vascular departments within one of the Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust hospitals; Hammersmith, Charing Cross Hospital, Queen Charlotte’s or St. Mary’s Hospital. There is a viva voce examination on your research project in September.
The vascular stream can be taken both full-time in one year and part-time over two years.
Entry requirements
We welcome students from all over the world and consider all applicants on an individual basis.
Admissions
Minimum academic requirement
Our minimum requirement is a 2.1 degree in medicine, biological sciences, engineering or physical sciences.
International qualifications
We also accept a wide variety of international qualifications.
The academic requirement above is for applicants who hold or who are working towards a UK qualification.
For guidance see our Country Index though please note that the standards listed are the minimum for entry to the College, and not specifically this Department.
If you have any questions about admissions and the standard required for the qualification you hold or are currently studying then please contact the relevant admissions team.
English language requirement (all applicants)
All candidates must demonstrate a minimum level of English language proficiency for admission to the College.
For admission to this course, you must achieve the standard College requirement in the appropriate English language qualification. For details of the minimum grades required to achieve this requirement, please see the English language requirements for postgraduate applicants.
How to apply
Application deadlines
We will start considering applications in December. We consider applications in batches and make a proportion of offers at a set point each month, starting from January.
It takes four to six weeks to process an application and make a decision. Shortlisted candidates will then be invited to interview.
Please note that there is not a set application deadline for this course but we strongly encourage candidates to apply before 1 July.
Making an application
Apply online
All applicants must apply online.
Visit our Admissions website for details on the application process.
You can submit one application form per year of entry. You can usually choose up to two courses.
Application fee
If you are applying for a taught Master’s course, you will need to pay an application fee before submitting your application.
The fee applies per application and not per course:
- £80 for taught Master's applications (excluding MBAs)
- £135 for MBA applications
There is no application fee for MRes courses, Postgraduate Certificates, Postgraduate Diplomas or research courses, such as PhDs and EngDs.
If you are facing financial hardship and are unable to pay the application fee, we encourage you to apply for our application fee waiver.
ATAS certificate
An ATAS certificate is not required for overseas students applying for this course.
Further questions?
Find answers to your questions about admissions. Answers cover COVID-19, English language requirements, visas and more.
Tuition fees and funding
The level of tuition fees you pay is based on your fee status, which we assess based on UK government legislation.
Find out more about fees and funding opportunities.
Tuition fees and funding
Home rate of tuition
2022 entry
Full-time (either stream) - £13,000
Part-time (vascular stream only) - £6,500 per year
Please note that the tuition fee amount you will pay may increase each year. Fees are charged by year of entry to the College and not year of study.
Except where otherwise indicated, the fees for students on courses lasting more than one year will increase annually by an amount linked to inflation, including for part-time students on modular programmes. The measure of inflation used will be the Retail Price Index (RPI) value in the April of the calendar year in which the academic session starts e.g. the RPI value in April 2022 will apply to fees for the academic year 2022–2023.
Fee status
Whether you pay the Home fee depends on your fee status.
Your fee status is assessed based on UK Government legislation and includes things like where you live and your nationality or residency status.
Find out more about how we assess your fee status.
EU/EEA/Swiss students
The Government has confirmed that EU/EEA/Swiss students who begin a course before the 31 July 2021 will be eligible to pay the same fee as Home students and have access to student finance for the duration of their course, as long as they meet certain requirements which are unchanged from previous years. This includes students who begin the course remotely.
EU/EEA/Swiss students starting a course on or after 1 August 2021 will no longer be eligible for the Home fee rate and so will be charged the Overseas fee. Please note, we do not expect this to apply to Irish students or students benefitting from Citizens' Rights under the EU Withdrawal Agreement, EEA EFTA Separation Agreement or Swiss Citizens' Rights Agreement respectively. However, we are currently awaiting the formal publication of the amended Fees and Awards regulations.
The UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) website has useful information on the conditions you currently need to meet to be entitled to pay tuition fees at the Home rate for study on a higher education course in England and reflect the regulations as they currently stand (not the amended regulations which are subject to publication).
Overseas rate of tuition
2022 entry
Full-time (either stream) - £37,800
Part-time (vascular stream only) - £18,900 per year
Please note that the tuition fee amount you will pay may increase each year. Fees are charged by year of entry to the College and not year of study.
Except where otherwise indicated, the fees for students on courses lasting more than one year will increase annually by an amount linked to inflation, including for part-time students on modular programmes. The measure of inflation used will be the Retail Price Index (RPI) value in the April of the calendar year in which the academic session starts e.g. the RPI value in April 2022 will apply to fees for the academic year 2022–2023.
Fee status
Whether you pay the Overseas fee depends on your fee status.
Your fee status is assessed based on UK Government legislation and includes things like where you live and your nationality or residency status.
Find out more about how we assess your fee status.
EU/EEA/Swiss students
The Government has confirmed that EU/EEA/Swiss students who begin a course before the 31 July 2021 will be eligible to pay the same fee as Home students and have access to student finance for the duration of their course, as long as they meet certain requirements which are unchanged from previous years. This includes students who begin the course remotely.
EU/EEA/Swiss students starting a course on or after 1 August 2021 will no longer be eligible for the Home fee rate and so will be charged the Overseas fee. Please note, we do not expect this to apply to Irish students or students benefitting from Citizens' Rights under the EU Withdrawal Agreement, EEA EFTA Separation Agreement or Swiss Citizens' Rights Agreement respectively. However, we are currently awaiting the formal publication of the amended Fees and Awards regulations.
The UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) website has useful information on the conditions you currently need to meet to be entitled to pay tuition fees at the Home rate for study on a higher education course in England and reflect the regulations as they currently stand (not the amended regulations which are subject to publication).
Postgraduate Master's loan
If you're a UK national, or EU national with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you may be able to apply for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan from the UK government, if you meet certain criteria.
For 2022-23 entry, the maximum amount is £11,836. The loan is not means-tested and you can choose whether to put it towards your tuition fees or living costs.
Scholarships
We offer a range of scholarships for postgraduate students to support you through your studies.
See what opportunities you may be eligible for:
Accommodation and living costs
Living costs, including accommodation, are not included in your tuition fees.
You can compare costs across our different accommodation options on our Accommodation website.
A rough guide to what you might expect to spend to live in reasonable comfort in London is available on our Fees and Funding website.
Further information
Got a question?
Enquiries
Tony Steedman (Course Administrator)
T: +44 (0)20 3313 1606
E: medultrasound@imperial.ac.uk
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