Degree and Certificate Programs

Health Care

Radiation Therapy Specialist (6153)

Technical Certificate

Mission Statement: Creating competent, ethical, confident entry-level healthcare practitioners committed to professional development through life-long learning in a positive, non-discriminatory and supportive learning environment.

The Career: The radiation therapist assists in the treatment of cancer patients. Working as part of a health care team, supervised by a radiation oncologist, the radiation therapist positions the patient for treatment, performs the necessary mathematical calculations to determine the radiation dosage and delivers the radiation treatments utilizing highly sophisticated equipment.
The demand for skilled registered radiation therapists is nationwide and expected to increase in the future. With advanced training/education, radiation therapists also have opportunities to pursue careers in dosimetry, medical physics, teaching, and administration.

The Program: This limited access technical certificate program is designed for graduates of accredited radiography or nuclear medicine programs who have passed a certification examination in one of these disciplines (ARRT or NMTCB). Eligible individuals may enter this one-year program in order to acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to become a registered radiation therapist. At the completion of the program, students will be eligible to sit for the American Registry of Radiologic Technologist board examination in radiation therapy. The professional phase of the education makes employment difficult, due to clinical demands.
A brochure outlining costs, requirements, deadlines, and procedures is available from the radiation therapy/allied health department on North Campus.

Application Procedure: Minimum requirements that must be met for consideration for acceptance to the radiation therapy program are: Students must complete an application for the program. Students must provide an official transcript of an associate or bachelor level degree in either radiography or nuclear medicine earned at an accredited institution. Students will be notified by mail of their acceptance into the program. Orientation and registration information will also be provided. Those who fail to contact our office upon notification of acceptance will forfeit their placement in the program.

Note: A physical examination will be required upon acceptance to the program. This certificate is designed for graduates of accredited radiography or nuclear medicine programs who have passed a certification examination in one of these disciplines (ARRT or NMTCB). Eligible individuals may enter this one-year program in order to acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to become a registered radiation therapist. At the completion of the program, students will be eligible to sit for the American Registry of Radiologic Technologist board examination in radiation therapy.

Required Courses:

The following is a list of courses required for this program presented in a recommended sequence of completion. The sequence is only a suggested guide, and there is no requirement to follow the sequence precisely. Students in this program may register for any course as long as the student has met any prerequisites for that course.

Course Number and Title	Credits
RAT 1001 Introduction to Radiation Therapy	3
RAT 2242 Oncology I	3
RAT 2614 Radiation Physics	3
RAT 2241 Radiation Biology and Safety	3
RAT 1804 Clinical Education I	6
RAT 2651 Dosimetry and Treatment Planning	3
RAT 2243 Oncology II	3
RAT 2123 Patient Care in Radiation Therapy	3
RAT 2814 Clinical Education II	6
RAT 2061 Seminar: Registry Review	2
RAT 2824 Clinical Education III	8
Total Credit Hours	43