Radiography, AS

Mission

The mission of the Associate of Science in Radiography program is to provide undergraduate students with academic and clinical foundations to competently perform as radiographers that provide quality patient care, actively participate in the profession, possess the ability to specialize in advanced degree programs and/or imaging specialties, and pursue life-long learning.

Role of the Radiologic Technologist

The South College AS Radiography program prepares students to become members of the health care team in a variety of settings. Radiologic Technologists must be sensitive to patients’ physical and psychological needs, pay attention to detail, follow instructions, work as part of a team, and demonstrate mechanical ability and manual dexterity. Radiologic Technologists operate sophisticated equipment to help physicians, surgeons, and other health practitioners diagnose and treat patients.

Radiologic Technologist Certification

Students successfully completing the Associate of Science degree program are eligible to apply for admission to write the certification examination administered by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists. Successful completion of the ARRT examination provides licensure to practice as a registered radiographer. Students convicted of a felony or misdemeanor may be excluded from clinical experience and/or taking the certification examination.

Overview of the Associate of Science in Radiography Program

The AS Radiography program is designed for students to complete degree requirements in two years. The program is offered in an onground or hybrid delivery method. Both course delivery methods may not be offered at each campus. The degree curriculum integrates didactic and clinical instruction with increasing expectations at each level. A combination of courses from the general education core and the radiography major are required. Clinical sites utilized by the program are geographically dispersed. Students may have to travel outside the local area for clinical placements. Some evening and weekend rotations may be required. Students must complete a separate application to the Radiography program and secure formal admission to the program.

OnGround Delivery

The program is offered in an onground delivery model at the Asheville, Atlanta, Indianapolis, Knoxville, Nashville, Orlando, and Pittsburgh campuses. Onground cohorts are admitted in January at the Asheville, Atlanta, Knoxville, Nashville, Orlando, and Pittsburgh campuses.  The Indianapolis campus admits onground cohorts in October and April. 

Employing an onground approach, the curriculum integrates the finest elements of face-to-face learning interactions, immersive on-campus laboratory sessions, and clinical education experiences to meet the program objectives. The Associate of Science in Radiography (RAD) program offers a diverse array of instructional techniques tailored for in-person delivery and active participation using slide presentation, whiteboard explanations, group discussions, and multimedia displays. Learning takes on a more hands-on and experiential form when students engage in on-campus and in-person laboratory courses.

Hybrid Delivery

The program is offered in a hybrid delivery model at the Asheville, Knoxville, Nashville, Orlando and Pittsburgh campuses. Admission months for cohorts rotate.

Using a hybrid learning model, the curriculum combines the best aspects of online learning activities and interactions, hands-on, on-campus laboratory courses, and collaborative clinical education experiences into an innovative and dynamic learning experience. The Associate of Science in Radiography (RAD) program provides a variety of instructional methods in the online delivery of didactic instruction that includes but is not limited to, synchronous and asynchronous lectures, videos, faculty-led discussions, and assignments. Blended learning occurs when students attend hands-on labs, which will be conducted onground at the campus.

Student Outcomes of the AS Radiography Program

Graduates of this program of study will:

Program Goal #1:
The program will graduate clinically competent students.

Student Learning Outcomes:

1. Students will demonstrate proper patient positioning.
2. Students will exercise ALARA principles to minimize radiation exposure.
3. Students will provide appropriate patient care.

Program Goal #2:
The program will graduate students who communicate effectively.

Student Learning Outcomes:

1. Students will effectively communicate with patients.
2. Students will effectively present to a group of imaging professionals.
3. Students will demonstrate written communication skills.

Program Goal #3:
The program will graduate students who will demonstrate effective critical thinking and problem solving skills.

Student Learning Outcomes:

1. Students will perform “non-routine” procedures requiring critical thinking skills.
2. Students will adapt to changes and varying clinical situations.

Program Goal #4:
The program will graduate students who will demonstrate professionalism and growth.

Student Learning Outcomes:

1. Students will demonstrate professionalism in the clinical setting.
2. Students will abide by federal guidelines regarding patient privacy.

The program will continually monitor program effectiveness through assessment and evaluation to ensure that the needs of the community are met.

Admission Requirements

General admission to South College does not guarantee admission to the Associate of Science degree program. Applicants interested in this program are required to visit the college and meet individually with an admissions representative and program faculty to ascertain if their goals can be met by the college. Prospective students declaring Radiography as their major must be generally admitted to South College and meet the following requirements in order to be considered for full admission to the program:

Effective with any cohort beginning Fall 2025 or later, the HESI (Health Education Systems, Inc.) examination will be a mandatory component of the admissions process for the RAD program at all campuses. Applicants will be required to complete the HESI exam as part of their application to assess their readiness for the program. This examination evaluates key academic skills necessary for success in healthcare-related fields, including areas such as math, critical thinking, learning style, personality style, vocabulary, and anatomy & physiology. Additional information about the HESI is available from the RAD Department at each campus.

1. Complete the South College Imaging Science program application. The application deadline is available in the Department of Radiography at the applicable campus.
2. Submit documentation of a minimum high school and/or college cumulative GPA of 2.5 or above. All official transcripts must be provided.*
3. Meet minimum score requirements on the college entrance examination, OR present documentation of a score of 19 or higher on the ACT Assessment examination, OR present documentation of a 900 combined score or higher on the SAT I examination, OR meet the South College requirements for admission as a transfer student.
4. Obtain a minimum grade of “C” or better in one unit of high school biological or physical science. If one unit of high school science has not been earned, a college-level course in chemistry, physics, or biology is required.
5. Admission to the cohort is based on the successful completion or transfer of the following prerequisite courses or their equivalents with a grade of “C” or better in a maximum of two attempts. If a student is unsuccessful in two attempts of any of the listed courses at South College, they will no longer be eligible for the program. Withdrawal from the same course twice at South College will count as a failed attempt.
   • Complete BIO 1030 Anatomy & Physiology for Imaging Science  or equivalent; MAT 1100 College Algebra ; AHS 1010 Medical Terminology ; and RAD 1125 Introduction to Imaging Sciences & Patient Care  with a minimum grade of “C” or higher in a maximum of two attempts at South College.*
   • Complete a communications skills course that may be met by a variety of courses including speech, English, or composition with a grade of “C” or higher in a maximum of two attempts at South College*.

6. Complete a HESI-A2 assessment*. Applicants are required to take the HESI-A2 assessment as part of the application process. Applicants have two attempts to complete the exam before the application deadline date set by the associated campus. The cost of the first attempt will be paid by South College. Costs associated with a second attempt is the responsibility of the applicant. While there is no minimum overall score requirement, applicants are strongly encouraged to achieve a high score to remain competitive.  

7. For applicants seeking readmission, a retake of the exam is not required if already taken. Reentries must have taken the exam with South College within the past 2 years.  Readmission eligibility will be assessed based on previous academic performance and adherence to program policies. Readmittance is at the discretion of the campus Program Director and clinical affiliate availability.

8. Complete a mandatory on-ground or online information session.

9. Meet specific health and/or essential functions pertinent to the responsibilities performed by the Radiographer. Drug and background screening is required by clinical affiliates. Failure to pass the screen may disqualify a student as a candidate for admission.
10. Be able to commit to full participation in a rigorous educational program that requires class participation (whether onground or online depending on track), on campus lab participation, significant out-of-class preparation time, and clinical education assignments off-campus, which may require travel of 1-3 hours round trip. Some clinical rotations may occur in the evening and/or on the weekend.

*Each of these areas is used to rank applicants for full program admission. If minimum standards are met by more applying students than clinical seats, these rankings determine program admission.

Admittance Decisions

Applicants to any Imaging Science program are ranked based on academic scores. Emphasis is placed on math and science coursework related to the Imaging Sciences at all certificate and degree levels. The weight distribution for ranking is as follows: Science (Anatomy & Physiology, Introduction to Imaging Sciences and Patient Care) & Math: 60%, Medical Terminology and Communication: 15%, and HESI: 25%. Those programs admitting on a rotational basis and class sizes admitted are dependent on available clinical sites.

In addition to coursework, each student must provide proof of ability to perform the skills needed to practice in the imaging sciences effectively. Healthcare facilities must meet federal guidelines, and students must also meet these requirements in order to be allowed to gain clinical experience in these facilities. To meet these requirements, each student must supply proof of a negative TB test, hepatitis B vaccine or waiver, physical exam certifying ability to function in the required capacity, proof of immunizations (including MMR immunity), and CPR training. A criminal background check and drug screen are required for admission. If the background check reveals previous convictions, it is up to each clinical site to determine the eligibility of students to attend clinical at the site. Students who are denied clinical experiences due to past convictions may be unable to progress in the program which will result in failure to complete the required courses for the program. In any case where a drug screen is positive and an authorized prescription is not produced to validate the presence of the drug in the individual’s system, a student may be disqualified as a candidate for admission. Upon notification of the drug screen results, the student will have 5 working days to provide prescription validation. Students are responsible for costs associated with any required testing.

Professional Liability Insurance Requirement

All students must be covered under a professional liability and general liability insurance policy during all clinical education. South College has contracted to provide a student blanket medical liability occurrence policy that insures  Radiography students for $3 million per incident and $5 million aggregate. The professional liability insurance expense is covered by the Institution.

The Associate of Science in Radiography degree program is currently offered at the Knoxville, Asheville, Atlanta, Indianapolis, Nashville, Orlando, Pittsburgh, and Dallas campuses (Onground). The Asheville, Knoxville, Nashville, Orlando, and Pittsburgh campuses also offer a Hybrid format.