Radiation Therapy - BS
A degree from St. Kate’s will prepare students for their role as a radiation therapist in a highly technical and patient focused environment. Students will learn to become an essential member of a treatment team which includes radiation oncologists, nurses, medical physicists, dosimetrists and others.
Radiation therapists operate high energy radiation producing equipment such as linear accelerators with advanced computer systems to administer precise ionizing radiation treatment to patients diagnosed with various diseases, mainly cancer. Radiation therapists are responsible for accurate radiation delivery, patient communication, monitoring and assessment over a treatment course of several weeks.
Radiation therapists also work with diagnostic imaging equipment to simulate and plan treatment to ensure daily accuracy in patient positioning. This includes CT scanning, Cone beam computed tomography and x-rays.
Successful radiation therapists must listen and communicate well, adapt to a variety of patients and treatment procedures, think critically, behave ethically and above all demonstrate compassion and sensitivity to patients at a vulnerable time in their lives. The radiation therapy program will complement St. Kate’s values and educational mission to develop these qualities in its students.
Students will learn about the many faces of cancer and its impact on the body through studies in oncology, pathology and various multidisciplinary approaches for its treatment. Radiation physics, radiobiology and radiation safety, dose calculation and treatment planning will be taught as well as patient care focused on the physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of cancer care. Off campus, students will participate in a cancer support group and a community service project which highlights patient and family interaction outside of the clinical and didactic setting.
St. Kate’s radiation therapy program students will gain competency in a variety of treatment procedures via a comprehensive real-world clinical education with its many clinical partners. During the program, they will complete a portfolio project which includes didactic and clinical artifacts as well as reflections to demonstrate professional growth over time.
Graduates will receive a baccalaureate degree in Radiation Therapy, the first in Minnesota, and are eligible to sit for the ARRT national certification examination.
Career advancement in the field of radiation therapy includes lead therapist, department manager, dosimetrist, and educator.
Accreditation
St. Kate's Radiation Therapy Program is accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiology Technology, 20 N. Wacker Drive, Suite 2850, Chicago, IL 60606, (312) 704-5300, JRCERT.org.
Admission Requirements
Acceptance into the radiation therapy major depends on the following criteria. The student must:
- Have completed an accredited associate or bachelor's degree in radiography with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.7 on a 4.0 scale
- Have passed the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) certification exam for radiography
- Have completed all core liberal arts courses and elective courses (i.e., all non-major courses)
Students admitted to the major begin the 12-month radiation therapy major course sequence in September.
Prerequisite Courses for Students with a Previous Bachelor's Degree
Prerequisite college level courses must be completed before the fall start date for the radiation therapy program.
Applicants must achieve a C or higher in each course and a cumulative prerequisite GPA of 3.00 or higher.
- General Anatomy and Physiology with Lab
- Medical Terminology
- College Algebra or higher
- General Psychology
- Medical Ethics or Ethics
NOTE: Students who enter St. Kate's with a bachelor's degree with a major other than radiography must complete the prerequisite courses listed at the end of this section, earn a minimum of a C in each course, earn a minimum prerequisite GPA of 3.0, and earn a minimum overall GPA of 2.75 to be eligible to apply for admission to the major. If admitted to the major, the students complete all RTT courses listed below.
The curriculum listed below is for students entering St. Kate's with a previous associate or bachelor's degree in radiography. This major is offered in the College for Adults only.
Curriculum
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Supporting Courses 1 | ||
| PHIL 3400 | Biomedical Ethics | 4 |
| or PHIL 2200W | Ethics | |
| Select one from: | 4 | |
| Precalculus | ||
| Calculus I | ||
| Statistical Analysis (or other statistics course) | ||
College algebra (not offered at St. Kate's) | ||
| Total Credits | 8 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Major Courses 2 | ||
| RTT 3010 | Introduction to Radiation Therapy | 2 |
| RTT 3015 | Principles of Oncology I | 3 |
| RTT 3022 | Radiation Therapy Physics I | 2 |
| RTT 3025 | Pathology | 2 |
| RTT 3030 | Patient Care in Radiation Oncology | 2 |
| RTT 3035 | Clinical Practicum I | 3 |
| RTT 4015W | Principles of Oncology II | 3 |
| RTT 4022 | Radiation Therapy Physics II | 4 |
| RTT 4025 | Dosimetry and Treatment Planning | 2 |
| RTT 4030 | Sectional Anatomy | 2 |
| RTT 4035 | Radiobiology - Protection | 2 |
| RTT 4040 | Topics in Radiation Therapy | 3 |
| RTT 4041 | Clinical Practicum II J-Term | 1 |
| RTT 4043 | Clinical Practicum II | 3 |
| RTT 4055 | Clinical Practicum III | 6 |
| Total Credits | 40 | |
Prerequisite Courses for Students with a Previous Bachelor's Degree in a Major other than Radiography3
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 2400 | General Anatomy and Physiology with Lab | 4 |
| PHIL 3400 | Biomedical Ethics | 4 |
| or PHIL 2200W | Ethics | |
| IPE 1020 | Medical Terminology | 1-2 |
| or IPE 1030 | Healthcare Teams Foundations and Medical Terminology | |
| PSYC 1000 | General Psychology | 4 |
| Select one from: | 4 | |
| Precalculus | ||
| Calculus I | ||
| Statistical Analysis (or other statistics course) | ||
College algebra | ||
| Total Credits | 17-18 | |
- 1
Minimum grade of C required
- 2
Minimum grade of C required
- 3
Minimum grade of C required
Radiation therapy majors satisfy the Writing Requirement for Majors by completing RTT 4015W Principles of Oncology II . They complete the Liberal Arts and Sciences Core Writing Requirement with three other writing-intensive courses (CORE 1000W The Reflective Woman, CORE 3990W Global Search for Justice, and another writing-intensive course in another department).
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Fall Term | ||
| Select one from: | 4 | |
| Precalculus | ||
| Calculus I | ||
| Statistical Analysis | ||
| Spring Term | ||
| PHIL 3400 | Biomedical Ethics | 4 |
| or PHIL 2200W | Ethics | |
| Fall Term | ||
| RTT 3010 | Introduction to Radiation Therapy | 2 |
| RTT 3015 | Principles of Oncology I | 3 |
| RTT 3022 | Radiation Therapy Physics I | 2 |
| RTT 3030 | Patient Care in Radiation Oncology | 2 |
| RTT 3035 | Clinical Practicum I | 3 |
| RTT 4030 | Sectional Anatomy | 2 |
| Spring Term | ||
| RTT 3025 | Pathology 1 | 2 |
| RTT 4015W | Principles of Oncology II | 3 |
| RTT 4022 | Radiation Therapy Physics II | 4 |
| RTT 4025 | Dosimetry and Treatment Planning | 2 |
| RTT 4035 | Radiobiology - Protection | 2 |
| RTT 4041 | Clinical Practicum II J-Term | 1 |
| RTT 4043 | Clinical Practicum II | 3 |
| Summer Term | ||
| RTT 4040 | Topics in Radiation Therapy | 3 |
| RTT 4055 | Clinical Practicum III | 6 |
| Total Credits | 48 | |
- 1
Taken during J-Term