Bachelor of Radiation Therapy (BRT)

• Overview
• Information for new applicants
• Contact details
• Subject area
• Programme Requirements
• Regulations for the Degree of Bachelor of Radiation Therapy (BRT)

Overview 

Radiation therapy uses radiation to treat disease. Most patients receiving radiation therapy are cancer patients. It’s a highly skilled profession and, because cancer affects so many people, qualified radiation therapists are in demand.

A degree in radiation therapy is a great choice. It combines a variety of learning from health science to technology, patient care and teamwork. It is taught from the Wellington campus of the University of Otago, next to Wellington Hospital. Students go on clinical placements at cancer centres around the country.

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Information for new applicants

Applications for Radiation Therapy:
Open: 1 August
Close: 15 September

Once applications are open, you apply in the first instance for the 'Health Sciences Undergraduate Professional Programmes in 2024', and then select 'Radiation Therapy' from the list.

Further information regarding the guidelines for admission can be found on the following website.
Division of Health Sciences

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Contact details

Department of Radiation Therapy
University of Otago, Wellington
PO Box 7343
Newtown
Wellington 6242
Tel 64 4 385 5475
Email rtenquiries.uow@otago.ac.nz

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Subject area

• Radiation Therapy

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Regulations for the Degree of Bachelor of Radiation Therapy (BRT)

1. Admission to the Programme

   1. The number of domestic students admitted to the Bachelor of Radiation Therapy programme is limited to the number determined by the Council annually on the basis of available resources.
   2. Applications for admission by domestic students may be made by those eligible under the following categories:
      
      • Secondary School (see 1(l))
      • One Year of University Study (see 1(n))
      • Two or More Years of University Study (see 1(q))
      • Graduate (see 1(t))
      • Alternative (see 1(v))

   3. Applications must be made by the due dates specified for each category as part of the Guidelines for Admission into the Health Sciences Professional Programmes published at www.otago.ac.nz/healthsciences. (“the Guidelines”)
   4. Selection of eligible students for admission to the second year of the programme shall be made by the Physiotherapy Admissions Committee (“the Committee”) whose terms of reference shall be established by the Division of Health Sciences and approved by the Senate.
   5. Subject to these regulations and the Selection Criteria established by the Committee and approved by the Senate from time to time and published as part of the Guidelines, selection for admission shall be in the discretion of the Committee.
   6. Without limitation, the Selection Criteria may include:
      1. academic performance;
      2. demonstration of appropriate attributes for admission into the programme.
   7. The Division of Health Sciences’ Te Kauae Parāoa policy promotes and facilitates equity for Māori students and students from other under-represented groups. In accordance with this policy, the Selection Criteria may provide for applicants in the following equity groups to be given preference for selection:
      
      • Māori
      • Resident Indigenous Pacific
      • Rural
      • Socioeconomic Equity
      • Refugee Background
   8. Recognition for inclusion in the Māori and Resident Indigenous Pacific equity groups shall be through demonstration of ancestry in accordance with the University’s Ancestry Verification Procedures for Māori and Pacific Students and any other criteria the Senate may determine. Criteria for inclusion in the Rural, Socioeconomic Equity and Refugee Background equity groups shall be established by the Academic Board of the Division of Health Sciences and approved by the Senate. Criteria approved by the Senate shall be published as part of the Guidelines.

   Single Programme Preference

   9. In selecting domestic students from the categories in 1(b) above, to enter the Radiation Therapy programme, the Committee will first select from those applicants who have specified that they are seeking admission to the Radiation Therapy programme only and not also to one or more of the Dentistry, Medical Laboratory Science, Medicine, Pharmacy or Physiotherapy programmes offered by the University of Otago.

   Thereafter if domestic places are still available in each of the applicable categories, the Committee will then select from the group of applicants who are seeking to enter Radiation Therapy and one or more of those other programmes.

   10. Candidates wishing to be considered under the single programme preference provision must specify that they are applying only for the Bachelor of Radiation Therapy by the close of applications for the programme.
   11. Candidates wishing to be considered under the single programme preference provision may apply for any other programmes offered by the University of Otago excluding those named in 1 (i) above.
       

       Secondary School Category

   12. To be eligible for selection for admission under the Secondary School category, an applicant must have attained the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) Level 2 (or equivalent); and have completed or be completing English or Te Reo Māori or Te Reo Rangatira or Classics or History or Geography or Art History; and Mathematics or Statistics or Calculus; and Physics or Biology, at NCEA Level 3 (or equivalents) with a minimum of 16 credits per subject. Applicants must have completed NCEA Level 3 (or equivalent) within the last five years.
   13. An applicant may be required to attend an interview.
       

       One Year of University Study

   14. To be eligible to be selected for admission under the One Year of University Study category applicants must have completed within the last five years one year of relevant university study in New Zealand, with a minimum average of B- (grade point average (GPA) of 4).
   15. An applicant may be required to attend an interview.
   16. Applicants offered a place under the One Year of University Study category may be required to pass prescribed papers, to a standard determined by the Committee, before being admitted to the programme.

   Two or More Years of University Study

   17. To be eligible to be selected for admission under the Two or More Years of University Study category an applicant must not be a finalist, but must have completed two or more years of full-time study at a university in New Zealand, comprising at least three papers at 200-level, and must not have failed more than two papers in any one year subsequent to a first year of study.
   18. An applicant may be required to attend an interview.
   19. Applicants offered a place under the Two or More Years of University Study category may be required to pass prescribed papers, to a standard determined by the Committee, before being admitted to second year classes.

   Graduate Category

   20. To be eligible for selection for admission under the Graduate category, an applicant must have completed as their first degree, within three years prior to the date of application, and in the minimum academic time, at least one of the following qualifications awarded by a university in New Zealand:
       
       1. a bachelor’s degree; or
       2. undergraduate bachelor’s honours degree; or
       3. bachelor’s degree, followed by a postgraduate diploma or postgraduate honours year.
   21. Applicants offered a place under the Graduate category may be required to pass prescribed papers, to a standard determined by the Committee, before being admitted to second year classes.

   Alternative Category

   22. To be eligible to be considered for admission under the Alternative category, an applicant must be a domestic student and:
       
       1. hold a degree from a New Zealand university, and no longer be eligible under the Graduate category; or
       2. have completed a degree at an overseas university at a standard of at least NZQF Level 7; or
       3. hold a master’s or doctoral degree; or
       4. demonstrate health-related professional experience in a relevant field to a standard acceptable to the Committee.
   23. An applicant may be required to attend an interview.
   24. Applicants offered a place under the Alternative category may be required to pass prescribed papers, to a standard determined by the Committee, before being admitted to second year classes.

   Exceptional Circumstances

   25. Notwithstanding any of the above provisions, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Health Sciences) shall have discretion to approve a recommendation from the Committee concerning any applicant who, not having satisfied these regulations in a particular aspect, in the Committee’s view warrants admission to the programme for exceptional reasons.

   Declining of Admission

   26. Any applicant who
       
       1. is, or who has been, the subject of criminal charges; or
       2. is, or who has been, subject to disciplinary proceedings of a tertiary institution or professional body; or
       3. has been found to have an issue (whether in connection with their mental or physical health, or their professional attributes or conduct, or otherwise) that compromises or is likely to compromise their fitness to practise; or
       4. is found to have failed to declare a matter covered by (z)(i)-(iii),

       may be declined admission to the programme by the Committee on the recommendation of the Health and Conduct Review Group. Any offer of admission made before responses to medical tests or requests for information regarding an applicant’s health status or past conduct have been received is conditional on the information received confirming the applicant’s suitability for admission.

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2. Structure of the Programme

   1. Every programme of study shall satisfy the requirements set out in the Schedule of papers for the degree and shall normally be pursued over three years of full-time study.
   2. Candidates will not normally be permitted to enrol in any papers of a year until all papers of the preceding year have been passed.
   3. Candidates require a clinical placement before enrolling in a clinical paper.

3. Duration of the Programme

   Candidates will normally be required to complete the programme in five years or fewer.

4. Credits and Exemptions

   The Radiation Therapy Board of Studies and Examinations may grant such credits and exemptions as it deems appropriate for work done previously by a candidate.

5. Examinations

   1. Every candidate must gain terms before being admitted to examinations.
   2. Candidates who fail to gain terms shall subsequently pursue a course of study approved by the Radiation Therapy Board of Studies and Examinations.
   3. A candidate who fails any paper may, on the recommendation of the Radiation Therapy Board of Studies and Examinations, be admitted to a special examination.

6. Withdrawal from the Programme

   1. Temporary withdrawal from programme
      
      1. A student who wishes to withdraw from the programme on a temporary basis must obtain the prior approval of the Radiation Therapy Board of Studies and Examinations. Where temporary withdrawal is approved, re-admission to the programme remains subject to the approval of the Radiation Therapy Board of Studies and Examinations. Any application for such approval needs to be made no later than 1 June in the year prior to that for which readmission is sought.
      2. Applications for temporary withdrawal and for readmission will be determined by the Radiation Therapy Board of Studies and Examinations in accordance with the criteria and procedures set out in the Withdrawal and Readmission Guidelines.
   2. Permanent withdrawal from programme
      1. Students who withdraw permanently (including students who withdraw without prior approval and students who fail to communicate their intentions within 12 months of when they were last enrolled or for any other 12 month period) have no right to be considered for readmission.
      2. Despite the previous clause, the Radiation Therapy Board of Studies and Examinations may allow a student who has permanently withdrawn to submit a fresh application under the regulations governing admission to the programme. In considering whether to allow such an application to proceed, the Radiation Therapy Board of Studies and Examinations may have regard to all of the circumstances of the student’s withdrawal. Where an application is allowed to be made, the Radiation Therapy Admissions Committee may also have regard to those circumstances when considering the application.

7. Exclusion from the Programme

   1. Any candidate who fails to complete the requirements for a paper in two academic years may be excluded by the Board of the Division of Health Sciences on the recommendation of the Radiation Therapy Board of Studies and Examinations.
   2. Any student who, during the course of their studies, is
      1. subject to criminal charges;
      2. subject to disciplinary proceedings of the University or of a professional body; or
      3. found to have an issue (whether in connection with their mental or physical health, or their professional attributes or conduct, or otherwise) that compromises or is likely to compromise their fitness to practise; or
      4. found to have failed to declare a matter covered by (b)(i)-(iii),

      may be excluded from further study towards the degree by the Academic Board of the Division of Health Sciences on the recommendation of the Radiation Therapy Board of Studies and Examinations.

8. Variations

   The Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Health Sciences) may in exceptional circumstances approve a course of study which does not comply with these regulations.

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This information must be read subject to the statement on our Copyright & Disclaimer page.

Regulations on this page are taken from the 2023 Calendar and supplementary material.