Career opportunities
A career in Radiation Therapy offers excellent career opportunities both in New Zealand and overseas. Radiation oncology departments in New Zealand are at six public hospitals (Auckland, Waikato, Palmerston North, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin), and four private centres (Auckland, Tauranga, Wellington and Christchurch).
As a qualified radiation therapist you may have the opportunity to specialise in the area of treatment delivery, planning, research and development or clinical education.
On qualification, Otago Bachelor of Radiation Therapy graduates are eligible for registration with the New Zealand Medical Radiation Technologists Board, so your employment prospects are immediate.
Radiation Therapy is an international profession and New Zealand educated radiation therapists are highly regarded overseas for their excellent level of skills and broad knowledge of the field.
Becoming a Radiation Therapist
Get a real feel for Radiation Therapy at Otago — from early clinical placements and advanced technology to building patient rapport and working in a truly rewarding, high-demand global profession.
Read transcript
Billie Mudie, Department of Radiation Therapy:
The study of RT encompasses the theoretical and the practical components. So the programme setup of the first year is theory. Second and third year, half of it is practical and half of it is theory.
Things that we’re looking at for study in the academic is anatomy and physiology, the study of radiation therapy — and that’s including physics, the cell types, how we actually apply the radiation — and then some of the specific things around radiation therapy planning. Some of the real aspects of the job you’ll also do.
Katrina Le Roy, 2nd year student:
So when you think about university, you think that you have a lecture, sort of like four a day maybe, so maybe four hours. While at Wellington it’s sort of like 9 to 4.
Tess Maitland, 2nd year student:
When I started studying, it was a bit of a shock to the system because I was a school leaver. And most of the class is coming from Health Science or other studies. But it was really good in the sense that everything that we were learning was relevant to what we were going to be doing.
Katrina Le Roy:
You get to spend two weeks on clinical placement. It’s probably one of the few professions that you have clinical within your first year. So it’s really good for, like, right from the onset to have that sort of contact with the patient and sort of like seeing what it is you’re going to do in your profession.
Billie Mudie:
In the clinic, the students will always rotate around all of the areas that we work in. So they’ll be rostered into the CT area and into our planning department, where we design the best way to deliver the treatment, and then into the usual treatment machines as well.
Tess Maitland:
You’ve got to be an empathetic person, but also not let things bring you down.
Katrina Le Roy:
So you’re dealing with patients that do have cancer. They’re coming to you for treatment. They sort of come to you and they’re quite vibrant. So like, you’re smiling and happy, and you meet them with a smile, and you start to like build a really good rapport with them.
Tess Maitland:
It’s such a rewarding job. Most people, when I tell them about what I’m doing, they’re like, “That must be so sad.” But until you’re actually in here and actually see how much of, like, a happy environment it actually is, it’s something special. And a lot of people don’t really get to experience it.
Billie Mudie:
You also need to have an interest in science and the technology. The technology is always changing. It’s a very exciting area. So it’s those mixture of the two — the caring and empathy for the patient as well as the technology.
Katrina Le Roy:
You need to have really good team skills. You need to have good problem-solving skills. You need to be able to sort of identify what the issue is and what action you need to takes in order to resolve it.
Tess Maitland:
When I graduate, I’d like to work in New Zealand for a couple of years. I think the New Zealand medical standards are so high. It’d be really good to get some experience here for a couple of years and then look to travel.
Tim Kerrisk, Radiation Therapist:
I’ve been working for just on a year now. Everything becomes a lot more ingrained. You sort of don’t have to think about stuff in the same way you do as a student. But it’s actually really rewarding working with people, seeing them up to sort of just about 40 days in a row. So in that sense it’s really rewarding getting to know them.
Billie Mudie:
It’s one of the great things about our qualification is that we can work anywhere overseas really. New Zealand radiation therapists are highly sought after around the world. We have a highly regarded degree, and the door is open to most countries around the world to work.
What does a radiation therapist do?
As a radiation therapist, you are the person within a specialised healthcare team who plans a patient's radiation treatment using computer technology and clinical information. You are also the person who delivers the radiation therapy, using a range of high-tech treatment options, and who supports the patient during their course of treatment.
Admission to the programme
We welcome applications from those interested in this great career choice. Admission involves consideration of your academic ability and your suitability to the profession, as demonstrated at an interview. Selection for interview is based on academic performance and interviews are held in October each year.
Applicants who are of Māori or indigenous Pacific descent may request this to be taken into account as part of their application.
Department visit and careers presentation
To help you see what is involved in the profession, we highly recommend that all applicants attend one of our career information sessions/department visits. These are held at radiation oncology departments around New Zealand between June and September each year and are a great opportunity to see first-hand what this career is all about.
The timetable for visits will be available on the Department of Radiation Therapy website as details are confirmed.
What does the programme involve?
The programme is based at the Wellington campus of the University of Otago. The class size is limited to about 30 students, so entry to the programme is competitive.
The programme is full-time and takes three years of study to complete. In addition to the academic papers, there is a large component of clinical work within the degree, particularly in the second and third year where half the time is based in clinical placements. Students are usually placed at a different radiation oncology department in Year 2 and Year 3, to give a range of clinical experience.
Postgraduate study
There are options of completing an honours thesis and/or postgraduate papers in radiation therapy advanced practice. These can lead to a postgraduate certificate, diploma, master's degree, and Doctor of Philosophy qualifications.
How to apply
Application information for admission into the Bachelor of Radiation Therapy (BRT) programme is available on the Division of Health Sciences website:
Radiation Therapy: Guidelines for Admission
Recommended high school subjects for undergraduate study
There are a number of ways that you can enter the programme; we take students straight after Year 13 as well as those who have done one or more years of university study, already have a degree or are looking for a career change. Look on our website for the entry requirements of each category.
Personal attributes of empathy, attention to detail, adaptability, and excellent communication skills are required.
Choose a study option
Whether you're embarking on your academic journey with our comprehensive undergraduate programmes or aiming to reach new heights through our advanced postgraduate offerings, Otago is here to support your aspirations.
Undergraduate qualifications
For new and current students studying towards a Bachelor's or other first degree. Explore undergraduate qualifications at Otago, designed to build a strong foundation in your chosen field, preparing you for a successful career or further study.
Further study opportunities
Whether you are looking to bridge your undergraduate studies to advanced knowledge or aiming to specialise in a specific field, Otago offers a range of graduate and postgraduate options to suit your aspirations.

For Ariana Cann, Radiation Therapy was the perfect combination of technology, science, anatomy and patient care.
Ariana Cann
Radiation Therapy (Wellington)
Related subject areas
Explore all subject areasProgramme details
Compare programmes for this subject.
Year | Papers | Points |
---|---|---|
1st year | RADT 121 Radiation Therapy Practice 1 | 11 |
RADT 122 Anatomy and Imaging | 32 | |
RADT 123 Radiation Therapy and Oncology 1 | 30 | |
RADT 124 Radiation Therapy Planning Concepts 1 | 12 | |
RADT 125 Healthcare Communication | 8 | |
RADT 126 Health and Human Behaviour | 9 | |
RADT 127 Radiation Technology 1 | 18 | |
2nd year | RADT 211 Radiation Therapy Practice II | 60 |
RADT 212 Principles of Research | 6 | |
RADT 213 Advanced Healthcare Communication | 10 | |
RADT 214 Radiation Technology II | 16 | |
RADT 215 Radiation Therapy and Oncology II | 10 | |
RADT 216 Radiation Therapy Planning Concepts II | 18 | |
3rd year | RADT 311 Radiation Therapy Practice III | 60 |
RADT 312 Literature Analysis | 12 | |
RADT 313 Professional Development | 12 | |
RADT 314 Radiation Therapy and Oncology III | 14 | |
RADT 315 Radiation Therapy Planning Concepts III | 22 |
Papers
View a list of all related papers below.
RADT papers
Paper Code | Year | Title | Points | Teaching period |
---|---|---|---|---|
RADT121 | 2025 | Radiation Therapy Practice I | 11 points | Semester 1 (17 February 2025 - 13 June 2025) |
RADT122 | 2025 | Anatomy and Imaging | 32 points | Full Year (17 February 2025 - 7 November 2025) |
RADT123 | 2025 | Radiation Therapy and Oncology I | 30 points | Full Year (17 February 2025 - 7 November 2025) |
RADT124 | 2025 | Radiation Therapy Planning Concepts I | 12 points | Semester 2 (7 July 2025 - 7 November 2025) |
RADT125 | 2025 | Healthcare Communication | 8 points | Semester 2 (7 July 2025 - 7 November 2025) |
RADT126 | 2025 | Health and Human Behaviour | 9 points | Semester 1 (17 February 2025 - 13 June 2025) |
RADT127 | 2025 | Radiation Technology I | 18 points | Full Year (17 February 2025 - 7 November 2025) |
RADT211 | 2025 | Radiation Therapy Practice II | 60 points | 1st Non standard period (6 January 2025 - 13 June 2025) |
RADT212 | 2025 | Principles of Research | 6 points | Semester 2 (7 July 2025 - 7 November 2025) |
RADT213 | 2025 | Advanced Healthcare Communication | 10 points | Semester 2 (7 July 2025 - 7 November 2025) |
RADT214 | 2025 | Radiation Technology II | 16 points | Semester 2 (7 July 2025 - 7 November 2025) |
RADT215 | 2025 | Radiation Therapy and Oncology II | 10 points | Semester 2 (7 July 2025 - 7 November 2025) |
RADT216 | 2025 | Radiation Therapy Planning Concepts II | 18 points | Semester 2 (7 July 2025 - 7 November 2025) |
RADT311 | 2025 | Radiation Therapy Practice III | 60 points | 1st Non standard period (6 January 2025 - 27 June 2025), 2nd Non standard period (16 June 2025 - 28 November 2025) |
RADT312 | 2025 | Literature Analysis | 12 points | Semester 1 (3 February 2025 - 30 May 2025) |
RADT313 | 2025 | Professional Development | 12 points | Semester 1 (3 February 2025 - 30 May 2025) |
RADT314 | 2025 | Radiation Therapy and Oncology III | 14 points | Semester 1 (3 February 2025 - 30 May 2025) |
RADT315 | 2025 | Radiation Therapy Planning Concepts III | 22 points | Semester 1 (3 February 2025 - 30 May 2025) |
RADT401 | 2025 | Applied Radiation Therapy Advanced Practice | 30 points | Semester 1, Semester 2 |
RADT402 | 2025 | Patient Centred Radiation Therapy Advanced Practice | 30 points | Semester 2 |
RADT403 | 2025 | Brachytherapy Principles and Practice | 30 points | Not offered in 2025, expected to be offered in 2026 |
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