Advanced Breast Practice

MSc Advanced Breast Practice or stand-alone modules

You should have or be expected to achieve, a minimum of a second class degree (2:2) in a relevant healthcare field.

PgCert Professional Practice in Mammography

You should have or be expected to achieve, a minimum of a second class degree (2:2) in Diagnostic Radiography, Therapeutic Radiography, or equivalent degree title.

We accept equivalent qualifications gained in other countries.

Please see our Postgraduate International Equivalencies. For countries not on this list, we use UK ENIC to assess. Please see our International Student Support pages for more information.

If you have any questions, you can contact us at study@sgul.ac.uk

Please note this programme is currently only available to Home fee paying students, or international fee paying students with access to practice within the NHS breast screening programme.

For details on English Language requirements, please see here.

This is a Group 1 course.

You will be asked to outline your reasons for applying for the course in a brief personal statement on the application form.

You will also need to provide two satisfactory references. One of these should be a recent academic reference and the other should be either a second academic reference or a professional/employer reference. For those unable to provide an academic referee a second professional/employer reference will be permitted.

Go to the ‘Apply’ tab for more information.

These two core modules run concurrently and comprise the full PgCert.

The modules introduce and develop the knowledge and skills to enable clinical competency, mammographic assessment technique and knowledge of associated breast pathologies. You will also develop critical evaluation of technique and the clinical environment and build your strengths as mentor, able to offer educational support to junior colleagues.

The module is designed to foster an understanding of the research process, hone skills of critical appraisal and develop research skills as applied to both quantitative and qualitative research.

The delivery follows a logical progression which starts with the scientific process and hypothesis formulation and ends with the production of a research protocol. Along the way reviewing the literature, selecting an appropriate research method, sampling, data collection analysis and presentation and ethical issues are covered. The module has preparatory work, a taught component and self-directed learning/assignment time.

This module builds upon the principles outlined and knowledge acquired during the Research and Evidence Based Practice in Healthcare module.

It provides the component beyond postgraduate diploma to enable the completion of a Masters degree. Professionals are consistently expected to be able to provide an evidence base to prove the effectiveness of their professional interventions. This module provides students with the experience of utilising all principles of research design. Following submission and approval of a dissertation proposal the student is provided with a project supervisor to facilitate support for both the project and dissemination material. The students will be required to undertake an independent piece of research study into a topic relevant to their own field. The aim of the module is to develop in-depth theoretical, analytical and research skills.

This module provides the foundation for both the academic and clinical components of a variety of breast interventions, either using x-ray or ultrasound guidance. It is then followed by 12 months of leaning in a professional environment within healthcare. This is a very student centred module in that each student designs their own learning outcomes, in addition to those given in the module descriptor. The enables them to personalise the outcome to their scope of practice of interventional methods, within the breast screening unit or imaging department.

This module is designed to provide the foundation for understanding and relating all of the key processes involved in breast diagnosis. It includes 6 months of learning in a professional environment within healthcare. This develops and extends the participants’ clinical expertise necessary to contribute to the multidisciplinary approach to the diagnosis of breast disease. It will facilitate the participants’ decision making skills based on a broad appreciation of the tools and techniques that underpin the diagnosis of breast abnormalities and incorporates both academic and clinical components. The module will also facilitate and enhance the necessary development and application of the participant’s communication, counselling and interpersonal skills, and will include interactive participatory learning.

This module provides the understanding of all key process’ involved in ‘reading’ breast images, including 9 months of learning in a professional environment within healthcare. This module is designed for health care professionals, such as breast clinicians or Radiographers who wish to perform as advanced practitioners. It is related to the image interpretation of screening mammograms, detecting and identifying and abnormalities, classifying those possible abnormalities, and the making a decision on the likely probabilities whether to recall the woman for further clinical assessment. The module assessment components consist of evaluating clinical skills, self-analysis and academic skills of essay writing on an associated topic.

This module is designed to provide the understanding and knowledge involved in breast diagnosis. This is followed by 6 months of learning in a professional environment within healthcare. This module is designed to provide the academic and clinical components to enable students to fulfil their role in reviewing current application and uses of ultrasound to detect and evaluate breast abnormalities and then to interpret and report on findings. It will facilitate the participants’ decision making skills based on a broad appreciation of the equipment available and scanning techniques that underpin the diagnosis of breast abnormalities. The module also focuses on the necessary physical processes underlying safe ultrasound practice.

This module is of value to the practitioners who educate and mentor learners within the clinical setting. The module focuses on developing appropriate knowledge and skills in order to effectively facilitate the development of others. Throughout the module students draw upon their clinical experiences and relate these to the theoretical frameworks. The module places emphasis on the development of self, through personal development planning. Throughout the module participants engage with a wide range of learning activities which augment learning and act as a foundation for reflection.

Satisfactory completion of this module confers eligibility for accreditation under the College of Radiographers Practice Educators Accreditation Scheme (PEAS).

1. Download and complete Module Choice Form (Word).
2. Move on to Step 2, and upload the completed Module Choice Form as part of your application.

1. Click the relevant application link from the following options and create an account:
   

   Entry from September 2023 (applications links coming soon)
   

   Advanced Breast Practice MSc part-time
   Advanced Breast Practice PgCert part-time
   Professional Practice in Mammography PGCert part-time
   Postgraduate Mammography short courses and modules.
   
   
2. Once you've created an account, you will then be able to complete the application form and upload any relevant documents. You can save a partly completed form and return to it later. Please make sure you complete all sections. Please make sure that the information you provide is accurate, including the options you select in menus.
3. Add pgadmissions@sgul.ac.uk to your address book to ensure you do not miss any important emails from us.
4. When you have checked that your application is complete and accurate, click ‘submit’.

You can track your application through your online account.

When completing your application, you will be asked to provide contact details of two referees. Please ensure these details are accurate. As soon as you have submitted your application, your referees will be contacted by the university asking them to upload a reference to your online application.

One must be a recent academic reference. The other should be either a second academic reference or a professional/employer reference. They should cover your suitability for the course and your academic ability.

Your referees should know you well enough, in an official capacity, to write about you and your suitability for higher education. We do not accept references from family, friends, partners, ex-partners or yourself.

We will send reminder emails to your referees but it is your responsibility to ensure that contact details are correct and referees are available to submit a reference. References should be uploaded within two weeks of making your application.

Tuition fees are set by St George’s, University of London. Tuition fees are charged for each year of your course (unless stated). Fees for second and subsequent years are likely to increase annually in line with UK inflation as measured by the Retail Price Index (RPI-X). They will not normally increase by more than 5 per cent each year, except when the rate of inflation is significantly more than that projected in the preceding year.

2023 UK

• Part-time MSc (180 credits): £11,250
• Part-time PGCert (60 credits): £3,750
• Part-time PGCert (60 credits) Principles and Practice Mammography*: £4,750
• Standalone modules (30 credits): £1,850

*higher fee for PGCert as it has one extra week in clinical teaching.

Please note: Applicants holding a Tier 2 visa, and with evidencable appropriate access to practice with patients of the NHS Breast Screening Programme, will be assessed as ‘Home’ students for the purposes of fee assessment.

We have a range of funding opportunities available for students. You may be eligible for the following:

• a Postgraduate Master’s Loan from the UK government of up to £11,570
• Other funding for Postgraduate Study
• An alumni discount– if you're a former St George’s student you can qualify for an additional 10% discount from this course.

Find our more about fees and funding.

The following table gives you an indication of additional costs associated with your course. These costs are not included in your tuition fees.

To be eligible for a scholarship you must:

• have completed an application for the course, either full-time or part-time study
• not already be qualified at Masters level or above (e.g. PhD)
• must be self-funding (courses fully funded by the NHS or students receiving employer or sponsor funding are not eligible)
• have or be predicted to obtain at least a 2:1.

All eligible candidates will be shortlisted on 1 May 2023 (please note scholarships cannot be deferred to 2024 or later entry).

Applicants with the highest scores across all courses will be considered for the scholarship and may be invited for interview.

If you are a Home (UK) or International (EU or non-EU) applicant applying for a taught postgraduate programme which has a scholarship, you will be automatically considered for the scholarship, providing you apply by the deadline (1 May 2023).

You do not need to submit an additional application form. However, you may be asked to attend a physical or virtual interview.

Successful candidates will be those whom the Scholarship Committee consider will make a positive contribution to the academic environment at St George's and achieve the highest scores.

Your application will be scored based on:

• your degree classification
• your personal statement
• your interview
• your references.