Hands-on, industry-relevant training
By the end of the Sonography program, you’ll be confident with ultrasound imaging and skilled in obstetrics and gynecology, abdomen and superficial structure scanning and cardiac sonography and vascular studies.
Due to practicum placements, you can expect much of the program to be completed off campus, and may involve working evening and weekend shifts in hospitals and community care clinics.
The Sonography program has a heavy course load – you should expect 54 hours per week of in-class and out-of-class learning.Your clinical rotation will be comprised of 40-hour work weeks. Students receive theoretical and clinical training in the Diagnostic Medical Sonography program. A number of course hours are completed off campus and may involve working evenings and weekends. In addition to the more traditional lecture and laboratory settings, students also gain clinical experience in a variety of locations both on and off campus. Selected seminars and labs may be scheduled in the evenings and on weekends.
Students in the Diagnostic Medical Sonography program work in labs equipped with state-of-the-art ultrasound equipment, including:
- 2D ultrasound systems with Doppler
- 3D/4D ultrasound systems
- dedicated echocardiography scanning systems
- portable point of care (emergency response) systems
- physiological peripheral arterial testing systems
- simulators that can be programmed to display normal or abnormal cases for abdomen, obstetrics, gynecology,and cardiac
- picture archiving computer systems
Program goals:
- Foster an environment of clinical and academic excellence that prepares students to be competent, active members or leaders in the healthcare community.
- Graduate students who possess competencies and behaviours required for entry-level sonographers in accordance with the prevailing competency profiles of Sonography Canada.
- Provide an education experience that promotes a graduate's commitment for continued professional development.
- Develop students' communication, critical thinking, problem solving and leadership skills.
- Graduate students who demonstrate compassion and ethical, safe, quality health care to a diverse population.
- Provide a learning experience in which graduates will be highly satisfied.
- Graduate students with whom employers will be highly satisfied.
Students will have the opportunity to attain all the required skills in the Sonography Canada National Competency Profile (NCP). and complete the Sonography Canada Canadian Clinical Skills Assessments (CCSA) for the Generalist and Cardiac Sonographer during the program.
Is diagnostic medical sonography (DMS) right for you?
There are multiple careers related to diagnostic imaging and there are even multiple programs focusing on each of those disciplines right here at NAIT. If you're interested in diagnostic sonography, we recommend fully investigating the profession and the Diagnostic Medical Sonography program before making your final decision. We encourage all applicants to do the following prior to applying:
- Review all the information on the program's webpages
- Attend Open House
- Sit in on an info session with the program instructor — register using the links below
- Join us for Program Previews in February
Upcoming info sessions for the Diagnostic Medical Sonography program
Register using the Teams links below to attend one of the online info sessions with the instructor, Carmen Puchyr.
Career Outcomes
Please refer to the Sonography Canada website to learn more about requirements for licensing/mandatory registration and declaration of conduct, which may include disclosure of information related to criminal convictions and professional misconduct or incompetence as well as any personal factors that could impact the ability to practice safely.
Continuing Education is mandatory for this profession. Competence is maintained by taking a minimum number of continuing education credits every three years.
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Work Experience Placements
Students in this program gain valuable work experience with Work Integrated Learning (WIL). WIL is a form of experiential learning that integrates academic studies with relevant work-based learning.
Courses and Advanced Credit
Current and recently admitted students can find information and updates about their program on their My Program page in the MyNAIT Portal. To monitor your course progress and the courses still needed to graduate, visit your Academic Progress Report.
Advanced Credit
You may apply for advanced credit once you have been accepted into the program. Advanced credit can be Transfer Credit (for completed post-secondary courses) or PLAR (Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition).
Transfer Credit
In addition to the common guidelines outlined on the Transfer and Credit Options section, your program has other advanced credit requirements that are applied to each request including:
- You must have completed the course or program no more than 5 year(s) ago unless a formalized articulation agreement is in place
- You must have a minimum mark of C- in the course(s) or program
Read more about advanced credit or contact us about applying for credit for this program.
Tuition & Fees
This content is specific to the selected intake.
The tuition and fee amounts are estimates based on current academic year's rates. For financial planning purposes, please use these totals as an approximate estimate of your costs. Actual fees may vary by term and enrolment activities. Please refer to the tuition and fees page for more detailed information.
Books, Supplies & Program Fees (est.)
Level 1 Term 1: $1,700
Level 1 Term 2: $875
Level 2 Term 1: $200
Level 2 Term 2: $200
Level 3 Term 1: $250
Level 3 Term 2: $250
Scholarships & Awards
NAIT awards over $6 million in scholarships and bursaries to more than 4,000 students each year, with the support of donors and the government. A variety of awards are available, including ones for academics, community involvement, equity/diversity grants, bursaries for financial need, program-specific awards and more!
Learn how to apply for awards
Admission Requirements
Minimum entrance requirements
The specific academic requirements you must meet to be considered for admission. Where applicable, the minimum accepted Alberta high school courses are listed in round brackets ( ). Equivalent or higher-level courses are also accepted.
Additional requirements & considerations
Alternative entrance pathways
If you are missing one or more of the minimum entrance requirements, you may be eligible for an alternative entrance pathway. For any pathway listed below, English language proficiency is also a requirement.
Recommended courses
The following course(s) are recommended, as they provide important background for your program's content. Recommended courses are not required for admission and will not affect your application.
Post-admission requirements
Although not required for admission, you must meet the following requirement(s) in order to progress in your program.
Additional options
This program has courses that are available for Open Studies. Open Studies allows you to explore credit courses without applying to a program. It is an opportunity to get a feel for school and what program you want to be in.
Learn more about Open Studies
Dates & Deadlines
International
Applications Open:
Please contact the program area for more information.
International
Applications Deadline:
Please contact the program area for more information.
Domestic
Applications Open:
Please contact the program area for more information.
Application Deadline:
Please contact the program area for more information.
Term Start Date:
Please contact the program area for more information.
International Applicants
This program accepts international students.
PGWP Eligibility
Graduates of this program are eligible to apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), following Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) requirements. Students must still meet all other PGWP eligibility requirements, including full-time and in-person study requirements.
Co-Op Work Permit
Mandatory Co-op: This program has a mandatory work-integrated learning component. International students must apply for a co-op work permit and have it approved before the start of their work placement.
Learn more about PGWP and explore eligible NAIT programs.
