While each program will have slightly different requirements based on the school and on the resultant degree, most radiography prerequisites fall into one of two categories. Educational prerequisites encompass completion of required course work, grades, and exam scores. Personal prerequisites might include references, an essay, and a personal interview. In general, an individual must meet all of the prerequisite standards before he or she is admitted into a radiography program.
Educational requirements are some of the most common radiography prerequisites. Often, a student must meet certain of these before admittance to a radiography program. A high school diploma is almost certainly one, though equivalency degrees are acceptable in certain circumstances.
In addition, the student must take and pass a quantity of general education courses and basic health care classes. General education courses usually include primary and secondary languages, social sciences such as psychology or sociology, and at least one basic computer class. Most general education radiography prerequisites also include classes in the hard sciences, such as biology and chemistry, as well as math classes such as algebra or statistics. Basic health care prerequisites include courses such as medical terminology, anatomy, and an introduction to health care processes.
Many radiography programs require the student to pass each mandatory course with a minimum grade and to have a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA). These requirements might apply to all attempted course work or may apply only to the radiography-specific requirements. Many programs also require students to take and pass written entrance examinations.
In some cases, all radiography prerequisites are education related. In others, students must also meet a series of personal requirements. Perhaps the most common of these is the completion of an application, which may or may not include an essay component.
Many programs further require students to submit the names and contact information for a quantity of personal references — usually between three and five — or to submit letters of reference. References may include a mix of professional and personal contacts. Students may also be required to participate in a scored interview with an admissions panel and to earn a minimum score.
It is important to note that a bachelor- or master-level program generally has different radiography prerequisites than a certificate or associate-level program. A certificate program may actually have more stringent education requirements if it is an add-on, or a certificate granted to someone already trained in another medical or health care field. In this case, there may also be experience prerequisites.
