Diagnostic Medical Sonography, B.S.

Curriculum Requirements for Phase I Curriculum

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Mission Statement

The Bachelor of Science in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (BSDMS) program at Adventist University of Health Sciences educates sonographers utilizing a variety of multimedia resources within a distance-learning environment. The goal of the program is to develop individuals who display a high level of competence and professionalism who will serve the sonography profession, the field of healthcare, and the community.

Program Description

This program is designed as a bachelor’s completion program (61 credits) for the sonographer who has graduated from a regionally accredited institution or who is registered and can meet the prerequisite requirements of the program.

The program will include a total of 61 trimester credit hours: 34 credits of imaging and sonographic sciences courses and 27 credits of general education courses. Students will complete the degree in nine 14-week trimesters. Students must have a minimum of 120 credit hours to be eligible for graduation. Students entering the program without an Associate of Science degree will complete additional credit hours.

Adventist University of Health Sciences collaborates with Embanet-Compass in the delivery of a distance education. Students participate in a virtual community of learners and mentors via online communication channels. The course instructors and facilitators monitor student progress.

Licensure and Accreditation

Adventist University of Health Sciences is regionally accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, as well as the Accrediting Association of Seventh-day Adventist Schools, Colleges, and Universities (see Accrediting Bodies  in the General Information  section of the Academic Bulletin).

Policies

The policies and procedures for the Bachelor of Science in Diagnostic Medical Sonography are contained in the student manual. By accepting admission as a student in the program, each applicant agrees to abide by the following policies outlined in the BSDMS Program Manual.

Admission Requirements

The successful applicant for admission to the program must meet the following admission requirements:

1. Submit an application and $20 nonrefundable application fee. Paperwork received without an application on file will not be processed. Applicant files will not be considered complete until the application fee is paid.
2. Submit official transcripts from all colleges previously attended. Admission GPAs will be calculated, based on credits and grades from regionally accredited institutions only. Failure to disclose all colleges previously attended could result in denial or dismissal. Additionally, transcripts from institutions outside the United States must be evaluated by World Education Services. This is the only company from which we will accept transcript evaluations.
3. Achieve a minimum GPA of 2.50 on a 4.00 scale.
4. Be registered in sonography by the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) in AB, OB, VT, and/or AE; the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) in Sonography; or Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI) in Cardiac Sonography and/or Vascular Sonography.
   
   1. Possess an associate degree in sonography from a CAAHEP accredited program that is a regionally accredited institution; or,
   2. Possess an associate degree in health sciences from a regionally accredited institution and have a diploma or certificate from a CAAHEP accredited sonography program.
5. Submit official transcripts for all College Level Examination Program (CLEP), Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), and/or Dantes (DSST) coursework only if the applicant would like them to be considered for transfer of credit.
6. Submit two recommendations on ADU Recommendation Forms. Recommendations from friends or family members are not accepted.

Associate Degree Graduates

Graduates of regionally accredited associate degree programs with CAAHEP accreditation will be considered to have met associate degree general education and cognate requirements. If ENGL 101  or ENGL 102  (or equivalent) were not included in the associate degree, they must be completed within the baccalaureate degree program.

Admission Requirements for Bridge Status

Bridge status may be granted to those applicants who are currently credentialed in sonography by the ARDMS, ARRT, or CCI, and who have met general admission requirements. Successful completion of the curriculum requirements for Phase I will be required of applicants who have:

1. Earned an associate degree from a regionally accredited institution that was not additionally accredited by CAAHEP at the time the student enrolled in that institution. Individual institution accreditation dates will be confirmed by our office with CAAHEP.
2. Earned a certificate in sonography from a CAAHEP accredited institution, but do not additionally possess an associate degree from a regionally accredited institution.
3. Completed at least 24 credits of college-level coursework from a regionally accredited institution.

Applicants for whom English is a second language and who have not studied in English at the secondary or college level must demonstrate their proficiency in the English language by completing the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Please refer to the English Language Proficiency requirements in the Admissions Information section of the Academic Bulletin.

Credentialed sonographers who have not attended a CAAHEP accredited sonography program will receive advanced standing in the Bachelor’s degree program. Upon admission, students will be awarded 32 credits by validation.

There are two phases to the Bridge Program. Phase I involves the successful completion of 27 hours of lower division credit as outlined below. Students accepted to the Bridge Program are granted Bridge admission status and must complete all of the Phase I requirements before starting Phase II. It is recognized that Bridge students may transfer some credit from regionally accredited institutions, or have successfully challenged courses through a CLEP exam. Combined with the 32 hours of credit by validation, the Bridge student will have a total of 59 lower division credits at the completion of Phase I.

Admission Requirements for Pre-Bridge Status

The Pre-Bridge applicant to the BS Diagnostic Medical Sonography is a credentialed professional who does not possess an associate degree from a regionally accredited institution or a CAAHEP accredited program and has less than 24 college-level credits from a regionally accredited institution.

1. Submit an application and nonrefundable $20 application fee. Paperwork received without an application on file will not be processed. Admission files will not be considered complete until the application fee is paid.
2. Submit official transcripts from all colleges previously attended. Admission GPAs will be calculated, based on credits and grades from regionally accredited institutions only. Failure to disclose all colleges previously attended could result in denial or dismissal. Additionally, transcripts from institutions outside the United States must be evaluated by an approved foreign credential evaluation company. A list of approved companies is available in the Foreign Transcript Evaluation section.
   
   • If 12 credits have not been completed at a regionally accredited college, a high school transcript will be required, and the admission GPA will be calculated, based on high school coursework.
3. Achieve a minimum GPA of 2.50 with no grade below a “C” (2.00).
4. Be registered in sonography by the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) in AB, OB, VT, and/or AE; the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) in Sonography; or Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI) in Cardiac Sonography and/or Vascular Sonography.
5. Submit official transcripts for all College Level Examination Program (CLEP), Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), and/or Dantes (DSST) coursework, only if the applicant would like them to be considered for transfer of credit.
6. Submit official ACT or SAT scores. Applicants with 24 or more college-level credits may be exempt from this requirement. ACT and SAT scores will be used to determine placement and advising.
   
   • ACT: Applicants scoring less than a 14 on any section of the ACT will not be granted admission. Applicants scoring less than a 19 composite on the ACT or an individual score of less than 19 on the English or math portions will be placed into introductory classes for English, math, and/or anatomy. Once admitted, students are able to take a placement test to try to place into a higher course.
   • SAT: The minimum SAT is the combination of the Critical Reading and Math sections. Applicants scoring less than a 690 on the SAT will not be granted admission. Applicants scoring less than a 910 combined SAT score or an individual score of less than 470 on the Critical Reading or math portions will be placed into introductory classes for English, math, and/or anatomy. Once admitted, students are able to take a placement test to try to place into a higher course.
7. Submit two recommendations on ADU Recommendation Forms. Recommendations from friends or family members are not accepted.

Curriculum Requirements for Phase I

The following courses must be completed with a minimum grade of “C”:

• DENG 101 - English Composition I (3) 
• DENG 102 - English Composition II (3) 
• DBIO 101 - Anatomy and Physiology I and Lab (4) 
• DBIO 102 - Anatomy and Physiology II and Lab (4) 
• DMAT 120 - College Algebra (3)  ¹
• DPSY 124 - General Psychology (3) 
• DCPT 105 - Introduction to Microcomputers (3)  ²
• DPHY 121 - Survey of Physics (4)  ^{3, 4}

Phase I Total: 27

¹ MATH 120  or a more advanced mathematics course.

² Online students will receive credit by validation if they complete the entire sonography program online.

³ Students with an A.S. degree from a regionally accredited program are considered to have met this cognate requirement.

⁴ A four (4) credit hour Radiation/Radiologic Physics course completed at a regionally accredited and JRCERT accredited program will have met this cognate requirement. Students who have completed an approved ARRT/NMTCB Radiography, Radiation Therapy, or Nuclear Medicine program from a regionally accredited institution will have met the cognate requirement for Survey of Physics.

Phase I Progression

Progression in the Bridge Program is achieved with the successful completion of the above 27 credit hours with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50.

Phase I Credit Accumulation	Credit Hours
Completed Coursework	27
Credit by Validation	32
Total hours in Bridge Program	59

Phase II involves the completion of the 61 credit hours of cognate and Sonography coursework listed under the Curriculum section.

Progression

Students may progress in the Bachelor of Science Degree Program when they complete the following:

1. Earn a minimum grade of “C” (2.00) in each program course.
2. Earn a minimum grade of “C” (2.00) in each general education course.
3. Successfully repeat all courses in which the minimum grade of “C” (2.00) was not achieved. No more than two courses may be repeated in the following combination: one sonography course and one general education course, or two general education courses.

Readmission

Students who have been accepted to the University and choose not to enroll for the specific trimester for which they were admitted have one year from the date of acceptance before all new documents may be required. Additionally, students attending Adventist University of Health Sciences with an enrollment interruption of less than three trimesters are also required to submit a Program Activation Form, any updated transcript(s) for additional college work completed during the enrollment interruption, and an updated copy of professional credentials. Students may submit this information in the third trimester of their enrollment interruption, as long as all documentation is received by the admission deadline for the following trimester. Students providing this documentation during the third trimester, but after the admission deadline, will be required to reapply, and should contact the Office of Enrollment Services. Students who were dismissed from the program will need to contact the Department of Diagnostic Medical Sonography before reapplying.

Completion

Students will be considered for completion of the Bachelor of Science Degree in Diagnostic Medical Sonography when they have met the general requirements for graduation and when they have:

1. Completed a minimum of 120 trimester hours of credit¹.
2. Completed the prescribed course of study for the degree (see “Curriculum” section) with a minimum cumulative GPA of “C” (2.00).
3. Achieved a minimum grade of “C” (2.00) in each course.
4. Completed the minimum number of credit hours at Adventist University of Health Science as listed in the General Degree Requirements. For students entering the Bachelor of Science Degree Program, a minimum of 36 credit hours must be completed at Adventist University.
5. Completed the service-learning requirement. Please refer to your program handbook for more information.

¹ This includes a maximum of 59 associate degree and/or Phase I credits and 61 credit hours of BS DMS general education and core requirements.