Radiography

The Radiography program is designed to prepare students for entry-level positions as diagnostic Radiologic Technologists in a hospital setting, healthcare clinic or diagnostic imaging facility. Through their course of study, students will become competent in performing radiologic procedures, appropriately communicate with individuals of all backgrounds, apply problem solving and critical thinking skills and model professional and ethical behavior.

Radiography curriculum is designed to be completed in two years, including summer semesters. Program provides the time and opportunity for students to develop and maintain competency in a wide variety of procedures. Students are required to achieve a minimum of fifty-one procedural competencies to be eligible for the national certification examination. Instructions include on-campus and online lectures, on-campus laboratory practicum and 1200 hours of clinical practicum in an assigned clinical facility.

Clinical practicum is offered in a variety of health care settings in the community. Students must provide their own transportation between the college campus and the clinical agencies.

Curriculum meets the requirements of the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT).

Upon successful completion of the Radiography program, students will be eligible to sit for the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists certification examination.

All Radiography (XRY) courses must be completed at Oakton. Radiography coursework from other institutions is not accepted. Students must receive a minimum grade of C in all XRY courses.

This is a limited enrollment curriculum. For more information, contact the Division of Health Careers at 847.635.1684 or healthcareers@oakton.edu.

Admission Requirements:

1. High school graduation or High School Equivalency Certificate ¹.
   Foreign high school graduates or students with foreign college credits need to send English translated copies of their transcripts to Educational Perspectives, www.edperspective.org/oakton. Students with foreign college credit should request a catalog match.
2. ACT score of 18 or higher, or SAT score of 960 or higher, or 12 hours of college credit with a minimum grade point average of 2.5.
3. One year of high school chemistry with a lab or equivalent college course completed with a minimum grade of C.
4. One year of high school geometry or MAT 080 or equivalent completed with a minimum grade of C.
5. EGL 101 placement based on Oakton’s Writing Skills Assessment Test (WSAT), or completion of EGL 101.
6. Completion of the following courses with minimum grades of C:
   • BIO 231 Human Anatomy and Physiology I within the past five years
   • BIO 232 Human Anatomy and Physiology II within the past five years
   • HIT 104 Medical Terminology within the past five years
   • MAT 102 Mathematics for Health Careers.
7. Certified Nurse Assistant training and/or experience or other healthcare experience is preferred and important for a program success. 

¹

As of January 1, 2023, the High School Equivalency Certificate became the State of Illinois High School Diploma. High School Equivalency credentials received prior to that date remain valid.

Health Career curricula are governed by specific objectives, rules and regulations formulated by the College, accrediting bodies and participating clinical facilities. Students should familiarize themselves with these standards. Students should also be aware that failure to maintain satisfactory progress in technical courses may significantly delay completion of the curriculum or may result in the student being dropped from the curriculum. Each student’s right to participation in the clinical portion of the curriculum is also contingent upon compliance with the rules of the clinical facility. The clinical facility has sole discretion to determine when its rules have been violated.

Clinical placements require a health assessment, certain immunizations, yearly vaccines, substance abuse testing, criminal background check, specific skill certification (i.e., CPR/BLS) and health insurance. The requirements represent an additional cost to the student.

All Oakton College Health Career students in a program with a clinical component must have “clear” criminal background checks and drug screens in order to participate in any and all clinical components of any health career program courses.

To comply with state statutes and clinical affiliation agreements, and to provide a safe environment for students, employees, and patients cared for by students, those accepted into Oakton’s health career programs will be required to complete a criminal background check and drug screening through a company contracted by the College. Health Career students will be charged a fee for this service.

Timelines for completing criminal background checks and drug screens may vary among the various programs. Deadline dates for each program will be provided by the individual department chairs at the time of a student’s acceptance into a health career program.

Students without a clear criminal background check and/or clear drug screen will not be allowed to enroll in clinical practicum courses or attend clinical programs. This would further necessitate that the student withdraws from the health career program at that time.

Students who refuse a criminal background check and/or drug screen will not be considered “clear” and will not be authorized to participate in the clinical component of the health career program, necessitating withdrawal from the program at that time. Individual results of student background checks and drug screens are considered confidential.

Determination of whether or not a student can participate in the clinical component of a particular health career program will be communicated to the respective department chairs by the Background Check/Drug Screen vendor. Students may view their personal results on the vendor’s website.

Radiography A.A.S.

70 Semester Credit Hours; Curriculum: 0383

Note: Refer to IAI General Education Courses page for guidelines on General Education course selection.

Radiography Pathway

The following Pathway is recommended for students pursuing an Associate in Applied Science degree in Radiography.

For more information on recommended courses or program specific advising, contact the Health Career Specialist at 847.635.1844, or the Division of Health Careers at 847.635.1684. General Education courses should be selected from the list of IAI General Education Courses.

¹

Course fulfills the Global Studies and U.S Diversity Studies requirements. At least one Global Studies and one U.S. Diversity Studies course are required for degree completion.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the Radiography A.A.S., the student will be able to:

1. Demonstrate competency performing general diagnostic radiologic procedures.
2. Provide culturally competent patient care to all individuals while performing radiologic procedures.
3. Apply radiation safety by employing appropriate techniques and using radiologic equipment solely for the purposes for which it is designed.
4. Demonstrate professional and ethical conduct as appropriate to the radiologic technologist profession.
5. Apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills to obtain optimal radiographic images.

Radiography Courses