Academic Requirements

All college coursework must be from accredited institutions. Credentials or transcripts not from an accredited U.S. academic institution will require evaluation by KU before acceptance.

Prerequisite Courses

The following college courses must be completed from an accredited institution with a "C" grade or better to be eligible for the program: algebra, English or speech/oral communication, human anatomy & physiology, medical terminology and physics. It is not required for incoming students to have completed a specific degree type or major.

An overall grade point average of 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale) is required to be eligible. In addition, student transcripts must document an individual course grade of no less than "C" on each prerequisite course.

Job Shadowing

It is required that students applying for this program complete a minimum of eight hours shadowing a cardiovascular sonographer.  The shadowing experience must include a minimum of four hours observing adult echocardiography AND four hours of either pediatric echocardiography OR vascular sonography (depending on your preferred area of specialization). Documentation must be submitted at the time of application.

If you are interested in shadowing at KU Medical Center, please contact the program director at twiedner@kumc.edu to schedule at date and time.

Complete the advising worksheet (PDF)

Health and Physical Requirements

Good physical and mental health are essential to this field. Specifically, excellent visual acuity is necessary. The student must also possess manual dexterity, sufficient hearing and speech ability and good physical coordination in positioning patients and operating equipment. Students must have full utility of both arms, both hands and fingers in order to perform examinations and operate equipment. The ability to handle extremely heavy objects is required.

Physical or other disabilities are evaluated on a case-by-case basis by the program and by the Equal Opportunity Office at KU Medical Center. Please review the program's technical standards for details.

Vaccine and Clinical Site Requirements

Matriculated students will need to provide an immunization profile prior to participating in curricular and/or clinical experiences required by the program. Please read the information found at the bottom of the program's curriculum page and be sure that you understand these requirements.

Background Check and Drug Screen

The Joint Commission requires all incoming students to submit to a background check and provide the report to KU. This one-time fee must be paid by the student directly to the company performing the background investigation. Applicants will be asked to request the report and make payment only after official acceptance into the program.

For more information, please see the School of Health Professions background check and drug screen instructions. Drug screening is required for activities in a clinical environment. Depending on geographic location, more than one drug test may be needed.

International Students

An applicant is considered an international student if he or she requires a visa, or currently resides in the U.S. with non-immigrant status, or currently resides in the U.S. while applying for permanent residency. Additional requirements and documentation are required for international students to become eligible for KU programs. Please review the information for international applicants before applying.