Overview
The BCIT Magnetic Resonance Imaging Bachelor of Health Science program is specifically focused on professional development for healthcare professionals looking to further their career opportunities. This program provides you with valuable skills and experience to advance your career in new directions.
Please note that the Magnetic Resonance Imaging Bachelor of Health Science program is currently undergoing a program review that may lead to curriculum changes starting January 2026.
About the program
Building on the in-depth skills and knowledge from your diploma program, this program provides the skills needed to play a key role as a member of a multidisciplinary health care team in dynamic health care settings.
Graduates of the program will be able to:
- communicate effectively in the clinical environment
- function as an effective health care team member
- make decisions based on evidence
- apply professional judgment in healthcare settings
- provide a high standard of care to patients and families
- apply safe practices in health-care settings
- combine academic knowledge with technological innovation to improve patient care delivery
- research current health care issues
- mentor, coach, and lead within a health-care team
The program is structured around core courses intended to broaden your education, provide foundational tools for research and evidence-based practice, and expose you to current healthcare leadership issues and practices. The Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) stream allows you to pursue another imaging specialty to broaden your knowledge and skills in imaging and allows you to focus on key issues affecting leaders in healthcare settings.
Check back soon for more information on the program. If you have any questions, please contact the program assistant.
Entrance Requirements
Note: In alignment with public health orders, this program requires that students be vaccinated for a number of communicable diseases – including COVID-19.
Application processing
This program is open to applications beginning:
- February 1st* for the January intake
- May 1st* for the April intake
- October 1st* for the September intake
Entrance requirements
This program has a two-step admission process. Applicants must meet all entrance requirements and will be accepted on a first-qualified basis as long as space remains.
Step 1: Meet the following entrance requirements
- English language proficiency: Category 2 – English Studies 12 (67%) or equivalent
- Post-secondary education: diploma, degree or equivalent accredited program in one of the following:
- Medical Radiography
- Nuclear Medicine
- Diagnostic Medical Sonography
- Radiation Therapy
- Submit the following with your online application:
- MRI Safety Screening form [PDF]
- Proof of current active registration with the Canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists (CAMRT) or Sonography Canada
Applicants who have completed post-secondary studies outside of Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia or New Zealand will require a comprehensive evaluation of their credentials by the International Credential Evaluation Service (ICES). Credential evaluation reports from other Canadian services may be considered. These reports must include course-by-course evaluations and GPA calculations.
Step 2: Department assessment
All applications will be reviewed by the program area. The total number of students accepted into the program from term to term varies depending on the number of available clinical spots.
Clinical requirements
Note: Effective immediately, all health care workers who come into contact with patients at publicly-funded health care facilities or in the community, including at long-term-care facilities, will have to get the influenza vaccine or wear a mask during flu season. This policy affects all students who will be entering a clinical setting.
As such, you will be required to provide proof of your immunization or agree to wear a mask at all times through the flu season prior to being placed in your clinical studies.
The program will work with students to obtain clinical placements. Students may be required to relocate at their own expense.
Prior to entry into the clinical phase of the program, students must provide:
- Immunization Review [PDF]
- Submit to Student Health Services.
- For instructions and more information, visit Student Health Services’ Health Science Student Information and view HSPnet's Practice Education Guidline's for BC - Immunization [PDF].
- Criminal record check clearance for children and vulnerable adults
- Verification of current cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training
- Recent respirator mask fitting results (testing required annually)
International applicants
This program is not available to international students. View available programs
Apply to program
To submit your application:
- Include proof of meeting all entrance requirements.
- Convert all transcripts and supporting documents to PDF files.
- Have a credit card ready to pay the application fee.
Apply Now
Scheduled Intakes
Ongoing Flexible Learning (Part-time Studies) intakes: January, April, and September.
Prior Learning Assessment & Recognition (PLAR)
Course credits may be available for equivalent courses taken at other colleges or universities. There is the opportunity of credit transfer from health diplomas and other advanced specialty certificate programs:
- Students in the current Magnetic Resonance Imaging program matrix can transfer all 40 course credits into the degree.
myCommunication
Within two business days of submitting your completed application, BCIT will send a message to your personal and myBCIT email addresses. All correspondence regarding your application will be posted to your online myCommunication account at my.bcit.ca. We will send you an email when a new message is posted. It is important to watch for these emails or regularly check your account online.
You can expect to receive communication concerning the status of your application within four weeks.
Costs & Supplies
How much does it cost to do individual courses or the entire program?
The two main costs associated with our courses are tuition fees and reading materials. Tuition fees are shown on the BCIT website, and they change slightly from year-to-year. For details, click on any of the degree courses on our Courses page. Textbook and other reading materials are an additional cost, averaging at about $150.00 per course. The total cost of the 61 credit program for Canadian students is currently about $12,300.00 including textbook costs. Students should also expect to factor in the cost of taking a leave of absence from work while they are doing their 16 week MRI clinical experience.
There is a different tuition fee for International students. Please see the section Tuition fees for Part-time Studies courses for details.
Can I do the degree program as a full time program so that I am eligible for financial aid while I am pursuing the degree?
At this time it is not possible to do the degree program as a full time program. Currently the program is intended to be pursued as a part-time distance education program. Generally a technologist who is working full-time and taking our courses on a part-time basis can complete 1 or 2, to 3 courses maximum, per term so may only be eligible for part-time funding. Students should contact Financial Aid directly for information on their eligibility for financial aid prior to beginning the program. See BCIT Financial Aid for Part-time Students.
Tuition fees
Flexible Learning (Part-time Studies) tuition is charged on a course-by-course basis. Please see the Flexible Learning Tuition & Fees page for more information.
Financial assistance
Financial assistance may be available for this program. For more information, please contact Student Financial Aid and Awards.
Courses
Program matrix
Check current availability of courses for this program.
| 1. Core Component Required Courses: (21.0 credits) |
Credits | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| BSCH 6100 | Clinical Instructional Skills | 3.0 | |
| HLED 7110 | Fundamentals for Emerging Leaders in Health Care | 3.0 | |
| LIBS 7001 | Critical Reading and Writing | 3.0 | |
| LIBS 7002 | Applied Ethics | 3.0 | |
| LIBS 7006 | Philosophy of Science: Understanding Scientific Reasoning | 3.0 | |
| MATH 7042 | Statistics and Research Methods for Allied Health | 3.0 | |
| NSSC 8000 | Systematic Inquiry | 3.0 | |
| 2. Magnetic Resonance Imaging Stream Required Courses: (40.0 credits) |
Credits | ||
| MIMG 7200 | Fundamentals of MRI | 3.0 | |
| MIMG 7202 | Advanced Concepts in MRI Imaging | 3.0 | |
| MIMG 7210 | MRI: Clinical Applications 1 | 3.0 | |
| MIMG 7220 | MRI: Clinical Applications 2 | 3.0 | |
| MIMG 7230 | MRI: Clinical Applications 3 | 3.0 | |
| MIMG 7240 | Professional Practice, MRI Safety, and Patient Care | 3.0 | |
| MIMG 8200 | MRI Clinical Experience | 22.0 | |
| Total Credits: | 61.0 | ||
Check current availability of courses for this program.
Transfer credit
Do you have credits from another BC/Yukon post-secondary school? Do you want to know if they transfer to courses here at BCIT? Check out BCIT's Transfer Equivalency Database to find out.
Program Details
Program length
The Bachelor of Health Science Degree must be completed within five years .
Program delivery
Online: This program is delivered fully online.
The program consists of a series of online theory courses and a full-time 16-week MRI practicum.
Program location
This program is offered through online learning.Program structure
| Core Component | 21.0 | |
| Required Courses | 9.0 | |
| Liberal Education | 9.0 | |
| Management Courses | 3.0 | |
| MRI Stream | 40.0 | |
| Total credits: | 61.0 | |
Graduating & Jobs
How do I graduate from BCIT? How do I attend convocation?
Convocation is the formal academic ceremony to celebrate students’ graduation and achievement of a BCIT credential. Attendance at convocation is optional, and you will still obtain your credential even if you do not attend. If you are thinking of attending convocation and would like a program representative to be there as well, please let the program know. To obtain your credential, complete and submit the Application for a BCIT Credential [PDF] form.
How do I write my credential after my name?
There a few standards for displaying a BCIT credential, depending on where it is being shown:
- Abbreviated format such as on your business card: The first letter of each word is capitalized and periods are not used. For a bachelor’s degree in science, the abbreviation is BSc.
- Abbreviated and showing the area of specialization: BSc (MRI)
- In full, such as in your resume: British Columbia Institute of Technology, Bachelor of Health Sciences (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
Graduate employment outcomes
The BCIT student outcomes report presents summary findings from the annual survey of former students administered by BC Stats one to two years after graduation. These reports combine the last three years of available results for the 2021-2023 BCIT Outcomes Surveys of 2020-2022 graduates and for Degree 2019-2021 graduates. The reports are organized into three-page summaries containing information on graduates’ labour market experiences and opinions regarding their education. More detailed information can be accessed at the BC Student Outcomes website.
To view these results, you may need to have the Adobe Acrobat Reader installed in your Web browser.
Frequently Asked Questions
Assess yourself – Am I eligible to apply?
I have a two year diploma in either medical radiography, nuclear medicine, sonography, or radiation therapy (3 year degree) from a Canadian institution and am a Canadian resident.
- Have I met the English requirements to apply to this program? Do I need to submit my high school transcripts?
- I am not currently registered with the CAMRT or Sonography Canada – can I apply to the program?
- I have metal in my body from surgery/dental work – can I pursue MRI as a career?
Before you apply and are admitted to the degree program
- I am currently a student in the BCIT MRI program – can I apply to the Bachelor of Health Sciences degree program and transfer my current MRI program into the degree?
- Do I need to come to campus to do these courses?
- How much time do I have to complete the entire program?
- How much time do I need to complete a course? What is the workload like?
- I have applied for admission to the program. How do I find out if I have been accepted?
After you are accepted to the degree program
- In what sequence should I be taking the courses?
- I am having trouble with logging into my course. What do I do?
- How do I write my exam? Do I need to identify a proctor or to come to the BCIT campus?
- When and where can I check my grades?
- When should I do the MRI clinical in the program? Will BCIT find me a clinical placement?
Have I met the English requirements to apply to this program? Do I need to submit my high school transcripts?
Yes, It is assumed that English proficiency was already confirmed by the teaching institution if you have a diploma from a Canadian institution in English Canada. You do not need to submit your high school transcripts to prove your English proficiency if you are applying with a Canadian credential from an English-speaking institution. If you have a credential from a Canadian institution that is primarily French-speaking, visit the BCIT Program Advising website to contact them to find out how you can meet the English requirement for the program.
I am not currently registered with the CAMRT or Sonography Canada – can I apply to the program?
If a student is not registered, they must provide proof that they have successfully written the certification exam for their 1st discipline with either the CAMRT or Sonography Canada to apply to the program. All students will be required to have current registration with either the CAMRT, their provincial college or Sonography Canada, at least four months prior to beginning the MRI clinical experience. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that their registration is current.
I have metal in my body from surgery/dental work – can I pursue MRI as a career?
Yes, you can pursue MRI if you have metal from fixation of broken bones or any dental work. You must complete the MRI questionnaire, which will determine your compatibility with the MRI environment. If you are unsure of whether you should apply to MRI based on having any metal in your body, please contact the MRI Program Head to discuss this prior to applying to the program.
I am currently a student in the BCIT MRI program – can I apply to the Bachelor of Health Sciences degree program and transfer my current MRI program into the degree?
Yes, if you are doing or have done the current MRI program matrix. Students who were accepted to the BCIT MRI program in 2014 or later (the current program matrix) will be able to transfer their total credits (40 credits) from the MRI advanced certificate program towards the BCIT Bachelor of Health Sciences program and ladder into the degree program. If you have graduated from the BCIT MRI program with a different matrix than is currently shown on the MRI program website, contact the Program Head for information on possible transfer credits.
Do I need to come to campus to do these courses?
No, you do not need to come to campus while you are doing your online core and MRI theory degree courses, as they are all offered via distance and online learning. Distance education students rarely come to campus, as most of them are working full-time during business hours. All the processes, services, people, and course materials you need access to, as a BCIT online student, can be obtained through your online courses, the BCIT website, and by telephone or email. Students will be required to do a full time (equivalent) 16 week clinical (4 months) practicum at an approved clinical site to meet the clinical requirements of the program. Students are expected to take a leave of absence from their paid position so that they can devote their full attention to their clinical experience.
How much time do I have to complete the entire program?
Students should aspire to complete the degree program in three to five years. As per BCIT policy students have 7 years to complete the degree program. On average, a health care professional who is working full-time and taking our courses on a part-time basis can complete one or two courses per term. Assuming you do two courses per term, you should allow at least eight terms to complete the degree program. There are three terms per year so this would roughly translate to about three years. Please note that not all courses may be offered in any one term, and some MIMG courses require a pre-requisite.
How much time do I need to complete a course? What is the workload like?
The courses are comprehensive degree level courses so you should plan to spend a fair bit of time on each course. We recommend allocating one hour per day per week (or the equivalent during the week) of study time per course for the term. Courses are designed so you can complete your learning activities, including completing assignments, and any collaboration and discussion, without having to be online at any specific time. In contrast to the course activities, coursework deliverables (i.e., assignments) are due at specific times in a course.
I have applied on-line for admission to the program. How do I find out if I have been accepted?
You will receive electronic notification from BCIT. See Admission and Registration > After you Apply.
In what sequence should I be taking the courses?
It is imperative that the MRI courses be done in the sequence as laid out on the MRI advanced certificate Program Details website. The MRI component of the program should be taken within a two year period. The core courses can be taken in any sequence. For these reasons, it is strongly recommended that students complete several core courses (three to four) before beginning the MRI courses. Please contact the Program Head if you are uncertain.
I am having trouble with logging into my course. What do I do?
Contact the IT Services help desk. They should be able to resolve your problem.
How do I write my exam? Do I need to identify a proctor or to come to the BCIT campus?
All online courses will have a final exam and the exam must be proctored. Students have the option to write their exam off campus using a proctor who meets BCIT’s proctor requirements in an approved facility (such as a hospital where you work) or on campus at the BCIT Burnaby Campus Test Centre by booking one of the no-charge exam sessions designated for Health Sciences part-time studies students.
When and where can I check my grades?
Grades are normally available through myBCIT about two weeks after the end of the course.
When should I do the MRI clinical in the program? Will BCIT find me a clinical placement?
Students can start the MRI clinical after all of the didactic MRI online courses (MIMG 7xxx series) have been completed. Students will not be permitted to do a didactic MRI course and the clinical at the same time. BCIT will endeavor to find clinical placements for all students.
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