Diagnostic Medical Sonography (B.S., A.S., Certificate)
Patsy H. Haslam School of Health Sciences

Program Requirements FAQ DMS Faculty and Staff Cost to Attend Financial Aid Request Information DMS Commitment Letter (Online Students Only)

Why choose a career in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (DMS)
Diagnostic Medical Sonography, or ultrasound, uses high frequency sound waves to create visual images of internal structures in the body for medical diagnosis. Sonography is used to examine many different areas of the body without making incisions or injecting radioactive material into a patient.

Sonographers need knowledge of human anatomy, physiology, pathology and physics in a clinical environment; a logical and precise mind is a plus. However, it’s also very important to have a good “bedside” manner and be empathetic to the anxiety a patient may have about the exam or any problems it may reveal.

Regional Accreditation — The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association. Affordable Tuition — Full-time financial aid availability and reasonable costs. Faculty — Academic credentials and real-world experience.

What can I study?
The DMS program offers an A.S. degree, a B.S. degree, and a certificate program (restricted to licensed medical professionals only). The associate degree concentration focuses on the abdomen, obstetrics and gynecology, and small parts sonography. The Bachelor's degree program of study adds echocardiography and vascular sonography to the skills learned in the associate degree. Certificates are available in general ultrasound (abdomen/obstetrics and gynecology/small parts) and cardiovascular ultrasound (vascular and echocardiography) for licensed medical professionals.

At MSU, the DMS program accepts students into the program after a variety of prerequisites are completed, including a GPA of 2.5 or better, volunteer hours in a hospital or clinical setting, and CPR certification. You do not need to be a practicing medical professional or a graduate with a medical degree in order to be admitted.

Career options
The MSU DMS program boasts a 100% job placement rate for its graduates. Graduates from our program work all over the country, including North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, California, and Maryland. We have current clinical affiliations with hospitals all over the United States. Career options include clinic, hospital or laboratory-based sonographers, and mobile sonographers, with additional opportunities in education, administration, or research.

DMS grew rapidly in the last 20 years and the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupation Outlook Handbook says DMS is expected to grow faster than average through 2012. According to the BLS, “median annual earning of diagnostic medical sonographers were $48,660” in 2002, with slightly higher earnings for sonographers working in physicians’ offices ($50,390) and hospitals ($47,530)."

All registrations must be paper-based and approved by the DMS advisor. Any student registration received through Cougar Web will be automatically dropped. Please call 866.FOR.MSU1 and ask for the Enrollment Center.