Program Structure

Academic Calendar and Schedule

The NDT program schedule runs from the first full week of January through mid-December, structured into three 16-week trimesters. Throughout each trimester, students engage in a combination of academic and clinical coursework. While the length of individual courses varies based on the curriculum, the academic portion is organized such that students complete one course at a time, with three sequential academic courses per trimester.  Because each class builds upon the material from previous ones, this sequence ensures a cumulative learning experience.  Additionally, students participate in skills lab and clinical practicums that run concurrently with their classroom lectures, reinforcing with hands-on practical application what they are learning in the classroom.

2027 Academic Calendar

Weekly Schedule

Students are on-site for clinicals or classes 3 days a week during the 12-month program.  During the first trimester, students have 2 days of classroom lecture and 1 day in skills lab or at the clinical site. Second and third trimesters, students attend 1 day of classroom lecture and 2 days at the clinical site. Class and clinical days are scheduled during the week, dependent on the hospital clinical department preceptor schedule. During the third trimester, students may do a 4-week rotation on weekends or nights dependent on preceptor availability.

Class and Skills Lab hours are typically from 9:00am - 2:30pm with breaks and lunch (the exact schedule may vary depending on the course).  Clinical hours are typically 7:30am - 4:00pm (may vary based on department need).

Breaks & Holidays

Breaks are scheduled between trimesters.  Additionally, students have personal time off (PTO) to be used for personal reasons.  The Ascension St Vincent Neurodiagnostic Technology Program honors the following hospital-recognized holidays.  Students are not assigned to clinicals or classes on these holidays.

  • New Years Day
  • Martin Luther King Day
  • Good Friday
  • Memorial Day
  • Independence Day
  • Labor Day
  • Thanksgiving Day and the day following
  • Christmas Day