Handbook - Optometry

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Overview

If you are commencing in Term 2 2020 under the Government's Higher Education Relief Package due to COVID-19, please refer to the advice in the Additional Information section below. The Graduate Certificate in Optometry is designed to provide you with knowledge and clinical skills in vision science. This degree has … For more content click the Read More button below.

If you are commencing in Term 2 2020 under the Government's Higher Education Relief Package due to COVID-19, please refer to the advice in the Additional Information section below.

The Graduate Certificate in Optometry is designed to provide you with knowledge and clinical skills in vision science. This degree has been designed with a variety of teaching methods and intends to appeal to new and established practitioners who hold an undergraduate degree in optometry. On completion, you will have disciplinary knowledge as well as the skills to meet the demands of the profession. The degree doesn’t provide clinical training for registration to practise as an optometrist in Australia.

Learning Outcomes

To provide graduates with appropriate training and experience in effective communication to a range of audiences including one-on-one interactions with patients and to a group.

To provide students with a national and global outlook on contemporary issues most relevant to research and the practice of optometry.

To provide an effective and enriched learning environment that is evidenced based and conducive to the development of communication, critical thinking and problem solving skills.

To provide advanced displinary knowledge that is both theoretical and practical in a number of contemporary fields most relevant to the optometry profession.

To provide students with training in the use of specialised optometric technologies and methodologies

To provide training in evidence based practices to foster life-long learning, critical analysis and independent enquiry.

Graduate Capabilities

For more information on Graduate Capabilities please click on this link

Program Structure
24 Units of Credit:

Students must complete 24 UOC as a standalone program.

Core Course

Students must take 6 UOC of the following courses.

OPTM7302

6 UOC

Evidence Based Optometry

Prescribed Electives

Students must take at least 18 UOC of the following courses.

Enrolment Disclaimer

Please note that this Handbook is a comprehensive catalogue of our offerings and includes courses that can be taken to satisfy program requirements irrespective as to their availability for a particular year. Availability of courses is best checked using filters on this site or on the class timetable site.

You are responsible for ensuring that you enrol in courses according to your program requirements and by following the advice of your Program Authority. myUNSW enrolment checks that you have met enrolment requirements such as pre-requisites for individual courses but not that you are enrolling in courses that will count towards your program requirements.

Admission Requirements

Entry Requirements

The minimum requirement is the equivalent of a three-year AQF level 7 Bachelor degree in Optometry with a credit average. Students with an average between 60 and 65 will be considered for admission at the discretion of the Postgraduate Coordinator taking into consideration performance in Optometry courses completed in the undergraduate program.

If you successfully complete the requirements for this program with a credit average you may apply to articulate into the Master of Optometry with credit for all courses completed.

For more information about admission requirements for various UNSW programs, visit the following website(s):

Program Requirements

Progression Requirements

Pathways

Articulation Arrangements

Master of Optometry - MOptom8073 - Optometry and Vision Science

Additional Information

Domestic students commencing in Term 2 2020 under the Government's COVID-19 Higher Education Relief Package can enrol in a maximum of 4 courses (24 units of credit) across Term 2 and Term 3 2020 at the discounted fee rates.

Further information about the COVID-19 Higher Education Relief Package is at https://student.unsw.edu.au/herp

It is recommended that students enrol in the following courses available online:

Recommended courses:

Term 2: OPTM7611 Introduction to Myopia + OPTM7104 Advanced Contact Lenses

Term 3: OPTM7612 Myopia Management + OPTM7302 Evidence Based Optometry

Other course options:

Term 2: OPTM7107 Ocular Therapy 1, OPTM7115 Visual Neuroscience, OPTM7208 Research Skills in Optometry, OPTM7218 Research Project, OPTM7511 Advanced Ocular Disease 1

Term 3: OPTM7107 Ocular Therapy 1, OPTM7003 Epidemiology of Blinding Eye Disease, OPTM7208 Research Skills in Optometry, OPTM7218 Research Project, OPTM7521 Advanced Ocular Disease 2

Program Fees

At UNSW fees are generally charged at course level and therefore dependent upon individual enrolment and other factors such as student's residency status. For generic information on fees and additional expenses of UNSW programs, click on one of the following:

Pre-2019 Handbook Editions

Access past handbook editions (2018 and prior)

Faculty
Faculty: The primary academic unit in which related disciplines of teaching and research are conducted.

Campus

Kensington

Study Level
Study Level refers to the academic level of a program, specialisation or course.

Postgraduate

Typical duration:

0.7 years

Delivery Mode
Delivery Mode: The delivery option(s) by which a course or program is offered.

Face-to-face, Fully online

Intake Period

Term 2

Academic Calendar

3+ Calendar

Minimum Units of Credit

Award Type

Graduate Certificate

Award(s)
Award(s): Qualification upon completion (all awards offered by UNSW are accredited by UNSW and align with the Australian Qualifications Framework).

Graduate Certificate - GradCert

CRICOS Code

038408G