Master of Science By Research (Vision Science)
Overview
The Master of Science (MSc) has been designed for students looking for a higher level of scientific learning, and students seeking professional training to enhance readiness for the employment market.
The MSc Research Training program is two-year equivalent full-time (part-time study is available subject to approval) and gives students the opportunity to undertake a Research Project (in your field of choice) as well as a broad range of coursework subjects as a pathway to PhD study or to the workforce.
Students undertake a substantial Research Project allowing them to address substantive scientific questions; thereby extending their research skills and potentially publishing their results in scientific literature.
Another key feature of the MSc programs is the Professional Tools study option. Students have the opportunity to undertake professionally oriented studies in business, communications and science applications.
Eligibility
The course will be offered for admission in 2010, subject to Academic Board approvals.
Applications are invited from candidates who have completed a bachelor degree, including completion of an appropriate discipline with at least an H3 (65%) in the major or equivalent. The Department of Optometry & Vision Science conducts a diverse range of multidisciplinary research in areas such as optics, neuroscience, psychology and pharmacology, just to name a few, and for this reason a wide range of undergraduate studies can offer appropriate preparation.
Sample Majors
| Anatomy | Genetics | Neuroscience | Physics |
| Biochemistry | Imaging | Optics | Physiology |
| Biomedicine | Immunology | Optometry | Psychology |
| Biotechnology | Mathematics & Statistics | Orthoptics | Veterinary Science |
| Cell Biology | Microbiology | Pathology | Vision Science |
| Computer Science | Molecular Biology | Pharmacology | Zoology |
Other disciplines, particularly those related to the health sciences, may also be relevant.
Students will need to identify a research area and a supervisor prior to application (details of the Department's research interests of the Department can be found on the web pages of the individual research labs).
Course Structure
• Professional Tools: 25 points
The offering of Professional Tools within the Master of Science is key to students future employment. The value of combining a scientific, technical background with business and communication skills has been welcomed by our industry partners as an essential combination for career success.
Students will be able to select from a range of subjects.
• Core Discipline: 50 points
1) Graduate Seminars in Vision Science (12.5 points)
This subject provides advanced critical appraisal of contemporary and controversial issues in vision science. Each week, students will attend a 1-hour seminar on recent research completed in the vision sciences. Students will also attend a 1 hour discussion of a recent publication in the field (reflecting a fundamental idea or a controversy of competing ideas or empirical evidence), that will form that basis of critical discussion. The choice of issues to be discussed will be determined at the start of the subject.
2) The eye and vision: a window to disease (12.5 points)
This subject will focus on vision research directed towards the study of ocular, systemic and neurological disease.
The exact topics of this subject will change from year to year but will include some/all of topics that involve using vision science to study: normal and abnormal visual development and ageing; biological growth control; ocular disease (glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration); diabetes, neurological and cognitive abnormalities (for example: migraine, dyslexia, schizophraenia, degenerative illness); and normal cognition (for example: attention).
3) Approved coursework (25 points)
Students may enrol in subjects available through the Master of Science programs (consult the University Handbook http://handbook.unimelb.edu.au). Subjects will be selected in consultation with the research supervisor. Subjects will be selected both to broaden the student's training and to enhance the skills relevant to the chosen research area. Where appropriate and with approval, a student may complete up to two 200 or 300 level subjects.
• Research Project: 125 points
Students will gain experience in conducting research in vision science by taking responsibility for a research project, including experimental design, laboratory experiments; the collection, appropriate statistical analysis, and interpretation of data; and providing an oral and written presentation of the results. A literature review will ensure students assimilate and critically evaluate existing knowledge within a scientific paradigm; a grant proposal/project brief and associated short oral presentation will encourage students to consider the justification and budget of their proposed research; a final oral presentation will combine oral and visual communication skills of their project results; a thesis (of 10,000-14,000 words) will describe the students' research and enhance their capacity to express persuasive intellectual, scientific arguments.
Sample Project Areas
Mechanisms of Ocular Disease
Glaucoma, diabetes. Ocular physiology. Blood flow.
Prof Algis Vingrys
Dr Bang Bui
Optical Sciences
Wavefront aberrometry. Adaptive optics.
Dr Andrew Metha
Visual Function in Ocular Disease
Diabetes. Retinal degeneration. Glaucoma. Ageing.
Prof Algis Vingrys
Dr Michael Pianta
Dr Allison McKendrick
Applied Clinical Vision Sciences
Ocular response to virtual imagery.
Prof Neville McBrien
Visual and Cognitive Neuroscience
Attention & memory. Neural coding. Neurophysiology.
Prof Trichur Vidyasagar
Visual Psychophysics & Perception
Visual adaptation. Visual after-effects & illusions.
Dr Michael Pianta
Visual attention. Dyslexia.
Prof Trichur Vidyasagar
Visual perception and attention..
Dr Larry Abel
Detection of glaucoma. Reading & word recognition.
Dr Andrew Metha
Detection of glaucoma. Psychophysical methods.
Dr Andrew Anderson
Visual performance in people with migraine.
Dr Allison McKendrick
Ocular Growth and Myopia
Pharmacology, biochemistry & molecular biology. Biomechanics. Genetics.
Prof Neville McBrien
Dr Alex Gentle
Eye Movements
Eye movement pathways and their disorders.
Dr Larry Abel
The effect of experience on expectation.
Dr Andrew Anderson
Vision and Biophotonics
Ocular wavefront aberrometry. Physiological Optics. Retinal Imaging.
Dr Andrew Metha
Neural Processing of Colour Vision
Neurophysiology. Neuroanatomy.
Dr Andrew Metha
Dr Bang Bui
Career Outcomes
The skills students will bring to their chosen career upon completion of the MSc (Vision Sciences) include:
• The process and practice of scientific research
• Advanced knowledge and understanding of vision science
• The ability to investigate problem, think critically, evaluate information and analyse experimental data.
Graduates from the MSc (Vision Sciences) may find employment in:
• Commercial and government laboratories
• Management
• Science outreach and communication
• Policy development
• Health and ergonomic design and regulation
• Project management
• Consulting
• Imaging technology design, sales and consulting
• Scientific and/or medical industries sales and service
• Commercial, optometric, or industrial spin-offs.
MSc (Vision Sciences) graduates can also transition to a PhD in the Department of Optometry & Vision Sciences.
Financial support
Students applying for the Master of Science may be eligible for financial support; including Scholarships, Commonwealth Supported Places etc.
How to apply
How to apply for Science graduate course programs.