Faculty of ScienceDepartment of Optometry & Vision Sciences

Optometry: transitioning to the Melbourne Model

As the University moves to the Melbourne Model, the current undergraduate optometry degree (the Bachelor of Optometry) is being replaced by a new postgraduate degree which will begin in 2011 (subject to approval).

A major assessment of optometry training, including an extensive review of educational models worldwide, has been undertaken. It is anticipated that the Doctor of Optometry will be of four years duration and will consist of a combination of on-campus teaching and clinical placements, with the clinical component commencing in year 1 and gradually increasing to full-time in the final year. Opportunities will exist for clinical related research to be conducted as a required component of the degree.

The timeline for change is:

2009 final intake into the 1st year of the Bachelor of Optometry (BOptom)
2010 no 1st year intake into the Bachelor of Optometry (BOptom)
2011 first intake into the Doctor of Optometry
2013 final graduating year of the Bachelor of Optometry (BOptom)
2014 first graduating year of the Doctor of Optometry

 

Limited opportunities for entry into the later years (2nd and 3rd year) of the Bachelor of Optometry may be available in 2010 and 2011 (for February entry), subject to availablity of places. Students may apply for later year entry to the Bachelor of Optometry providing they have completed study equivalent to the first year or first and second year of the Bachelor of Optometry course and achieved strong results in this study. Local students will need to apply for transfer. International students will need to apply for admission and will be assessed for credit and later year entry. For advice about later year entry, please contact the Science Student Centre .


Doctor of Optometry

Selection for the proposed Doctor of Optometry (still to be confirmed) may include consideration of:

Whilst applicants may complete an undergraduate degree in any discipline (as long as it includes the necessary pre-requisite subjects), the Bachelor of Science or the Bachelor of Biomedicine at the University of Melbourne will offer ideal pathways to this graduate program.

Applicants whose degree course did not incorporate a physics or optics subject are required to successfully complete a subject in this area before they can be considered for entry. Applicants wishing to complete an appropriate subject at the University of Melbourne may consider the Community Access Program (CAP) which allows single subject enrolment.

Recommended CAP options:

For students who have completed Physics at year 12:

640-131 Physics 1 ; or
640-172 Physics 2: Life Sciences & Environment ; or
655-152 Optics: From Rainbows to Digital Imaging

For students who have not completed Physics at year 12:

640-171 Physics 1: Fundamentals or
655-152 Optics: From Rainbows to Digital Imaging


Quotas and fee types

It is expected that the intake into the proposed Doctor of Optometry will be consistent with the current intake into the B.Optom at 60 per annum. We expect the mix of CSP and fee students to be the same as for the undergraduate program.

Pathways

For students of the University of Melbourne the preferred pathway is via the Bachelor of Science (with a life sciences major) or the Bachelor of Biomedicine (the core subjects fulfill the pre-requisite requirements). Students from other degrees or Universities will need to ensure that they include the pre-requisite subjects in their degree. Completion of a tertiary level Mathematics and/or Statistics subject is also strongly recommended (but is not compulsory).

Guaranteed entry

Students who meet the prerequisite requirements for entry into the proposed Doctor of Optometry will be guaranteed entry to the course if they meet specific criteria. The University's guaranteed pathway to graduate professional entry programs is detailed on the web.

Applications using this pathway will be made in the final year of undergraduate study. It is not necessary to nominate an intention to pursue this pathway before then.

What are some of the benefits of the new postgraduate degree?

Want to be kept updated?

The Department of Optometry & Vision Sciences invites you to register for email updates over the next few years as the new course is developed and more details become available. If you wish to be kept updated as information becomes available please keep visiting this web site and/or sign up to receive email updates.

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