Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Optometry

Be professionally qualified in just 3.5 years

Accredited by OCANZ

Gain work experience through clinical placements

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Key facts

ATAR

Waurn Ponds:

94.75

Lowest selection rank

Duration

3.5 years accelerated full time program delivered over ten consecutive trimesters commencing in Trimester 1

Locations

Waurn Ponds (Geelong)

Current Deakin Students

To access your official course details for the year you started your degree, please visit the handbook

Course overview

In this specialised combined degree, you will learn about visual health issues and their impact on communities. You will investigate the structure and function of the visual system, gain skills in clinical assessment, and gain an understanding of management approaches, and ethical, legal, and professional standards of practice. The course will train you in the detection, treatment, and management of eye and vision disorders, and you will graduate with a recognised qualification in optometry.

Optometrists are primary eye care practitioners who are involved in assessing the health and function of the eyes and visual system and the diagnosis and management of a wide range of ocular conditions. Deakin’s combined Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Optometry aims to provide you with the discipline-specific knowledge required to practise as an optometrist throughout Australia and New Zealand.

As you learn about visual health issues and their local and international impact, emphasis is placed on the underlying social and environmental factors that contribute to the health gap between these regional communities and well-served urban population centres.

Clinical placements are an integral part of the program. You will undertake a variety of short-term industry placements and spend the final six months of the course as a ‘student resident’ in one of a range of clinical optometric and medical settings. These extensive rotations take place in both metropolitan and regional or rural settings, and will enable you to consolidate your knowledge and skills in supported environments under the supervision of qualified optometrists.

As a graduate of this course, you will be eligible to apply for registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), and to Medicare as a service provider. Related careers include ophthalmic practice business owner, spectacle retailer, not-for-profit campaigner, and visual simulator designer.

Award granted: Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Optometry
Year: 2016 course information
VTAC code: 1400315541 - Waurn Ponds (Geelong), Commonwealth Supported Place (HECS)
1400310261 - Optometry (Regional and Remote) - Waurn Ponds (Geelong), Commonwealth Supported Place (HECS)
Deakin code: D302
Level: Undergraduate

Course structure

To complete the Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Optometry students must attain 40 credit points. This is an accelerated three and a half year course delivered over ten consecutive trimesters commencing in Trimester 1. All the units in the course are core (these are compulsory).

The course rules are listed at BVisSci/MOptom Course Rules. Students must pass all first year units, or be granted credit for prior learning for these units, before proceeding to second year.

Units

Course structure applies to students who commenced in 2015 onwards. Students who commenced prior to 2015 should refer to previous online Handbooks or consult your course enrolment officer.

Students must enrol in the Waurn Ponds offering of all units

Year 1 - Trimester 1

(0 cp)

Year 1 - Trimester 2

HMO102

HMO103

HMO104

And

(if Chemistry completed in Year 12)

SLE155

(if Chemistry not completed in Year 12)

SLE133

Intakes by location

The availability of a course varies across locations and intakes. This means that a course offered in Trimester 1 may not be offered in the same location for Trimester 2 or 3. Check each intake for up-to-date information on when and where you can commence your studies.

Trimester 1 - March

Start date: March
Available at:
- Waurn Ponds (Geelong)

Deakin splits the academic year into three terms, known as trimesters. All students study in all three trimesters.

Additional course information

In accordance with Department of Human Services policy*, all students are required to undertake a National Police Record Check prior to clinical placements in each calendar year of their course. Students who fail to obtain a Police Record Check prior to the commencement of clinical placements will not be able to undertake any placements. Students are also required to undertake a Working with Children Check at the commencement of the course, andare required to read, understand and comply with the School of Medicine Infectious Diseases and Immunisation Policy. Failure to comply with this policy, or obtain a Working with Children Check, may also prevent students from undertaking clinical placements.

Several clinical placement agencies require that students are vaccinated / blood tested before undertaking clinical placement and / or graduate employment. Deakin University Medical Centres provides detailed advice, blood testing and administer all necessary vaccinations prior to commencement of clinical placements and/or employment.

* Department of Human Services Policy on Working with Children Check and Police Records Checks can be found at: http://www.dhs.vic.gov.au/about-the-department/our-organisation/careers/applying-for-a-job/application-process/step-4-safety-screening-checks

Students will be expected to purchase some specialist equipment during their course, and there may be some additional costs associated with your clinical placements. Further details will be provided during your enrolment. Students should expect to spend around $5,000 ($1,500 and $4,000) on equipment. Life expectancy of the equipment is around 15 years.

Workload

As a student in the Faculty of Health you can expect to participate in a range of teaching activities each week. This could include classes, seminars, practicals and on-line interaction. You can refer to the individual unit details in the course structure for more information. You will also need to study and complete assessment tasks in your own time.

Work experience

Entry requirements

Recognition of prior learning

The University aims to provide students with as much credit as possible for approved prior study or informal learning which exceeds the normal entrance requirements for the course and is within the constraints of the course regulations. Students are required to complete a minimum of one-third of the course at Deakin University, or four credit points, whichever is the greater. In the case of certificates, including graduate certificates, a minimum of two credit points within the course must be completed at Deakin.

You can also refer to the Credit for Prior Learning System which outlines the credit that may be granted towards a Deakin University degree.

Fees and scholarships

Fee information

Estimated tuition fee - full-fee paying place

Not applicable

Estimated tuition fee - (CSP)?

$14,065 - Commonwealth Supported Place (HECS)
Learn more about fees.

Equivalent Full Time Student Load (EFTSL)
EFTSL is the standard annual full time load. Eight credit points is considered a standard full time load for one year of study. The study load for students undertaking this course is 1.5 EFTSL each year.

The fees displayed represent annual course load for 1.5 EFTSL.

Each unit you study has an EFTSL value. You can add these together to calculate your study load for each year. Depending on enrolment, you may be enrolled in more than or less than the one EFTSL each year.

Commonwealth supported place (CSP)
Under the present legislation, a Commonwealth supported place is one for which the University receives some Government funding. Students enrolled in these places are required to contribute part of their course costs. To be eligible for a Commonwealth supported place you must be an Australian citizen, or New Zealand citizen or holder of a permanent visa who will be residing in Australia for the duration of your study.

Full-fee paying (FFP)
A full-fee paying place is one which the University does not receive any Government funding. Students enrolled in these places contribute the full cost of their course.

Domestic full-fee paying places are available to Australian citizens, New Zealand citizens or holders of a permanent visa.

Fee information for all domestic students
The current Federal Government has proposed a number of major reforms for the higher education sector (see the Higher Education and Research Reform Amendment Bill 2014), including fee deregulation in respect of domestic student fees. This legislation may be reintroduced to the parliament in the latter half of 2015 and if passed, will impact on the CSP and FFP course fees applicable in 2016.

* Therefore, the indicative annual course fee shown is provided as a guide only. It has been calculated on the basis of a typical enrolment of a student undertaking the course in 2015, and reflects the cost involved in undertaking full-time study within the specified discipline. The 2016 CSP and FFP course fees may change if the Commonwealth Government's proposed fee deregulation and reforms legislation is passed.

The actual fees charged by Deakin University, will depend on the individual unit discipline and may vary from the indicative course fee cited, particularly if units are chosen from a number of disciplines. The cost of each unit offered in 2016 can be viewed from the Unit Search. Should a change in Government policy affect the cost of units offered, the website will be updated as soon as possible.

The fees per unit/credit point may be otherwise subject to an annual increase due to rises in the cost of course delivery and service.

This information is provided as a guide only. No representation is made that the information provided is current or accurate. Deakin assumes no responsibility for persons relying on indicative course fees to calculate the total future cost of their course. Applicants can email enquire@deakin.edu.au for more information about 2016 fees.

Fee payment assistance
Australian citizens or holders of a permanent humanitarian visa, enrolling in a CSP or FFP, may be eligible for HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP respectively. For more information about HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP visit the Study Assist website.

Scholarship options

A Deakin scholarship could help you pay for your course fees, living costs and study materials. If you've got something special to offer Deakin - or maybe you just need a bit of extra support - we've got a scholarship opportunity for you. Search or browse through our scholarships

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Entry pathways

View pathways into the Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Optometry with our pathways finder.

Alternative exits

Bachelor of Vision Science (H310)

Contact information

Health - Student and Academic Services
Tel 03 9251 7777
health-enquire@deakin.edu.au

www.deakin.edu.au/health

Careers

Want a degree that’s more than just a qualification? Our industry connections, world-class facilities and practical approach to learning are just some of the reasons why Deakin students graduate confident and ready to thrive in the jobs of tomorrow.

Gain practical skills working in our state-of-the-art labs

Ranked in the top 200 worldwide for public health*

Join Australia’s first accelerated optometry course

Become eligible for registration with AHPRA

Career outcomes

Optometrists are primary eye care practitioners who are involved in assessing the health and function of the eyes and visual system and the diagnosis and management of a wide range of ocular conditions, Optometrists work in a variety of health care settings, with the great majority working in a private practice environment – which itself can be very diverse. On a given day, an Australian optometrist may perform a primary visual assessment, manage a newly identified eye disease, prescribe a prescription medicine, or prescribe, fit and dispense optical aids. At the same time, many optometrists are business owners and retailers.

Some optometrists use their qualification to engage in other employment opportunities, such as research, other para-medical practice and work within vision-related non-government organisations.

Following successful completion of the Deakin Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Optometry, Deakin graduates are well prepared for employment in a diverse range of work settings including, but not limited to: hospitals, clinics, health services, state and local governments, non-government organisations, research institutes, tertiary education institutions, private practice, and corporate and community settings. Career and employment opportunities for qualified optometrists include private and public eye care, practice ownership, research and teaching, other ophthalmic practices, and recognised specialties within optometry such as low vision, paediatric vision, and behavioural optometry.

Professional recognition

Students who successfully complete D302 Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Optometry can apply for registration to practise as an optometrist in Australia. Deakin Optometry has been awarded ‘accreditation with conditions’ by the Optometry Board of Australia, following assessment by the Optometry Council of Australia and New Zealand (OCANZ). Graduates of D302 Bachelor of Vision Science/ Master of Optometry will therefore be eligible to apply for registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), and to Medicare as service providers, making them able to pursue employment opportunities throughout Australia and New Zealand.

Note: This course is currently accredited (with conditions) as at the date of publishing.