BSc(Hons) Optometry

Benefit from highly specialist onsite optometry facilities and extensive placement opportunities, to get you ready and confident for your pre-registration year.

Careers

You'll need to complete your degree with a 2:2 to move onto your pre-registration year as a trainee optometrist. You'll need to successfully complete your pre-registration assessed clinical training in practice to be able to register as a practising optometrist with the General Optical Council (GOC).

Throughout this course, you must be registered with the General Optical Council and follow their standards. Without registration or if your registration lapses, you will not be able to carry out any practical work, and your assessments may not count towards your final award. This may therefore prevent your progression.

We'll support you to arrange your pre-registration year, arrange employer introductions and provide interview practice.

You will only receive a GOC approved award having met both the academic and professional (competency and patient experience) requirements:

• Sufficient academic credits have been attained
• The required amount and type of patient experience has been obtained
• The required GOC core competencies have been achieved
• A 2:2 classification (or equivalent standard of 50% at master's level) has been attained
• You have maintained registration with the GOC for the duration of you study

As a registered student optometrist, you'll be well placed to seek work in a wide range of settings, including hospitals, private practice,lens manufacturers, optical laboratories or charities providing eye care services around the world.

You could also go into research, or progress onto a master's in optometry. As you become more experienced, you may choose to enhance your clinical skills further by completing higher qualifications with The College of Optometrists.

Entry requirements

Additional requirements

All applicants will be required to complete:

• Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check*
• health checks*.

*All information will be treated in confidence and only taken into account when absolutely necessary.

You must be in good health and up-to-date with your routine immunisations e.g. tetanus, diphtheria, polio and MMR. If you are offered a place, you will be required to complete a questionnaire and must be prepared to undergo a medical examination. You will also be required to confirm your status in respect of a number of infectious diseases and immunisations (tuberculosis, measles, mumps, rubella, chicken pox, varicella, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV antibodies) and be prepared to have all required vaccinations. If your vaccinations are not up-to-date this will affect your ability to continue on your course. If you have any concerns with regards to vaccinations please raise this at the point of application.

Dispensing Opticians: Suitable applicants with Fellow of the Association of British Dispensing Opticians status will be considered on an individual basis

Please be aware that there may be additional costs to undertaking your studies relating to travel and accommodation in respect of placements. If you have any questions regarding additional costs, please visit an Information Point.

Students are required to purchase their own dispensing rulers (approximately £16 at the time of publication) and may also wish to purchase their own equipment (retinoscope, ophthalmoscope, trial frame, volk lens, budgie stick and pen torch approximately £1,500) for additional practice. The Optometry team will provide opportunities for you to purchase discounted equipment directly from the manufacturers should you wish to do so.

We require evidence of recent assessed academic study within the last three years.

Selection process

Applicants will be required to an online selection exercise or a telephone interview. For more details on the process, please visit our selection page.

International applicants

For country specific entry requirements please find your country on the Country Information pages. If you are an international student and do not meet the academic requirements to study this course, you can qualify by completing preparatory study at our International College.

If you are applying to study at UWE Bristol and require additional support to meet our English language requirements, you may be able to attend one of our pre-sessional English courses.