Course overview
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You will be trained to perform eye examinations to provide refractive correction such as glasses, contact lenses, or low vision aids, and to offer clinical advice that can make a difference to the lives of people with eye conditions, sight loss, or visual impairment.
Teesside University is the first North East university to deliver an optometry programme.
This course includes an integrated masters - you study three years at undergraduate level and one year at postgraduate level.
Teesside University currently holds provisional approval from the GOC to provide this programme. Whilst under provisional approval, students recruited on to the programme are not guaranteed entry to the GOC Register and may be required to undertake additional assessments through an alternative GOC-approved education provider in the event that any aspect of the programme when delivered does not satisfy the GOC standards.
All students enrolled onto the course are required to register with the GOC and must remain registered with the GOC throughout their studies.
An enhanced DBS will be required, with active encouragement for enrolment onto the update service linked to DBS.
You will be required to travel for some placements and are responsible for any travel costs incurred. You can apply for our Placement Support Fund if you are experiencing financial difficulties attending your placement. Find out more.
You are required to purchase your own optometric equipment ahead of the fourth-year placement, including a trial frame, retinoscope, ophthalmoscope, and a VOLK lens. You are also expected to have your own sight testing equipment such as a budgie stick, occluder, flippers, pentorch, and cross cylinders.
Top reasons to study this course
- State-of-the-art, purpose-built industry standard facilities to support practical and professional training
- Experienced, dedicated teaching team have a strong focus on evidence-base practice which means you gain a contemporary, professional and authentic learning experience
- Excellent links to private practice and hospitals giving you outstanding placement opportunities
Supporting information for applicants
* Subject to University approval
Course details
Course structure
Year 1 core modules
Anatomy and Physiology for Optometrists
You are introduced to anatomy and pathophysiology relevant to optometry professionals. Explore the structures, functions, and biochemical processes that constitute the human body, and gain insight into how diseases disrupt these normal functions. By examining the intricate relationship between anatomy and disease, you develop a solid foundation for deeper exploration in further years of study.
Gain the essential knowledge to confidently administer and interpret a range of optometric tests, laying the foundation for conducting routine eye examinations. The principles of professionalism, ethical considerations, and safe practice in optometry are introduced. The importance of multidisciplinary teamwork and effective communication skills are highlighted to encourage a patient-centred approach to eye care.
Investigative Techniques and Instrumentation
Explore a range of essential skills and instruments integral to optometric practice. Gain a comprehensive foundation to master the investigative techniques crucial for optometric diagnosis and patient care.
Ophthalmic Lenses and Dispensing
Optical dispensing theory and practice are introduced, including ophthalmic lenses and in-depth knowledge on the various types of lenses, their designs, and how to select the most suitable lenses to meet individual patient needs. Theory is complemented by hands-on dispensing practice as you learn to accurately measure and fit glasses, ensuring optimal visual correction and comfort for patients. The need for effective communication in the dispensing process is emphasised, prompting you to develop strong interpersonal skills and empathy for a patient’s visual needs.
Professionalism and Evidence-based Practice
Focus on interprofessional learning across four main areas. Sharpen your academic skills including writing and referencing and delve into evidence-based practice principles and their application in current health and social care policies. Gain an introduction to research processes and methodologies and develop your professional behaviour to prepare you for future practice demands. Learn the concepts of continuous professional development and lifelong learning, essential for maintaining registration with the General Optical Council.
You explore the physiological and psychological aspects that contribute to our perception of the visual environment. Unravel the complexities of the visual system through comprehensive study of physiology of vison, colour vison, visual perception, and geometric optics.
Year 2 core modules
Develop your ability to recognise and comprehend abnormal anterior eye conditions. Learn to differentiate between abnormal and normal ocular features, and understand the causes, consequences, and necessary referral processes for the effective management of different anterior eye conditions.
Explore advanced neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, and sensorimotor processing within the visual system. Develop a comprehensive understanding of the intricate mechanisms that govern binocular vision. Gain insight into various binocular vision abnormalities and their respective management strategies.
Study the underlying theory of contact lenses, and gain essential knowledge on the physical properties, lens design and manufacturing methods. Learn the principles of selecting suitable contact lenses tailored to individual patient needs and ocular characteristics. Explore various lens types, materials, and designs to optimise comfort, visual acuity, and overall ocular health for contact lens wearers. Learn the techniques and examinations for precise fitting, considering factors like corneal topography, tear film evaluation, and lens centration. Understand how to address common challenges related to contact lens wear and manage potential complications. Gain experience performing contact lens fitting and aftercare routines.
Gain practical experience in routine eye examinations, refining essential optometric techniques. Enhance your communication skills, record keeping proficiency, and learn to write effective referrals. Sharpen your ability to arrive at a differential diagnosis from a patient’s case history. You are also introduced to the fundamentals of paediatric testing, ensuring a well-rounded skill set for diverse optometric scenarios.
Further Investigative Techniques
Gain the essential knowledge and skills for optometrists to proficiently select, perform and interpret outcomes from a diverse range of clinical techniques. Explore a variety of specialised diagnostic tools and techniques commonly used in optometry, empowering you to conduct comprehensive assessments of a patient’s ocular health.
Develop the expertise to identify and understand abnormal posterior eye conditions. Learn to distinguish between normal and abnormal ocular features, and focus on the origins, implications, and essential referral protocols for the effective management of posterior eye conditions.
Year 3 core modules
Advanced Contact Lens Practice
Develop your knowledge and skills learned in year 2. Gain the underpinning clinical reasoning and communication skills to fit more complex forms of contact lenses and develop an understanding of emerging contact lens practice. Experience fitting patients with contact lenses in our optometry clinic.
Understand the dynamic and evolving role of optometrists in the modern healthcare landscape. You cover occupational health, legal aspects of practice, key industry drivers, and technological enhancements that shape contemporary optometry. Delve into the legal and ethical frameworks governing optometric practice, ensuring compliance with professional standards and regulations. Learn about various career pathways within optometry, and insights into owning and managing an optometric business or providing domiciliary testing services. Gain underlying theoretical knowledge and practical skills to assess and manage patients with low vision.
You are assessed in your ability to complete a routine eye examination and demonstrate critical clinical decision-making to complete a holistic, individual ocular management plan. Your logbook allows you to record patient interactions and reflect on these experiences.
Learn the principles of drug action with a focus on the autonomic pharmacology of the eye. Topics include drug formulation and design, contraindications of ocular medications, ocular injections, contact lens solutions, and ocular side-effects of systemic medication. You address legislation, the ophthalmic drug formulary, adverse drug reactions, independent prescribing, and drug disposal. This is a concise and comprehensive exploration of pharmacological management in optometry practice.
You select an area of clinical practice and conduct in-depth individual research, critically evaluating the potential impact on patient care and overall optometric practice. You enhance your critical thinking, research, and communication skills.
Specialist Optometric Techniques
Explore advanced topics in optometric practice, including advanced binocular vision abnormalities and caring for patients with additional needs. You also focus on paediatric testing, visual development, and congenital ocular conditions, giving you a comprehensive understanding of specialised optometric techniques for diverse patient populations.
Final-year core modules
Designed to integrate and apply knowledge from all four years of the course, you engage in discussions around diverse case studies, where your unique perspective and insights contribute to the collective learning experience. Together, you analyse complex scenarios, drawing on your knowledgebase to formulate comprehensive management plans. Apply your theoretical understanding into practical, real-world applications, fostering critical thinking, and enhancing your decision-making skills, crucial for professional optometric practice.
Clinical Learning in Practice Part One
Further develop your clinical testing and management skills under supervision in a clinical placement setting, typically a community optometry practice or hospital eye department. Delivered by the College of Optometrists.
Clinical Learning in Practice Part Two
This clinical practice programme further develops your clinical testing and management skills under supervision in a clinical placement setting, typically a community optometry practice or hospital eye department. Ensure you can work effectively and efficiently in the clinical environment, addressing equality, diversity and inclusion issues and delivering safe and effective testing, management and referral of patients.
Gain in-depth insight into the detection and management of glaucomas and secondary glaucomas. Explore topics including the pathophysiology of these conditions, alongside diagnostic techniques. Delve into treatments such as intraocular pressure management, surgical interventions, and emerging therapies. With a strong emphasis on evidence-based practice, you are empowered with the knowledge and skills to excel in the specialised field of glaucoma management.
Gain comprehensive insights into the diagnosis and management of medical retinal conditions. Further your knowledge within the pathophysiology of retinal diseases, diagnostic techniques such as fundus imaging and optical coherence tomography. Gain further understanding of medical retina treatments, including intravitreal injections, laser therapy, and emerging therapies. Learn to manage common retinal disorders such as diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, and retinal vascular diseases. With a focus on evidence-based practice, you are equipped with the knowledge and skills to excel in the field of medical retina.
Modules offered may vary.
How you learn
The course has a diverse range of learning and teaching methods. You attend lectures and keynote lectures, participate in seminars and group discussions, improve your practical skills in hands-on sessions and be set problems to solve during small group work. You benefit from clinical placement early in the course, to improve your confidence and communication skills in practice. You are encouraged and supported to complete self-directed and independent study alongside the scheduled sessions to enhance and develop your knowledge.
You are supervised by a trained mentor during the placement who assists you to complete your set placement activities. In Year 4 you work alongside trained supervisors in placements to help you develop your practical abilities and hone your skills as a healthcare professional. The College of Optometrists work alongside the university to provide resources and assessments during these extended placements.
The course provides a supportive learning environment, and a personal tutor is available to provide pastoral care and development, and academic tutors provide support for academic studies.
How you are assessed
Within each academic year a minimum of a pass in each module assessment component must be achieved as these are a core requirement. All modules must be passed each year before you can progress onto the next stage of the course. These are varied and include written assignments, written and practical exams, presentations, and pass/fail reflective logbooks to be completed during the clinical placement or within clinics set in the University.
The modules and teaching in this course are aligned with the GOC's outcomes to allow you to be a fully qualified optometrist post course completion.
Our Disability Services team provide an inclusive and empowering learning environment and have specialist staff to support disabled students access any additional tailored resources needed. If you have a specific learning difficulty, mental health condition, autism, sensory impairment, chronic health condition or any other disability please contact a Disability Services as early as possible.
Find out more about our disability services
Find out more about financial support
Find out more about our course related costs
Entry requirements
Entry requirements
For this particular course, there is a requirement to undertake an occupational health/work-based risk assessment check. If you have a disability, specific learning difficulty, mental health condition, autism spectrum condition, sensory impairment or medical condition that may require reasonable adjustments during an external placement or in the university or in a clinical practice area, this must be declared as part of the enrolment process. If you are unsure you can find out more or contact the relevant admissions or course tutor for guidance.
An enhanced DBS will be required, with active encouragement for enrolment onto the update service linked to DBS.
The application process will be through UCAS, and the standard University process, and an interview is required.
You must have a minimum of 128 UCAS points, equivalent to an A and two Bs at A-level. Two of the A-levels must be from science subjects, such as maths, physics, biology, psychology, or chemistry, excluding general studies and critical thinking, as per the GOC standards. You must achieve at least a C in GCSE English and maths, or equivalent.
Equivalent qualifications are accepted, such as T levels and Access to Health courses. We will additionally consider applicants who have either achieved a pass in a BSc in Dispensing or are a FBDO registered practitioner.
For students with non-UK English qualifications, the Teesside University Standard for International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is acceptable with a minimum score of 7 including a minimum score of 6.5 in all sections. This entry meets GOC requirements.
In addition to the University’s recognition of prior learning (RPL) process, the GOC have stipulated that candidates may only be exempt from modules in the first and second year, and therefore can be exempt from a maximum of 240 credits. All GOC stage one core competencies and patient episodes must be achieved, regardless of prior learning. The University will ensure that the prior learning was either undertaken and certified recently or ensure knowledge has been maintained and is still relevant and equivalent.
Your personal statement
Your personal statement is an important part of your application. It’s your opportunity to tell us why you want to study clinical optometry at Teesside, and is key to you being invited for an interview.
What to include
We are keen to know about your understanding of an optometrist’s role, an optometry degree and its demands, and what motivates you to study this course. We are interested to understand how you think your previous studies may have prepared you for the degree. You should also include any life experiences, transferable skills, voluntary or part-time work and hobbies that you can relate to the core values and behaviours of an optometrist. Please note that, while useful, it is not essential that you have optical experience.
The course involves clinical placements and theoretical work, so you need to demonstrate examples of being organised and resilient.
Where can I get more information?
You can access a range of healthcare websites, books and journals about optometry. Use this information to demonstrate that you really know what an optometrist’s role involves.
Shortlisting criteria
Your application will be measured against the following criteria:
- You are able to complete all sections of the application form fully and correctly.
- You have achieved or are predicted to achieve the appropriate academic entry requirements.
- Your personal statement is supportive of your chosen course, and demonstrates an understanding of an optometrist's role.
- You have satisfactory references.
If you are invited to interview and the date isn’t suitable, please contact our admissions department for more information. We will do our best to accommodate you.
Interview criteria
At the online or face-to-face interview, you are asked six questions to explore your understanding of an optometrist’s role. You discuss how you see yourself fitting into this in the future, demonstrating the key personality traits that make a good clinician.
If you are successful in both shortlisting and interview you will receive an offer which is subject to the following:
- evidence of achievement of the required academic qualifications.
- a successful work-based risk assessment which will reflect the appropriate HEOPS recommendations. Find out more about all of the HEOPS standards
- an enhanced criminal history (DBS) check may be required for certain modules or placements which involve working with children and/or adults at risk. The DBS check is funded by the School of Health & Life Sciences so you do not need to pay for this process.
- satisfactory references.
Please note until 1 to 4 have been successfully completed the offer of a place on the course remains conditional.
For general information please see our overview of entry requirements
You can gain considerable knowledge from work, volunteering and life. Under recognition of prior learning (RPL) you may be awarded credit for this which can be credited towards the course you want to study.
Find out more about RPL
Employability
Career opportunities
A career in optometry is varied and fulfilling, with career paths including private practice, hospital optometry, domiciliary optometry, third sector, and research and teaching.
The knowledge and experience you gain enables you to progress towards practising as a GOC registered optometrist on successful completion of the four-year course, including all university and placement-based assessments.
Work placement
Teesside University aims to produce confident clinicians who are future-ready for optometric practice. We believe the early introduction of placement facilitates this process. You are therefore introduced to clinical practice from early in Year 1. In the first two years of the course, you attend placement every other week, completing tasks to consolidate your knowledge gained from the modules linked to the clinical placement. In Year 3, you attend placement every week, learning about the diverse environments an optometrist can work in, while developing your professional practice under the supervision of trained mentors. In Year 4, you attend a 42-week work placement in collaboration with the College of Optometrists, where you work in clinical practice for four days a week under a supervisor, allowing you to consolidate your knowledge and develop as a practitioner.
