About the University of Melbourne Optometry School

In 2011, the University of Melbourne Optometry School launched its first intake of the Doctor of Optometry program. The Doctor of Optometry replaced the university’s previous optometry degree, the Bachelor of Optometry, for training optometrists.

The Melbourne Optometry School Doctor of Optometry is a four-year program and consists 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 exist for clinical-related research to be conducted as a required component of the degree.
Doctor of Optometry graduates combine depth and breadth of optometric practice knowledge. Melbourne OD students will participate in a rigorous graduate-level learning experience, which fosters the development of sophisticated clinical skills and a respect for the value of evidence-based practice; will be trained to work in an ever-changing and complex environment, which utilize leadership and clinical skills; and will be eligible to register to practice as a therapeutically endorsed optometrist in Australia, and to register to practice in several overseas countries.
Students entering the Melbourne Optometry School OD must have previously completed an undergraduate degree, allowing the teaching in the program to be delivered at a sophisticated level and allow for the development of more advanced clinical skills.
Early clinical experience will be a feature of the program. Later years will focus on developing advanced clinical skills with a strong emphasis on evidence-based practice. Broad clinical experience will be achieved by providing an unparalleled range of rural and metropolitan placements and international externship opportunities.

Unique Program Features

The University of Melbourne’s Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences is the first in Australia to offer an optometry program that encompasses therapeutic management of ocular diseases, which results in the degree becoming the broadest in Australia, Europe and the U.K.; being in line with degrees in the United States; and reflecting amendments to the Australian legal framework for optometrists.
The Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences is the only one in Australia that has an on-site clinic, the University of Melbourne Eyecare Clinic. With more than 35,000 patients visiting each year, this provides students with the opportunity to be presented with a broad range of clinical cases during their professional training.
In recent years, there has been a 100% placement rate for Melbourne optometry graduates, with starting salaries ranging from $60,000 to $120,000, depending on the graduate’s work experience.

Why Canadians Like the Program

The Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences at the Melbourne Optometry School is one of the world’s leading schools of optometry. It enjoys a fine reputation for its teaching and research. The department has a large clinic, providing excellent practical experience along with personal tuition for its students. The Victorian College of Optometry cooperates with the university in the training of optometry students and the Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences is located within the premises of the college. The National Vision Research Institute and the Clinical Vision Research Australia are affiliated with the college and access its facilities.

Program at a Glance

• 4-year program (full-time study)
• Mix of coursework and clinical practice
• Access to the university’s state-of-the-art optometry practice as well as the university’s strong links to hospitals, community and professional bodies in Australia and worldwide
• Eligible to register to practice as a therapeutically endorsed optometrist in Australia, and to register to practice in several overseas countries
• 64 places available

Program: Doctor of Optometry (OD)
Location: Melbourne, Victoria
Semester intake: Late February or early March
Application deadline: July 31, 2014

Apply to the Melbourne Optometry School!

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For more information about the University of Melbourne’s Doctor of Optometry (OD) program, please contact OzTREKK’s Australian Optometry Schools Admissions Officer Rachel Brady by emailing rachel@oztrekk.com or calling toll free in Canada at 1-866-698-7355.