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Master of Optometry

MOptom (Hons)

Typical offer for 2025
Duration
UCAS code
Start date
Location

Suitable for applications.

This course is now closed for academic year 2024/25 entry. Search for an alternative course.

Overview

Optometry is a healthcare profession concerned with the examination, diagnosis and treatment of the human eye and visual system.

In our aging population, the demand for eye care is expected to increase, and optometrists are ideally placed to help meet this demand in both the NHS and private practice.

Our integrated 4-year Master of Optometry (MOptom) programme has been completely redesigned for 2024, modernising our course content and structure to enable you to proceed directly to registration as a fully-qualified optometrist with the General Optical Council (GOC) upon completion.

Upon graduation, you will be a skilled, patient-focussed optometrist ready for modern optometric practice. You will be eligible to register with the GOC and practise independently as an optometrist in the UK. You will be highly employable, having developed excellent clinical and communication skills and will be well equipped for lifelong learning and ongoing professional development throughout your career.

Professional accreditation

This course is approved by the General Optical Council (GOC).

The programme is delivered in partnership with the College of Optometrists (CoO), the professional body for optometrists, ensuring you gain real working experience as part of your training.

This means that students completing the CoO placement assessments and graduating with the MOptom (Hons) award can apply to join the professional GOC register of fully qualified optometrists."

General Optical Council logo

Rankings

The University of Bradford is ranked 9th in the UK in the Complete University Guide Optometry, Ophthalmics and Orthoptics Subject League Table 2024.

Entry requirements

Typical offer - 136 UCAS tariff points.

A DBS check is required.

 

A levels

AAB, to include two pure Science subjects (Chemistry, Biology, Physics and Maths) required at minimum AA. General Studies is not accepted.

Please note that where a science A level is taken, the University will require applicants to pass the practical element (for A levels awarded from August 2017 onwards).

Applicants are allowed a maximum of three years on AS and A2 level to meet our entry requirements.

T levels

Not accepted for this course.

BTEC Extended Diploma

Applied Science. DDD. Only accepted if combined with a pure Science A level minimum grade B.

BTEC National Diploma - any subject with DD. Only accepted if combined with 2 pure Science A levels minimum grade B.

BTEC National Extended Certificate - any subject with D. Only accepted if combined with 2 pure Science A levels minimum grade A.

Applicants on Access Programmes

Meet UCAS tariff of 136. Science, Medicine, Science and Engineering, Dentistry, Pharmacy or Medical Sciences accepted.

Applicants are allowed a maximum of two attempts at an Access course to meet our entry requirements. To be allowed to retake your access course you must have completed the full 60 credits in the first attempt at the access course. Your second attempt at an access course must be a full 60 credits in a relevant access course - you cannot resit individual modules to top up the previous access course results.

Applicants holding or studying towards Access to HE qualifications who meet the above requirements will be considered on an individual basis based on suitable paid employment history that demonstrates strong communication, inter-personal, scientific and/or numerical skills.

Employment history should be detailed within the UCAS form, and its relevance to optometry should be discussed within the UCAS personal statement. Verification by employer reference will be sought during the offer process.

Employment history within optometric practice or another regulated healthcare profession is preferred (e.g. optical assistant, clinical assistant), but any relevant experience will be considered. The duration and recency of relevant work will also be taken into account. Previous A-level performance may be accepted in lieu of, or as supplement to, employment history on an individual basis.

Only applicants applying with an access course can email a separate personal statement about Optometry if their UCAS personal statement relates to a different subject. Please email this to [email protected] after you have applied through UCAS, quoting your name and UCAS personal ID number.

International Baccalaureate Requirements

136 UCAS tariff points from 3 HL subjects to include 2 HL science subjects at Grade 6 and a third HL subject at Grade 6.

Plus HL 3 or SL 4 in Maths and English Language and Literature A or English B.

Plus minimum of

Five GCSEs at grade C or grade 4 to include English Language, Maths (note: GCSE English Language and Mathematics equivalences will not be accepted) and at least one of the following: Double Award Science, Biology, Chemistry or Physics.

Those applying with Access courses are only required to have GCSE English Language and Maths, plus one Science subject (Double Award Science, Biology, Chemistry or Physics) at grade C or grade 4.

Additional entry requirements

All students enrolled on the course will be required to register with the General Optical Council (GOC).

Whilst not mandatory, a period of paid employment in an optical practice (supported by an employer reference) will strongly support an application.

Applicants will be considered on their highest relevant qualification or study (even if this study is not a complete qualification).

English language requirements

Minimum IELTS at 7.0 with no subtest below 6.5 or the equivalent.

Teaching, learning and assessment

A wide variety of teaching methods are employed throughout the programme, including lectures, seminars, practical sessions and clinical supervision. They focus progressively on student-centred approaches to learning - you are expected to take increasing responsibility for your learning as you progress through the programme.

A range of assessment methods are used for each module. All modules include both formative and summative assessments. Formative assessment has a developmental purpose and is designed to help you learn more effectively by giving you feedback on your performance and on how it can be improved and/or maintained. Summative assessment for each module includes written exams, whilst many modules will require you to demonstrate practical or clinical ability or competence.

The course is clinically-focussed from the start. You will learn all the practical techniques, theoretical underpinnings, professionalism and communication skills required to qualify as an optometrist.

You will be taught at one of the UK’s longest-established optometry schools by academics and tutors who are experts in their fields. Our world-class teaching facilities have recently been refurbished with £1.2 million of new state-of-the-art equipment and include an integrated eye clinic and our unique Directed Learning Suites.

Our course is renowned for its clinical emphasis and these skills are taught right from the start of the course. You will learn the essential skills required of an optometrist during years 1 and 2, before progressing to gain experience, under expert supervision, in the University’s own eye clinic in year 3. You will then proceed into a 44-week extended clinical placement delivered in partnership with the College of Optometrists in year 4.

The extended clinical placement is a period of paid employment within optometric practice, external to the University. You will be responsible for applying for and securing this placement with the support of the College of Optometrists and the University’s Career and Employability service.

Our facilities

In our Ocular Health Room, you'll learn from optometrists with broad experience in optometric practice and teaching. Staff are actively involved in academic research, which you may become involved with in your final year.

Fees, finance and scholarships

Tuition fee 2025

  • UK: £9,535

  • International: £24,456

Additional costs

As part of this course you will need to register with the General Optical Council. The cost for this is £30.

There may be additional costs that you may incur as a student. Though these are not essential to your programme of study you need to be aware of them as a student of the University. A list of the sort of costs you might expect can be found on our fees and finance section.

Financial support

See our fees and financial support section.

Postgraduate Master's Loan

If you live in England you may be able to apply for a special Government-funded Master's Loan to help pay your tuition fees and living costs.
You don't have to pay the loan back until you're earning a certain amount of money.

Scholarships

Every year we award numerous non-repayable scholarships to UK, EU and international students on the basis of academic excellence, personal circumstances or economic hardship. For full details, visit our scholarships section.

Career prospects

Most graduates, on completion of the pre-registration year and having passed the Final Assessment Examinations set by the College of Optometrists, become registered with the General Optical Council to practise as optometrists.

Once qualified you can work in private practice, in hospital optometry or in optometric teaching and research. You will need an interest and ability in scientific work, in helping and communicating with people, and a measure of manual dexterity.

Career support

The University is committed to helping students develop and enhance employability and this is an integral part of many programmes. Specialist support is available throughout the course from Career and Employability Services including help to find part-time work while studying, placements, vacation work and graduate vacancies. Students are encouraged to access this support at an early stage and to use the extensive resources on the Careers website.

Discussing options with specialist advisers helps to clarify plans through exploring options and refining skills of job-hunting. In most of our programmes there is direct input by Career Development Advisers into the curriculum or through specially arranged workshops.

Study support

Research

Terms and conditions of study

The University has a set of terms and conditions for all students accepting an offer to study on a course here at Bradford. This is called The Student Contract. This document sets out the Terms and Conditions which apply when you accept an offer of a place on a programme of study at the University of Bradford.

View our Student Contract for further details.

Transparency statement

Information about this programme and its modules has been published in advance of the academic year to which it applies. Every effort has been made to ensure that the information is accurate at the time of publication, but changes may occur given the interval between publishing and commencement of teaching. Any change which impacts the terms and conditions of an applicant’s offer will be communicated to them.