Optometry admission =)

[ed_saifa]

For all you optometry hopefuls out there

4 universities in the country offer Optometry!
-University of Melbourne
-University of New South Wales
-Queensland University of Technology =D
-Flinders University

University of Melbourne
The Bachelor of Optometry is no longer offered. Those who wish to do optometry at Melbourne must undertake the 4 yearDoctor of Optometry which is available as of 2011. This requires an undergraduate degree with the prerequisite subjects completed.
Prerequisites

-Grade point average in an undergraduate degree which includes a tertiary subject (at any level) in Physics or Optics, plus three 2nd or 3rd year subjects: one in Anatomy or Cell Biology; and two in any of the Molecular, Cellular or Physiological sciences.
-An aptitude test (e.g. GAMSAT or OAT )

Source: http://graduate.science.unimelb.edu.au/programs/optometry

University of New South Wales
This university offers the 5 year Bachelor of Optometry/Bachelor of Science(Vision Science). Please note that UMAT is required.
Prerequisites

For the Bachelor of Optometry Bachelor of Science program, the level of assumed knowledge (A) and recommended knowledge (R)are as follows:
(A) Mathematics*
(A) Chemistry
(R) Physics
* Please note that General Mathematics does not meet the necessary level of assumed knowledge.
-Selection will be based on two thirds UAI or equivalent and one third UMAT results.

Entry into this course usually requires a 99
Source: http://www.optom.unsw.edu.au/future/undergraduate/requirements.html
Course Structure
http://www.handbook.unsw.edu.au/undergraduate/programs/2009/3952.html

Queensland University of Technology
Queensland University of Technology offers the 5 yearBachelor of Vision Science/Master of Optometry! This is a new course which just accepted its first intake of students this year.
Prerequisites
None
Assumed knowledge:English, Maths B (Methods), Chemistry, Physics
Selection into this course usually requires an OP2, or 98.
Course Structure
http://www.courses.qut.edu.au/cgi-bin/WebObjects/Courses.woa/wa/selectMajorFromMain?courseID=10166
http://www.courses.qut.edu.au/cgi-bin/WebObjects/Courses.woa/wa/selectMajorFromMain?courseID=10144

Flinders University
Flinders Uni offers a 5 year Bachelor of Medical Science (Vision Science)/ Master of Optometry
This course will be taking its first students in 2010
Prerequisites

None. However, knowledge of Stage 2 Chemistry and Physics is assumed. You must also complete the Undergraduate Medicine Admissions Test (UMAT).

Source: http://www.flinders.edu.au/courses/undergrad/bmsmopt/bmsmopt_home.cfm
Course Structure
http://www.flinders.edu.au/calendar/vol2/ug/BVision.htm

Which should I choose? (maybe biased )
-OD offers the most prestigious qualification but requires a more rigorous entry process
-UNSW requires a MINIMUM of 65% average across the Bachelor of Science (Vision science) or you will not be allowed to continue with the Bachelor of Optometry
-Completion of the Bachelor of Vision science at QUT, offers automatic entry into the Masters component
-QUT has a new clinic in conjunction with other health sciences which was completed around November last year
-QUT first year is a bludge =)
-I don't have anything against UNSW, but my optometrist and optometry students from Umelb have told me that the optometry course at UNSW isn't particularly good

Any queries, pm or email

[cobby]

Nice work ed_saifa!

[ed_saifa]

Just updated with a faq for QUT admission

[naved_s9994]

so I.E - those who apply for UOM in 2011- it wont be like the other medicine courses at UOM where you have to do
four years biomedicine or science to specialize?

[ed_saifa]

You mean three years biomed or science?

[ed_saifa]

It has just been brought to my attention by mystikal that Flinders University will be offering optometry as of next year!
http://www.flinders.edu.au/optometry/

[Edmund]

Just wanted to let Optometry hopefuls know that a total of 25^* local and international students (out of the 64 available places) have been admitted into Unimelb's new graduate program. Nice and small cohort with good staff:student ratio so choose Melbourne!


^* Unofficial information from current students

[mystikal]

Deakin University plans to offer bachelor, graduate entry and masters degrees from 2012

the duration of it is said to be 3.5 years so most likely it is studied in trimesters which is why you finish quicker.

so more places for people who wanna do optometry! and shorter as well compared to the standard of optometry courses which are around.

[CrikeyNick]

For those who are considering Deakin, you might want to read this first.

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/1706971

[harlequinphoenix]

For those who are considering Deakin, you might want to read this first.

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/1706971

Sorry for the bump but.. wow. That's  horrible if that's what Specsavers are doing. I'm considering optometry and I saw this new course and thought "too good to be true..." but I didn't know what the catch was then. Now I know...