Optometry

Overview

Optometry is the study of vision and the visual system. The professional optometrist is trained to detect visual problems, diagnose and manage defects of sight and prescribe visual aids and is a primary care practitioner who works closely with other healthcare professionals in managing eyecare. Advanced instrumentation is used to assist the optometrist in the evaluation of ocular health, visual acuity, depth and colour perception and the ability to focus and co-ordinate the eyes.



Work placement / study abroad

In year 4 of your study you will have a UK based placement where you will be required to gain the necessary clinical experience and show clinical competence in order to meet the requirements of the General Optical Council for registration.

Year one

Clinical Skills 1

Practical Optics

Clinical Skills 2

Visual Anatomy and Physiology

Ocular Health and Disease I

Visual Processing and Perception

Continuing Professional and Personal Development (Year 1)



OPT107 is a compulsory non-credit bearing module which comprises of continuing professional and personal development (CPPD) activities that align with the General Optical Council's clinical learning outcomes arranged under six categories:

1. Careers and Employability

2. Professionalism

3. Health & Wellbeing

4. Civic and Patient Engagement

5. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

6. Research



Year two

Contact Lens Practice

Clinical skills 3

Ophthalmic Dispensing Practice

Human Disease

Clinical Decision Making 1

Preparing for Clinical Learning in Practice

Ocular Health and Disease II

Continuing Professional and Personal Development (Year 2)



OPT314 is a compulsory non-credit bearing module which comprises of continuing professional and personal development (CPPD) activities that align with the General Optical Council's clinical learning outcomes arranged under six categories:

1. Careers and Employability

2. Professionalism

3. Health & Wellbeing

4. Civic and Patient Engagement

5. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

6. Research



Year three

Optometric Research

Professional and Clinical Practice

Ocular Pharmacology and Therapeutics

Paediatric Optometry

Binocular Vision

Clinical Decision Making 2

Low Vision

Continuing Professional and Personal Development (Year 3)



Year four

Advanced Clinical Practice 1

Clinical Learning in Practice 1

Clinical Learning in Practice 2



Optional

Advanced Clinical Practice 2

Irish Leaving Certificate

128 UCAS tariff points (from five subjects at Higher Level).



Subject Specific requirement:

At least two sciences required at H2 (or above) from Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Biology.



English and Maths (if Maths is not achieved at H2) are required at grade H6 (Higher Level) or O4 (Ordinary Level).



Irish Leaving Certificate UCAS Equivalency

View tariff point chart at the following link: https://www.ucas.com/applying/before-you-apply/what-and-where-to-study/entry-requirements/calculate-your-ucas-tariff-points



English Language Requirements

Applicants without English as a first language: Students applying from overseas where English is not their first language need an overall IELTS (International English Language Testing System) score of at least 7 with no lower than 6.5 in any element.



• For English language requirements go to: https://www.ulster.ac.uk/global/apply/english-language-requirements

• For Your country go to: https://www.ulster.ac.uk/global/apply/country



Exemptions and transferability

Qualified Dispensing Opticians may be eligible for exemption from specific modules including OPT102 Practical Optics and OPT306 Ophthalmic Dispensing Practice.



A student who has successfully completed Year 1 of BSc (Hons) Optometry may be eligible to transfer to Year 1 of our BSc (Hons) Biomedical Sciences and other programmes within the School subject to approval by the relevant Subject Committees.

This course is applied through UCAS. UCAS Code: 510

4 years full-time.

Start Date: September 2026.

Careers and Opportunities

Optometry graduates may choose from a wide variety of interesting, challenging and rewarding careers in private practice, hospital practice, charitable bodies for the visually impaired, industry, government service, teaching and research. Graduates from BSc Hons Optometry at Ulster have secured teaching, research, clinical and managerial roles in the public and private sector and have progressed to higher degrees (taught or research) in the UK and Ireland.



The University of Ulster offers graduates the opportunity to study for higher qualifications including PgCert/ PgDip /MSc Clinical Visual Sciences and studies to doctoral level.