Optometry with a Preliminary Year

UCAS code: B514

Here's what Cardiff University says about its Optometry with a Preliminary Year course.

Our innovative, clinically focussed programme will provide you with scientific and clinical knowledge to register as an optometrist and deliver high quality patient-centred eye healthcare.

We combine progressive healthcare education, high quality patient care, internationally recognised research, and exceptional clinical and teaching facilities to inspire you to become a GOC registered optometrist.

Today’s optometrists are autonomous clinicians who play a direct role in improving patients’ eyesight and eye health. Optometrists practise in diverse healthcare settings including community, hospital and domiciliary environments. They work with their patients to assess, diagnose and manage problems with their eyes and visual system. Optometrists may prescribe optical appliances such as spectacles and contact lenses, or provide preventative, rehabilitative and other eye care advice to help manage eye health problems.

Eye healthcare is a rapidly evolving field, and registered optometrists can choose to train further in an expanding range of clinical sub-specialities, including with therapeutic drugs. An increasing number of today’s optometrists prescribe medicines for eye problems independently of a doctor, and play a vital role in eye healthcare teams.

Our programme will allow you to gain the knowledge and skills to register as an optometrist with the General Optical Council. You will have opportunities to attend our in-house University specialist eye clinics led by our highly qualified multi-disciplinary eyecare team. Later, during your programme, you will take on more responsibility for patient care and hone your clinical skills whilst working both during your Clinical Learning in Practice (CLiP) placement organised by the College of Optometrists. You will learn to manage confidently and autonomously a wide range of optical and eye health problems at qualification.

Embedded in our programme are opportunities to achieve selected higher qualifications from the College of Optometrists, preparing you for expanding roles in the optometric profession. You will establish a solid foundation for further specialist postgraduate clinical career pathways, and you will be well prepared to address lifelong learning, leadership and professional development challenges, enabling you to thrive in modern UK optometric practice.

Distinctive features:

• Ranked No 1: We are ranked 1st for Optometry in the Complete University Guide 2022.

• £22 million self-contained optometry facility with on-site specialist ophthalmic teaching clinics: Equipped with advanced diagnostic technology, our School is unique in delivering innovative NHS specialist ophthalmology services as well as optometric community clinics, allowing early clinical exposure from Year 1.

• College of Optometrists (COptom) accredited higher qualifications: Our programme offers a range of COptom professional certificates to allow an enhanced scope of clinical practice on registration, and to accelerate your progress if you choose to undertake further advanced postgraduate clinical training.

• Accredited by the General Optical Council (GOC): This course is an integrated Masters programme, taught by internationally renowned researchers and clinicians, and meets the high-quality standards in education set out by the GOC. On completion of the MOptom, you will have undertaken at least 48 weeks of learning in clinical environments, and you will be eligible to register and practise independently as an optometrist in the UK.