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Orthoptics

Entry requirements


A level

B,B,B

including a science subject (science subjects include Biology/Human Biology, Chemistry, Maths, or Physics)

Access to HE Diploma

D:24,M:21,P:0

Award of Access to HE Diploma in a relevant subject , with 45 credits at Level 3, including 24 at Distinction and 21 at Merit

GCSE/National 4/National 5

GCSE Maths, English and Science grade 4/C

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

32

with 5 in a science subject at Higher Level (science subjects include Biology/Human Biology, Chemistry, Maths, or Physics)

Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)

H2,H2,H2,H3,H3,H3

including a science subject (science subjects include Biology/Human Biology, Chemistry, Maths, or Physics)

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

DD

in Applied Science + B in an A Level science subject (science subjects include Biology/Human Biology, Chemistry, Maths, or Physics)

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

DDD

in Applied Science

Scottish Advanced Higher

B

in a science subject + ABBBB in Scottish Highers (science subjects include Biology/Human Biology, Chemistry, Maths, or Physics)

Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (first teaching September 2015)

B

+ BB at A Level including a science subject (science subjects include Biology/Human Biology, Chemistry, Maths, or Physics)

UCAS Tariff

48-120

We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.

About this course


Course option

3years

Full-time | 2024

Subject

Orthoptics

Orthoptists specialise in diagnosing, managing and treating eye movement disorders and visual impairments. They work alongside optometrists, ophthalmologists, and other clinicians and allied health professionals to provide the very best care to patients of all ages.

A degree in orthoptics from the University of Sheffield can take you in lots of directions in healthcare – from an NHS hospital or community eye clinic to a rehabilitation centre for patients with neurological conditions.

**What you’ll study**
Our orthoptics programme is approved by the Health and Care Professions Council and designed to give you a deep understanding of the human eye and different eye conditions. We’ll lay the groundwork, introducing you to the basic anatomy and physiology of the human eye, before going on to explore topics such as ocular misalignment (strabismus), eye movement disorders, ocular diseases and medical microbiology.

Throughout the course, you'll work closely with patients and clinicians, developing key interpersonal skills to help you flourish in any multidisciplinary eye care team. You’ll also learn how the NHS works, and explore topics such as medical ethics and law.

Finally, you'll put everything you’ve learnt into practice with a research project or literature search on a topic that interests you. You might have the opportunity to present your findings at a conference or have your work published in a medical journal.

**Hands-on clinical experience**
We know how important hands-on experience is, which is why our course includes 33 weeks of clinical placement. You’ll work in orthoptic departments across the UK and Ireland, learning from the experts and spending vital time with patients with a range of eye disorders. Most often, you’ll be helping to treat children, the elderly and those with disabilities. The final year includes a two-week clinical placement in an orthoptic clinic of your choice.

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

England
£9,250
per year
International
£29,110
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,250
per year
Scotland
£9,250
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

The Uni


Course location:

University of Sheffield

Department:

Allied Health Professions, Nursing and Midwifery

Read full university profile

What students say


We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

65%
Orthoptics

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Ophthalmics

Teaching and learning

77%
Staff make the subject interesting
88%
Staff are good at explaining things
65%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
73%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

62%
Library resources
81%
IT resources
64%
Course specific equipment and facilities
46%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

90%
UK students
10%
International students
22%
Male students
78%
Female students
88%
2:1 or above
10%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

B
B
B

After graduation


The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Ophthalmics

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£22,128
high
Average annual salary
100%
med
Employed or in further education
100%
med
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

100%
Therapy professionals

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Ophthalmics

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£22k

£22k

£28k

£28k

£31k

£31k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

Explore these similar courses...

Higher entry requirements
Bangor University | Bangor (Wales)
Medical Sciences
BMedSci H 3 Years Full-time 2024
UCAS Points: 104-128
Lower entry requirements
University of Bedfordshire | Luton
Visual Impairment Rehabilitation
BMedSci H 2 Years Full-time 2024
UCAS Points: 32-48
Nearby University
University of Huddersfield | Huddersfield
Optometry
BMedSci H 3 Years Full-time 2024
UCAS Points: 136

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This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

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Course location and department:

This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

We've received this information from the Department for Education, via Ucas. This is how the university as a whole has been rated for its quality of teaching: gold silver or bronze. Note, not all universities have taken part in the TEF.

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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

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Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

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Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here