Dispensing Optician Registerable Award - BSc (Hons)

Program Overview

This three-year program prepares students for a career as a dispensing optician. Students will learn about ophthalmic lenses, optical appliances, low vision, contact lens management, visual optics, and ocular emergencies. The program includes four residential placements per year and uses innovative assessment methods to support progress towards registration. Graduates will be ready to work as dispensing opticians or may choose to continue their studies in optometry.

Program Outline

Outline:

• Students will learn about ophthalmic lenses and dispensing of optical appliances along with low vision and contact lens management, visual optics, and ocular emergencies.
• The course also features four residential placements per year at ARU in Cambridge, where students will take part in seminars, lectures and practical workshops with their fellow students.
• Year 1:
• Introduction to Geometrical Optics and Ophthalmic Lenses
• Refractive Management part 1
• Academic Techniques for Standards of Practice
• Ophthalmic Practice 1
• Human and Ocular Anatomy
• Year 2:
• Refractive Managment part 2
• Ruskin Module (15 credits)
• Further Ophthalmic Lenses
• Low Vision Assessment and Management
• Ocular Pathology
• Ophthalmic Practice 2
• Year 3:
• Contact Lenses
• Advanced Ophthalmic Lenses and Paediatric Dispensing
• Ophthalmic Practice 3 - dissertation
• Professional Registration - OSCE

Assessment:

• The course uses innovative assessment methods to support progress towards registration.
These include:
• Completion of a workbook detailing a series of clinical tasks
• Formative online assessments
• Videoed demonstrations of clinical skills

Careers:

• Graduates will be ready to work as dispensing opticians or may choose to continue their studies and join the BOptom (Hons) Optometry degree.

Tuition Fees and Payment Information:

Tuition fees and student loans for UK students (2024/25) £9,250 UK students starting 2024/25 (full-time, per year) If you're a UK student, you don't need the money to pay for university now. If you accept an offer to study at university, you can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan to cover your course fees. Both full-time and part-time students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan. Part-time students should be studying more than a quarter (25% intensity) of a full-time course each year. You'll start repaying the loan in the April after you graduate. If you start a course on or after 1 August 2023, you won't repay anything until you earn more than £25,000. This is called repayment Plan 5. At this point, you'll repay 9% on everything you earn over £25,000. After 40 years (from the April after graduation), all remaining debt is wiped. If you started a course on or before 31 July 2023, you won't repay anything until you earn more than £27,295. This is called repayment Plan 2. At this point, you'll repay 9% on everything you earn over £27,295. After 30 years (from the April after graduation), all remaining debt is wiped. For example for students who are on repayment Plan 5: If you earn £25,500, you'll repay £45 a year or £3.75 a month That's because £25,500 is £500 above the threshold, and 9% of £500 is £45. What you repay depends on how much you earn after university. The more you earn, the more you pay back. For more information about student loans, see our undergraduate student finance page. This information also applies to: Irish nationals living in the UK or Ireland EU, EEA and Swiss nationals benefiting from citizens’ rights under the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement. Paying for uni: bursaries, sponsorship and working Irish nationals living in the UK or Ireland EU, EEA and Swiss nationals benefiting from citizens’ rights under the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement. Paying for uni: bursaries, sponsorship and working We offer a range of ARU scholarships and bursaries, which provide extra financial support while you’re at university. If you're eligible for a scholarship, you'll generally receive it automatically – there's no need to apply. Our campus employment bureau, ARU Temps, can help you find part-time work that fits around your studies. It's a great chance to enhance your CV and boost your income while you study.