University introduces Optometry degree
Professor Christian French
The University of Leicester is pleased to announce that its new four-year Optometry degree has been given permission to recruit students by the General Optical Council (GOC).
The qualification does not yet have GOC approval until a decision is made at Stage 5 of the approval process.
The first cohort of students is set to be welcomed next September (2026).
Blending clinical-based learning with practical real-world experience, students will develop their knowledge of eye health to gain a Master of Optometry (MOptom) degree.
Professor Christian French, who is leading the new course, said: “Students will undertake multiple placements throughout the course to give them a real sense of what is expected of a career in Optometry. They will learn how to carry out detailed eye examinations, prescribe glasses or contact lenses and detect and manage a variety of disorders in vision or disease; skills which put them at the frontline of healthcare.
“Our expert practitioners will deliver this using the University’s outstanding dedicated clinical teaching spaces at Leicester Royal Infirmary, optics labs on campus, as well as highly specialist facilities including medical dissection rooms and Space Park Leicester.
“Not only does the course develop essential practical knowledge needed for an optometrist, but the supporting business acumen necessary to thrive and develop when they step into the world of work, whether that’s in a hospital, on the High Street or elsewhere.”
Students join other healthcare undergraduates from across the College of Life Sciences, including Nursing, Midwifery, Physiotherapy, Diagnostic Radiography, Operating Department Practice and Pharmacy, and will also study aspects of employment and management relevant to an optometrist's role, including practice management and clinical law.
In their final year, students undertake a year-long Clinical Learning in Practice (CLiP) module, run in conjunction with the College of Optometrists, in addition to working towards a Professional Certificate in Glaucoma (ProfCert Glauc), whilst working with a single employer. This allows them to implement and consolidate their clinical learning into routine practice and means that upon successful completion of the course, they will immediately be eligible to enter the professional register as a fully qualified optometrist.