Since the start of 2022, the postgraduate student experience emerged triumphant from the travel restrictions caused by the global pandemic. In February 2022, our Master of Optometry (MOptom) students who commenced their candidature overseas were able to finally travel to Australia to study on campus at UNSW Sydney.
A special welcome event was hosted by Associate Professor Juno Kim and Dr Peter Wagner for our arriving international students. Dr Wagner prepared a whole trout he smoked for the day for our new student arrivals. The students who arrived in Sydney went on a tour of the UNSW Kensington campus and visited some of the laboratories located within the School of Optometry & Vision Science.
Photo: Dr Wagner serving up a smoked trout for students arriving from China to continue their postgraduate studies on campus at UNSW Sydney. They all enjoyed a tour of the facilities and resources available at our Kensington campus.
Some of the students who were enrolled in the MOptom over the past year have engaged with courses not only in Optometry and Vision Science, but also other coursework offerings available outside of the school as part of their degree. Feedback from students has been very positive and all of them thoroughly enjoyed complementing their optometric studies by undertaking courses from UNSW Business School and/or the School of Population Health (Public Health).
Three MOptom students are graduating in 2022.
The Graduate Certificate in Ocular Therapeutics is a program that runs biennially and was offered in 2022. This program requires students to undertake hospital placements, and the experiences involved were thoroughly enjoyed by students enrolled as indicated by the feedback provided. Students expressed thanks to the ‘very helpful staff and specialists who took time out of their very busy schedules to create such a positive learning experience. There are 12 students expected to complete this program in 2022. The program is planned to be offered next in 2024.
The Graduate Diploma in Orientation and Mobility is our newest one-year postgraduate offering, that is in its second year running. The program attracts students from across Australia who participate in class through mostly blended remote learning activities. The convenience for students to be able to undertake placements in their home state (where possible) makes this program unique in the way it caters for student diversity and the learning/working needs of students.
An on-campus experience is required for four to five weeks during the year, where students must travel to Sydney to participate in intensive practical skills training sessions.
Photo: Students and instructors working together to provide guidance on the effective use of canes.
Thinking about enrolling into our Graduate Diploma in Orientation and Mobility program? Find out more via the following link:
Associate Professor Juno Kim
Postgraduate Coursework Program Authority
Dr Alex Hui and Dr Angelica Ly
Program Authorities for the Graduate Certificate in Ocular Therapeutics
Dr Sharon Oberstein
Program Authority for the Graduate Diploma in Orientation and Mobility