ABDO College Prospectus 2012-13.pdf

ABDO COLLEGE | OPTICAL DISPENSING STUDIES (ODS) COURSE
BSc (Hons) in Optical Dispensing Studies Course
Optical Dispensing Studies
The Optical Dispensing Studies (ODS)
programme is designed to enhance
your professional development by
reviewing current topics which are
common in everyday practice and
learning new skills to apply to the
working environment. This will provide
the opportunity to develop your career
within the changing inter-professional
workplace.
What will I learn on this course?
The Academic Development module
will teach graduate skills, reflection
and promote student discussion, via
attendance days and the ‘Blackboard’
virtual learning environment. Successful
completion of this module will allow
direct access to the Honours degree
programme.
The Honours degree programme
consists of six 20 credit modules, studied
part-time over two years.
There are three profession specific
modules, these are:
These are:
1. Low Vision
2. Living with Low Vision
3. Contact Lenses: Theory and Use
There are three inter-professional
university modules recommended for
dispensing opticians. The student is
given the freedom to research a chosen
area of professional interest and
evaluate its evidence base. It will introduce
students to theoretical and practical
skills designed to benefit the supervision
of pre-registration students or staff
members. They compliment the
promotion of patient health in the
contemporary workplace.
1. Inquiry based approaches:
This module develops skills necessary
to evaluate research evidence and gain
a greater understanding of methods of
inquiry. (Mandatory)
2. Preparing learning facilitators:
This module helps develop the skills
required to become a work-place
facilitator, supporting, facilitating,
assessing and evaluating learning
in the work-place.
3. Individual study module: Students
will undertake a study that is a systematic,
reflective, critical inquiry into a specific
area of individual interest.
Who is running the course?
ABDO College and Canterbury Christ
Church University (CCCU) are running
this course together as partners. You
will be a student at both.
Who it is aimed at?
The BSc (Hons) in Optical Dispensing
Studies course has been designed for
fully qualified dispensing opticians who
wish to gain an in-depth knowledge in
a chosen area and discover graduate
skills that can be applied to the workplace
as well as obtaining an internationally
recognised qualification.
Do I have to be working
in practice?
No, it is not essential to be working
in practice, however previous practice
experience and access to the workplace
may be required for some modules.
How long is the course?
The Academic Development module is
a short part-time course and begins six
months before the degree programme.
The duration of the ODS course is two
years part-time study.
How do I study for the
Honours degree?
This is a distance, part-time programme
which consists of practical attendance
days, virtual learning, online assessment
and in some modules, practice based
learning.
How does distance learning
study work?
Each module begins with an attendance
day to introduce you to the work and
explain the expectations and requirements
for that module. Further material,
discussion and sometimes formative
assessment takes place through the
virtual learning environment (Blackboard).
The module leader will be your primary
source of contact for that session of
study and, in most cases, the first
marker for your assessment. Study at
this level is expected to be ‘student led’
and you will need to attend the
face-to-face sessions and engage with
the online elements for the best learning
experience.
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