Clinical Optometry, admission criteria

Name of the Qualification	Master of Health Care, Clinical Optometry (MOptom)
Degree Title	Master of Health Care
Scope of Degree	90 ECTS / 1-2 years
Name of the Degree Programme	Degree Programme in Clinical Optometry
Number of Starting Places	16
Implementation of Studies	This education is offered as a flexible part-time-based education, partly online, and partly on-campus. Education consists of 6 theory modules that also include clinical workshops. Four modules are offered annually. Intensive contact teaching on campus will last for two (2) days. After completion of theory modules, students will complete their mentor-guided research activities. Higher education studies require you to commit yourself to an active and independent working approach The commencement dates of Oamk Master’s degrees and the contact days for the academic year 2022-2023 will be announced later.
Campus	Kontinkangas campus Kiviharjuntie 4, 90220 Oulu
Application Period	5-19 January 2022 at 3 pm Finnish time
Entrance Examination	Interviews take place in spring 2022
Other info	Tuition fee for non-EU/EEA students 10 000€ per academic year. Scholarship available.

Applicants must have completed: Optometrist’s bachelor’s degree or higher, Finnish vocational-level optician degree, international Optometrist’s diploma degree or Optician’s diploma degree.

In addition, applicants must have an education that allows them to use diagnostic pharmaceutical medications as well as license to fit contact lenses. International applicants who do not have the education that provides them the rights to use the diagnostic pharmaceuticals in their home country are eligible but their competence is evaluated in the beginning of studies. If needed, mandatory supplementary studies are offered.

Applicants must have also obtained two (2) years of subsequent work experience in a relevant field after graduation. As a relevant field is regarded both the field being applied to and the field of the previous higher education degree. Universities of applied sciences also accept work experience obtained after completion of a post-secondary or higher vocational level diploma in Finland (in any field of education) but prior to taking the higher education degree. In such cases, too, at least two years of work experience obtained in a relevant field is required.

The qualification must have been completed by the 15th of July 2022. The two years of work experience required for eligibility must have been acquired by the 31st of July 2022.

The student selection is two-phased: advance assignment and interview. All applicants that pass the advance assignment are invited to second phase of student selection and take part in an individual online interview. 

Applicants are required to present the following documents before the entrance interviews:

1. Cover letter

2. Curriculum vitae

3. Preliminary plan describing a development challenge.

The advance assignment is evaluated on a scale of pass/fail. The document should be submitted in English in pdf format by uploading it to the online application on 26 January 2022 at 3 pm Finnish time at the latest.

To pass the advance assignment successfully it should include the following three (3) documents:

1. Cover letter

The cover letter should be minimum 600 words. The purpose of the cover letter is to outline the applicant’s motivation and to share his / her interests and goals and the readiness to study in the program. In practice, it explains the reason why the applicant should be accepted as a student. The applicant describes his / her career and plans and how the studies are related to it. The applicant also presents how he / she intends to organize the studies taking into account work and life situation. The applicant also evaluates his / her current skills in relation to the curriculum of the applied education.

2. Curriculum vitae

The curriculum vitae (CV) should be presented in a tight format. It should show, among other things, completed studies, work history and a list of publications if applicable.

3. Preliminary study plan describing the master thesis´ development

The preliminary plan should be minimum 600 words. The preliminary plan describing a development challenge. The preliminary plan should demonstrate at least one key challenge from the applicant’s previous (or current) workplace environment which is in need of an innovative solution that improves clinical delivery of eye care. One of the most important evaluation criteria of the preliminary plan is that how concrete the plan is. The plan demonstrates the applicant’s capability to approach working life-based development assignment. The development assignment can be the theme of the master thesis.

Applicants’ English language skills are evaluated from the advance assignment.

All eligible candidates who have submitted and passed the advance assignment will be invited to an individual online interview which will be held on April 2022. Interview is evaluated on a scale of 0 to 100 points. To meet the admissions criteria, the applicant must fulfill all admission requirements and receive at least 20 points in total from the interview.

Interview topics include: 1) Clinical work experience 2) Future challenges of eye care 3) Basic ocular anatomy and physical-and pathology- related questions.

Applicants’ English language skills are evaluated in the interview.  

Admission Services
Tel. +358 10 192 001
admissions@oamk.fi

Andersson Robert
Principal Lecturer, Health Sector
040 1418349