Visual and optometric sciences

This page is updated for the academic year 2023-2024.
Information for the academic year 2024-2025 will be updated in the coming days.
 

Master's Degree 

Only Track A is available (research-based)
 
The School of Optometry and Visual Sciences is a part of the Faculty of Life Sciences with a track that includes research and thesis submission. 

Program admission criteria 

Students with a bachelor's degree in optometry, life sciences or brain sciences with a minimum grade point average of 85 may be admitted. Students with a background in life sciences or brain sciences must complete missing courses in their first year, as specified in the syllabus. 

Criteria for transitioning to the second year of study 

Research plan approval by the end of the first year of study. 

Program completion criteria, including requirements for degree eligibility: students are allocated two years for degree completion, including coursework requirements, research work, thesis work and thesis defense. 

Credit and seminar requirements 

During the two years of the master’s degree students must take 12 AC (annual-based credits) (24 SC – semester-based credits) of coursework and seminars and pass them. 

Completion of missing courses 

Students who have a non-optometry bachelor's degree (life sciences or brain sciences) must also complete 11 AC (22 SC) of additional courses. 

The aim of background course completion is imparting basic knowledge in the anatomy and physiology of the eye and the principles of visual perception. 

Master’s degree students engage in research and write it up in their thesis. 

Additionally, students take Jewish studies or general studies and must meet master’s degree English standards. 

General structure of the program: 

Theoretical studies in the field of optometry and visual sciences. 

Of 12 AC (24 SC) required for degree completion – 4 AC (8 SC) are required courses, 4 AC (8 SC) for elective courses, and 4 AC (8 SC) as a seminar. Students must pass all courses. 

The aim of the required courses is to develop an in-depth understanding of the foundations of evidence-based research in general, while emphasizing the foundations of clinical research, and a basic course that includes the principles in the use of scientific equipment, critical for conducting research. 

Elective courses allow students to deepen their knowledge and understanding in the specific areas they are exploring in their research. 

Elective courses will only open with a minimum enrollment of seven students. In the event of insufficient registration, students will be asked to choose an alternative elective. 

Students are required to submit seminar papers for their master’s degree seminar courses, required of all students in the track. Upon completion of their thesis, students are tested on their thesis by an examination committee (details below) as is the case for all research-based master’s degree students. 

Research proposal 

Students must submit a thesis proposal to the Faculty of Life Sciences committee for graduate studies after it has been approved by the advisor at the end of the first year of the proposed research work. 

The Faculty of Life Sciences committee for graduate studies asks two faculty members to review and evaluate the research proposal. After the student has made corrections to the proposal as per reviewer comments, and after approval of the proposal by the Faculty of Life Sciences committee for graduate studies, the proposal is submitted to the School of Graduate Studies. 

  

Research proposals are to be submitted by the end of the first year of study. 

  

Final exam for the master’s degree 

The exam is based on the thesis and its underlying bibliography. 

After research has been completed and after advisor approval, the written thesis is submitted to the Faculty of Life Sciences committee for graduate studies. 

The Faculty of Life Sciences committee recommends a panel of two examiners in addition to the advisor for the final exam. Before the exam begins, examiners grade the submitted work; this grade comprises 35% of the final thesis grade. The advisor also evaluates the student’s submitted work separately and grades it; this grade also comprises 35% of the final thesis grade. 

Thesis guidelines 

See School of Graduate Studies Rules and Regulations in the introductory chapter. 

Jewish studies 

As per general requirements for the master's degree (see introductory chapter). 

English requirements 

Master’s degree students in optometry and visual sciences are exempt from the English foreign language requirement. 

  

For further details 

contact Dr. Roxane Lahmi at the department by phone at 077-3063915 or via email Roxane.Lahmi@biu.ac.il 

or visit the School of Optometry and Visual Sciences website