BSc Orthoptics apprenticeship
This three-year (36 month) degree apprenticeship allows you to combine work and study, and qualify to practise as an orthoptist. The British and Irish Orthoptic Society (BIOS) are supporting the University of Sheffield as the sole provider of the first ever orthoptics apprenticeship.
Programme description
Programme lead
Level
Level 6
Next intake
September 2026
Application window
2nd February - 29th May 2026
Become a specialist in the diagnosis and management of a wide range of conditions relating to vision, strabismus (eye misalignment) and binocular function, as well as in supporting patients with reduced vision.
This degree apprenticeship has been designed to give you a deep understanding of vision, binocularity and a broad range of eye conditions, through a combination of online live teaching, work-based learning, clinical placement activities and “on the job” learning .
You’ll spend 40% of your time learning from passionate clinicians and researchers at the University of Sheffield, or on placements in alternative settings. The rest of your time you will be putting your learning into practice on the job with your employer.
As the organisation responsible for delivering your programme, we will work closely with your employer. You will have a personal-academic tutor at the University and a clinical Orthoptic mentor in your workplace, plus educators at your placement providers to support you.
Accreditation and the apprenticeship standard
This programme is pending approval from the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
It also meets the orthoptist standard defined by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education.
Duration
Integrated three year programme (36 months) + 1 month max for EPA, full time
Teaching
In week one of your first year you will attend an in-person Welcome Week at the University of Sheffield, where you will get to know our teaching team, as well as your fellow students on our BSc Orthoptic apprenticeship and students studying the traditional-route BMedSci Orthoptics programme.
All other university teaching is delivered by online learning which is live, synchronous and participatory and supplemented by work-based exercises which you can complete with the support of your Orthoptic mentor. Each year you will also undertake a one month-long placement in an alternative setting, to experience a diverse range of orthoptic clinics.
We have set out a detailed apprenticeship delivery plan which details the learning activities of each day, week and month, including assessment and placement times, for the entire 36-month long apprenticeship. You, your employer (your NHS Trust and specifically the Orthoptic team) and our academic team will follow the delivery plan to make sure that the key dates for learning and assessment are known from the outset.
Modules
- Year one
- Understanding Society (20 credits)
- Anatomy and Physiology (Orthoptics) (20 credits)
- Clinical Orthoptics (20 credits)
- Strabismus, Ocular Motility and Professionalism (40 credits)
- Year two
- Visual Optics (20 credits)
- Clinical Visual Optics (20 credits)
- Clinical Orthoptics (20 credits)
- Strabismus and Ocular Motility (40 credits)
- Disease and Research (20 credits)
- Year three
- Research Project (40 credits)
- Medical Exemptions for Orthoptists (20 credits)
- Clinical Orthoptics (20 credits)
- Strabismus and Ocular Motility (20 credits)
- Ophthalmology and Neurology (20 credits)
Assessment
The course takes you through five modules a year. There are four main study blocks each year and each module has at least one assessment.
All the assessment dates and placement times, for the entire 36-month long apprenticeship, are shared with you and your employer from the outset, to make sure that you are supported in achieving the key assessment milestones for your studies.
Entry requirements
- A levels: CCC or equivalent experience in a relevant work environment (e.g. as an Orthoptic assistant or vision screener)
- OR BTEC Extended Diploma MMM in a healthcare or science subject
- OR Access to HE Diploma in a relevant subject, with 45 credits at Level 3, including 9 at Distinction and 36 at Merit.
- Equivalent work-based experience will be considered on an individual basis. Please contact us to discuss any questions about your qualifications.
- PLUS GCSEs at grade C/4 or above, including Mathematics and English Language.
Other requirements
- A satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Enhanced Disclosure check (or EU equivalent)
- A satisfactory occupational health screening report
English language requirements
You must demonstrate that your English is good enough for you to successfully complete your course. For this course, and to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council we require: GCSE English Language at grade 4/C. Applicants for whom English is not a first language will require an overall IELTS score of 7, with no subtest below 6.5. This IELTS score is the threshold needed to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
Interviews
Recruitment, shortlisting and interviews will be organised by the employing partnership with support from the University and service users.
Apply
The University does not currently recruit directly for the apprenticeship programme. However, we will support employers such as NHS Trusts with local recruitment by providing a University tutor, to support a tripartite interview for an apprenticeship position.
Your employer can submit an expression of interest for this apprenticeship by contacting ahpnm-apprenticeships-admissions@sheffield.ac.uk for a copy of our Expression of Interest form.
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