CONFERENCEProfessional master's study programme "Clinical Optometry" (LV, 4 semesters)
Programme level: Professional Master's
Language of instruction: Latvian
Study form and duration: full-time - 4 semesters
Credits: 120 ECTS
Obtainable degree or qualification: Professional Master degree in Clinical Optometry
Number of students accepted each year: State-funded study places - 8, study places for tuition fee - 16
Tuition fee per year (ac. year 2025/26): 4000 EUR for EU/EEA/Swiss citizens, permanent residence permit holders and their family members. 5000 EUR for citizens of other countries
Study location: Tornakalns
The professional master’s study programme “ Clinical Optometry” offers diversified, wide-ranging studies based on the vision science and contemporary problems of primary vision care. The professional qualification offered upon acquisition of the programme meets the requirements of the professional standard "Optometrist".
Acting Director of the Study Programme
The study programme content mainly consists of professional (clinical) and natural science (experimental) subjects, which relate to the evaluation, research and understanding of the human system of vision.
The percentage distribution of the workload of the programme consists of: internships – 33%, medicine and physiology of vision – 35%, while the rest is made up by the subjects of natural sciences and psychology. The study programme (in the amount of 80 credit points) contains lecture courses and internships, which include both mandatory and limited elective parts.
The mandatory part A of the study programme (66 credit points) contains specialization courses – general medicine in optometry, eye diseases and pharmacotherapy, contact correction, models of visual perception, as well as state examinations and master's thesis.
The limited elective part B (14 credit points) contains courses in clinical and experimental optometry. The state examination consists of a theoretical examination in optometry (test), a practical examination in the evaluation of the patient's visual functions and determination of vision correction, and is provided in the volume of 2 credit points. Master's thesis elaboration and defence is in the volume of 20 credit points.
By fulfilling the programme requirements, the student acquires both professional skills and competences in the field of primary vision care – optometry, as well as academic knowledge in vision science enabling continuation of the studies in the doctoral programme.
Previous education:
1) bachelor’s degree of natural sciences in optometry;
2) bachelor's degree or second level professional higher education (or equivalent higher education), which includes the mandatory part A of the bachelor's study programme in optometry;
3) bachelor's degree or second level professional higher education (or equivalent higher education) in other related fields of science
Competition result calculation formula: weighted average grade (60 x 10 = 600) + total (or average) grade of final examinations (40 x 10 = 400).
Additional condition: persons whose previous education is not a bachelor's degree in optometry, must acquire the optometry continuing education course “Basics of Optometry” in the amount of 20 credit points before starting studies.
Absolventes atsauksme
Optometrista profesijā maģistrantūra noteikti ir lietderīga. Maģistrantūras studijas optometrijā man iedeva lielu izrāvienu zināšanās un praktiskajā iemaņās, attīstīja arī loģisko domāšanu, kas ļāva ne vairs tikai atkārtot darbības, bet pašai saprast, kas un kāpēc darāms. Lai arī cilvēka acs ir ļoti maza, tajā ir ļoti daudz, ko izzināt, līdz ar to acu ārstu un optometristu darbības lauks ir ļoti plašs. Kā optometriste, es veicu primāro redzes aprūpi, novērtēju vispārējo pacienta veselības stāvokli, redzes funkcijas, redzes orgānu funkcijas, veicu redzes refraktīvo un funkcionālo traucējumu diagnostiku, nozīmēju un pielāgoju optiskos redzes palīglīdzekļus, brilles, kontaktlēcas, veicu arī redzes terapiju, lai atjaunotu un sabalansētu redzes sistēmas stāvokli. Lai studētu optometriju, galvenais ir interese - sajūta, ka dari un mācies to, kas patiesi patīk. Tad arī nākot uz lekcijām būs gandarījums par to, ko apgūsti.
