Prizes and awards

Close-up of people presenting awards

UNSW School of Optometry & Vision Science annually awards prizes to recognise achievement by UNSW, Sydney students and graduates in the areas of Academic Excellence, Global Impact and Social Engagement.

  • Best Performance in Stage 1 Optics

    • Stage awarded: First year of Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Clinical Optometry
    • Sponsor: Transitions Optical (now Essilor)
    • Purpose: To reward the student with the best performance in Stage 1 Optics. This addresses academic excellence
    • Selection criteria: Best performance in VISN1111 and VISN1221
  • Best Performance in Stage 2 Clinical Optometry

    • Stage awarded: Second year of Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Clinical Optometry
    • Sponsor: BOC
    • Purpose: To reward the student with the best performance in Stage 2 Clinical Optometry. This addresses academic excellence
    • Selection criteria: Best performance in OPTM2133 and OPTM2233
  • Best Performance in Stage 3 Ocular Diseases

    • Stage awarded: Third year of Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Clinical Optometry
    • Sponsor: Essilor
    • Purpose: To reward the student with the best performance in Stage 3 Ocular Diseases.
    • Selection criteria: Best performance in OPTM3105 and OPTM3205

    Best Performance in Stage 3 Environmental Optometry and Dispensing

    • Stage awarded: Third year of Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Clinical Optometry
    • Sponsor: UVEX
    • Purpose: This prize addresses academic excellence in environmental optometry and dispensing, for students in their 3rd year of the Bachelor of Optometry/Bachelor of Vision Science program
    • Selection criteria: Best performance in OPTM2233 and dispensing assignment in OPTM3233
  • Optometry Australia NSW/ACT Prize in Ocular Therapeutics

    (Master of Clinical Optometry, Stage 1)

    • Stage awarded: Fourth year of Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Clinical Optometry
    • Sponsor: Optometry Australia NSW/ACT
    • Purpose: To reward the student with the best performance in Ocular Therapeutics. This addresses academic excellence
    • Selection criteria: Best performance in OPTM6413 and OPTM6423

    CooperVision Prize in Contact Lenses

    (Master of Clinical Optometry, Stage 1)

    • Stage awarded: Fourth year of Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Clinical Optometry
    • Sponsor: CooperVision
    • Purpose: To reward the student with the best performance in Contact Lenses. This addresses academic excellence
    • Selection criteria: Best performance in OPTM6411

    Mivision Prize in Recognition of Social Engagement (also available for stage 5)

    • Stage awarded: First or final year of the Master of Clinical Optometry
    • Sponsor: Mivision
    • Purpose: To recognise students that have demonstrated excellence in communication, advocacy or in promoting eyecare to the community or other professions
  • Dr Andrew Whatham Prize for Stage 5 CFEH Clinical Excellence

    • Stage awarded: Final year of Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Clinical Optometry
    • Sponsor: Mrs Whatham and Centre for Eye Health
    • Purpose: To reward the student with the best performance in Stage 5 Centre for Eye Health Clinical Placement. This addresses academic excellence
    • Selection criteria: Best performance in OPTM8513 and OPTM8523 Centre for Eye Health clinical placement.

    The recipient/s during their time at CFEH demonstrated the highest levels of the following:

    1. Academic performance: Score based on performance in the entry test.

    2. Clinic service: Score based on overall performance during clinical rotation at CFEH as judged by clinical staff.

    3. Growth of knowledge: Score based on attendance and participation in CFEH tutorials.

    4. Research/evidence-based practice: Score based on presentation of research paper at CFEH journal club.

    CFEH will develop a scoring system for components #2,3,4 that incorporates staff involved in the three components. The academic performance (#1) provides a ranking system for all students.

    In addition to clinical and academic excellence, the selection criteria will include professional criteria such as punctuality, interaction with patients, staff and other students.

    If a student is removed from CFEH clinical rotations, they would automatically be excluded from receiving the award

    Research Project Prize in Master of Clinical Optometry

    • Stage awarded: Final year of Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Clinical Optometry
    • Sponsor: Optometric Vision Research Foundation
    • Purpose: To reward the student with the best performance in Stage 5 Research Project. This addresses academic excellence
    • Selection criteria: Best performance in OPTM8514

    The ACBO Prize in Binocular and Children’s Vision for the best overall performance throughout the Master of Clinical Optometry program in Binocular and Children’s Vision

    • Stage awarded: Final year of Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Clinical Optometry
    • Sponsor: ACBO
    • Purpose: To reward an undergraduate the best performance in the Stage 5 in Binocular and Children's Vision. This addresses academic excellence
    • Selection criteria: Best performance in OPTM8511 and OPTM6421 Binocular Vision strand

    The Specsavers Prize for Overall Excellence in the Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Clinical Optometry program

    • Stage awarded: Final year of Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Clinical Optometry
    • Sponsor: SpecSavers
    • Purpose: To reward the student with the best performance in the Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Clinical Optometry program. This addresses academic excellence.
    • Selection criteria: Student with the best overall WAM

    The Designs for Vision Prize

    • Stage awarded: Final year of the Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Clinical Optometry
    • Sponsors: Designs for Vision
    • Purpose: For the best overall performance throughout the Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Clinical Optometry program in Primary Care Optometry

    The Specsavers Prize for Excellence in Patient Management

    • Stage awarded: Final year of the Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Clinical Optometry
    • Sponsor: Specsavers
    • Purpose: For excellence in patient management by a student in the final year of the Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Clinical Optometry program
    • Selection Process: Awarded to final year Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Clinical Optometry student for excellence in patient management

    The Luxottica Prize for the Best Performance in Clinical Ocular Therapeutics (Master of Clinical Optometry, Stage 2)

    • Stage awarded: Final year of the Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Clinical Optometry
    • Sponsor: Luxottica
    • Purpose: For the best performance in OPTM8513 Clinical Ocular Therapy 5A and OPTM8523 Clinical Ocular Therapy 5B

    The Australian College of Optometry (ACO) Prize

    • Stage awarded: Final year of the Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Clinical Optometry
    • Sponsor: ACO
    • Purpose: For the academic excellence in primary care optometry, specifically in the ACO placement
  • Best Performance in the Postgraduate Ocular Therapeutics

    • Stage awarded: Postgraduate Coursework
    • Sponsor: Luxottica
    • Purpose: To reward the student with the best performance in postgraduate therapeutics. This addresses academic excellence.
    • Selection criteria: Best performance in OPTM7436 who completed the program, regardless of the commencement date.

    The Brian Kirby Prize for the Best PhD Thesis

    • Stage awarded: Postgraduate Research
    • Sponsor: Brian Kirby Foundation
    • Purpose: To reward the student with the best performance in their PhD thesis. This addresses academic excellence.
    • Selection criteria: Best thesis as judged by the comments of the thesis examiners for a thesis whose examiner reports have been received between January and December of the previous year.