PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATE IN GLAUCOMA
PROGRAMME HANDBOOK
2024-25
Division of Pharmacy and Optometry
School of Health Sciences
Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health
Introduction to the Professional Certificate in Glaucoma
Welcome to the Division of Pharmacy and Optometry at the University of Manchester. The Professional Certificate in Glaucoma sits in the Pharmacy and Vision Sciences PGT Consortium in the School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health
This handbook provides details of the University of Manchester Programme leading to the Professional Certificate in Glaucoma. It includes information about the aims and learning outcomes, structure, content, admissions, assessment and programme management. It should be read in conjunction with related University documentation.
We hope that your time studying with Manchester will be productive and enjoyable.
Programme Director:
Dr Catherine Porter
Email: catherine.porter@manchester.ac.uk
3rd Floor, Carys Bannister Building
Professional Certificate Leads:
Dr Catherine Porter
Email: catherine.porter@manchester.ac.uk
3rd Floor, Carys Bannister Building
Dr Patrick Gunn
Email: Patrick.gunn@mft.nhs.uk
Manchester Royal Eye Hospital
Theory Module Lead
Prof Robert Harper
Email: robert.harper@mft.nhs.uk
Manchester Royal Eye Hospital
PGT Consortium Lead, Pharmacy & Vision Sciences:
Dr Alain Pluen
Head of Division, Pharmacy & Optometry
Prof Kaye Williams
School Administrative Teams:
Student Hub: shs.hub@manchester.ac.uk
Wellbeing: shs.wellbeing@manchester.ac.uk
Attendance monitoring: shs.attendance@manchester.ac.uk
Disability support: shs.dc@manchester.ac.uk
Mitigating Circumstances: shs.mitcircs@manchester.ac.uk
Programmes team: shs.programmes@manchester.ac.uk
Assessments team: shs.assessment@manchester.ac.uk
General information about the Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, staff listings and research interests are contained in this handbook, but more information can be obtained from the following web sites:
The Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health home page:
https://www.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/
The University of Manchester home page:
http://www.manchester.ac.uk/
Communication with Students
Please note that only Blackboard, the University e-learning platform and your allocated student university email address will be used as official communication by University staff. It is your responsibility to ensure that you can access and read email from this source.
Students are required to keep the University informed of any change to their personal circumstances such as change of name or address. Changes can be recorded by the student via their own personal online record, accessed via the MyManchester portal. It is also essential to inform the Programme Administrator if you do not intend to return to the next session of the course, if, for example, you are moving away.
Section A: Programme Structure
Rationale, General Description, Postgraduate Taught Degree Regulations for Students
Postgraduate Taught degrees at the University of Manchester are based on the National Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ). This framework requires students to achieve credit at Masters level in order to get an award. For a standard postgraduate taught Masters programme this will normally mean passing 180 credits. A standard Postgraduate Diploma will normally have 120 credits and a Postgraduate Certificate 60 credits. The way in which you study these credits will be defined later in the programme handbook and the programme specification.
The University sets standards relating to your performance on every unit but also on your progression through the programme. Your programme and course unit specifications will set out the requirements for passing the credit on individual units.
The full PGT Degree Regulations can be accessed at:
http://www.regulations.manchester.ac.uk/postgraduate-degree-regulations/.
The following guidance should be read in conjunction with the Introduction to the Postgraduate Degree Regulations for Students:
http://www.tlso.manchester.ac.uk/degree-regulations/
Exemptions to the PGT Degree Regulations
Please be aware that the Professional Certificate in Glaucoma programme has some higher requirements to the University degree regulations and details of these are outlined below.
The programmes above will not apply compensation rules to any course units.
A mark of 50% must be achieved this unit.
Programme Management
The Programme Committee will be primarily responsible for monitoring the programme and will report directly to the Pharmacy and Vision Sciences Postgraduate Consortium Committee. This committee in turn reports to the School of Health Sciences PGT Committee. Special responsibility for the programme will be taken by the Programme Director, the Consortium Lead for Postgraduate Taught Programmes and the Head of Division. The Programme Committee will, in liaison with the School Postgraduate Committee, take responsibility for programme structure, development and delivery. The Programme Director will be responsible for admissions to the programme.
The Programme Director, in liaison with the Consortium Lead and the Postgraduate Programmes Manager, will be responsible for Quality Assurance for the programme.
Role of the External Examiner
External Examiners are individuals from another institution or organisation who monitor the assessment processes of the University to ensure fairness and academic standards. They ensure that assessment and examination procedures have been fairly and properly implemented and that decisions have been made after appropriate deliberation. They also ensure that standards of awards and levels of student performance are at least comparable with those in equivalent higher education institutions.
External Examiners’ reports relating to this programme will be shared with student representatives at the programme board, where details of any actions carried out by the programme team/School in response to the External Examiners’ comments will be discussed. Students should contact their student representatives if they require any further information about External Examiners’ reports or the process for considering them.
The External Examiner for this programme is: Prof Keziah Latham
Name of Institution: Anglia Ruskin University
Position at current Institution: Professor
Please note that it is inappropriate for students to make direct contact with External Examiners under any circumstances, in particular with regards to a student’s individual performance in assessments. Other appropriate mechanisms are available for students, including the University’s appeals or complaints procedures and the UMSU Advice Centre. In cases where a student does contact an External Examiner directly, External Examiners have been requested not to respond to direct queries. Instead, External Examiners should report the matter to their School contact who will then contact the student to remind them of the other methods available for students. If students have any queries concerning this, they should contact their Programme Office (or equivalent).
Important information with regards to this course will usually be emailed to you. If you have any queries or concerns at any time during your period of study in Manchester, there is a range of people you can approach. Your Programme Administrator will be your first port of call for general issues. If your Programme Administrator is unable to help you, your query will be passed onto one of the Programme Directors. If all else fails or you wish to raise a confidential matter at Divisional level, you should approach the PGT Consortium Lead – contact details below.
The Programme Committee will be primarily responsible for monitoring the programme and will report directly to the Pharmacy and Vision Sciences Postgraduate Consortium Committee. This committee in turn reports to the School of Health Sciences PGT Committee. Special responsibility for the programme will be taken by the Programme Director, the Consortium Lead for Postgraduate Taught Programmes and the Head of Division. The Programme Committee will, in liaison with the School Postgraduate Committee, take responsibility for programme structure, development and delivery. The Programme Director will be responsible for admissions to the programme.
The Programme Director, in liaison with the Consortium Lead and the Postgraduate Programmes Manager, will be responsible for Quality Assurance for the programme.
Programme Information
The course, which can lead to the award of Professional Certificate in Glaucoma brings together the research expertise of the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health and the clinical expertise within Manchester Royal Eye Hospital to provide students with a firm grounding in the knowledge needed to pursue a higher degree and to follow a research/academic career in ocular health/vision sciences. It also gives an opportunity for vision related professionals to advance their knowledge on the scientific foundations of ophthalmology and vision sciences.
Course unit specification
Information about all course units is given on the following pages. Timetable information for the academic year will be uploaded onto Blackboard. You can access individual unit timetables and week-by-week lecture information on each unit’s Blackboard space. Please note that you must be enrolled on a unit to access its Blackboard site.
GENERAL INFORMATION
OPTO71360 Professional Certificate in Glaucoma
Credits: 15
Semester: 2
Learning objectives
An understanding of the relevant anatomy and physiology of the normal eye and the changes that occur in glaucomatous eyes.
A comprehension of the different types of glaucoma and classification systems; a knowledge of the prevalence of, and risk factors for, the glaucomas, including genetics; and an understanding of the associated visual impairment.
An understanding of glaucoma epidemiology, including diagnostic tests, screening and case finding.
To describe and explain the diagnostic techniques utilised in the clinical examination of glaucoma patients
To provide comprehensive knowledge of the technologies used in the diagnosis and management of OHT and COAG and an ability to interpret images of the optic nerve head and visual field test results.
An ability to make appropriate management decisions based upon clinical guidelines, e.g. NICE.
To provide an understanding of the approach to, and the various treatment modalities for, the management of glaucoma.
To prepare healthcare professionals to participate in community or hospital-based schemes involving the detection and management of ocular hypertension (OHT) and chronic open angle glaucoma (COAG).
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE UNIT
| This unit will provide essentials and contemporary knowledge relating to glaucoma and glaucoma related diagnoses in the context of eye care pathways and visual science. The lectures will be delivered by a range of clinical and non-clinical academic staff, largely by MREH clinical academics. The unit will cover the theoretical knowledge needed to detect and manage glaucoma. It will cover the structural and functional losses seen in glaucoma and the therapeutic options currently available. Emphasis will be placed on the instrumentation and techniques used in management and their theoretical basis/mode of operation. |
INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
| Category of outcome | Students will be able to: |
| Knowledge and understanding | Understand glaucoma as a spectrum of disease, the epidemiology, the mode of operation, clinical use and interpretation of clinical tests for diagnosis and monitoring, and the role of these in wider patient management and disease pathway algorithms. |
| Intellectual skills | To obtain and develop experience in critical appraisal of research and understanding of glaucoma literature and the evidence base within the context of the clinical disease. |
| Practical skills | Students completing the Prof Cert in Glaucoma will have the ability to:
Interpret visual fields Assess the anterior eye for signs of glaucoma Measure central corneal thickness Take intra ocular pressure readings using Goldmann applanation tonometry Take a relevant ocular history from patients suspected of having glaucoma Assess the optic nerve head and recognise glaucomatous defects |
| Transferable skills and personal qualities | To help to prepare healthcare professionals with the theoretical framework to participate in community or hospital-based schemes involving the detection and management of ocular hypertension (OHT) and chronic open angle glaucoma (COAG). |
LEARNING AND TEACHING PROCESSES (INCLUDING THE USE OF E-LEARNING)
The course contains 20 hours lectures and 6 hours of tutorial or workshop type of learning.
Please note you will be unable to sit your OSCE examination unless a logbook of 30 GAT patient episodes is submitted to Blackboard.
ASSESSMENT (INCLUDING FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT, E-ASSESSMENT, and INFORMATION ABOUT FEEDBACK)
| Assessment task | Length | How and when feedback is provided | Weighting within unit (if relevant) |
| Written examination | 2 hours | After exam board | 100% Prof Cert Students |
| Prof Cert Students only | OSCE | Verbal/written feedback within 15 working days | None, all 5 stations must be passed |
Written Examination (100%). The pass mark is 50% and compensation rules do not apply to this unit.
OSCE (Pass/ Fail for professional accreditation)
All OSCES/ resit attempts must be passed within one calendar year.
Please use the following link for the up to date assessment details (includes candidate and assessor OSCE mark sheets)
https://online.manchester.ac.uk/webapps/blackboard/content/listContentEditable.jsp?content_id=_15278378_1&course_id=_80063_1
Coursework
The course includes summative assessments of learner’s management/diagnostic skills when provided with clinical data (optic nerve head images, visual field charts and IOP data).
Teaching Staff
The Professional Certificate in Glaucoma course draws upon the expertise of a large number of academic and clinically qualified staff. The module is led by one or two academic staff, but lectures may be delivered by invited guest speakers with specific expertise in that area.
Certification
The College of Optometrists has reviewed its policy regarding provision of certificates for higher qualifications such that from June 2023 only full College members with a UK address will receive a College certificate upon completing this higher qualification course. Although only full UK College members will receive certificates, all course completers will continue to be considered holders of the higher qualification and entitled to use the corresponding affix accordingly. Non-College members, or College members who are non-UK residents will receive a University of Manchester certificate upon successful completion of the course.
| Date of current version | 10th October 2024 |