A variety of courses in Australia and New Zealand offer full O&M training or contain some O&M focus. The course you choose will depend on whether you wish to work primarily as an O&M Specialist, O&M Assistant, or whether you wish to have an understanding of O&M in the context of another role. At this point it is up to the individual employer to determine the standard of qualification they require in their staff, so you may wish to contact potential employers first. Many of these courses do not run every year and you will need to contact each course coordinator for more information.

O&M SPECIALISTS

An undergraduate degree in a related field such as Health Sciences, Psychology, Rehabilitation or Education is generally required for entry to these courses. Contact individual course coordinators for specific information on the course you are interested in.

New Graduate Diploma in O&M at UNSW

**Enrolments for the 2024 intake of the Graduate Diploma of Orientation and Mobility are now open. Please refer the information on this flyer to find out more! Admissions close 15 October 2023.

The University of New South Wales and Guide Dogs NSW/ACT are partnering to offer a new Graduate Diploma in Orientation and Mobility, commencing in Term 2, 2021. The full-time program will combine online learning, face-to-face practical skills, and Work Integrated Learning (WIL). This means that applicants can study from anywhere in Australasia, come together for blocks to do their blindfold work and then complete their WIL placement at an available host agency nearer to home. The program meets requirements for professional certification (COMS), and graduates will be ready to launch in one year.

Unlike many previous O&M programs, this course is open access. Applicants with a 3 year bachelor’s degree can apply directly to the UNSW from early 2021, pay their own uni fees, and be free to work anywhere after they graduate. The other point of difference is that, although GDNSW/ACT is generously providing the seed funding for this program, the UNSW is directly employing the personnel teaching the program. This shift means that the university will take responsibility for the program into the future.

Congratulations to Kelly Prentice from GDNSW/ACT and the Kelly Gang for their hard work in negotiating this program. And thanks to the UNSW team for their very warm welcome.

For more information, and contact details for the program check the School of Optometry website or the UNSW website. There are also media releases from UNSW and GDNSW/ACT.