The Eye and Vision: A Window to Disease

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2012:

120 hours.

A bachelor degree with a major in an appropriate discipline with at least an H3 (65%) in the major, or equivalent.

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Objectives, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and the Disability Liaison Unit: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

This subject will focus on vision research directed towards the study of ocular, systemic and neurological disease. The subject aims to provide students with an in-depth coverage of these areas with respect to recent advances and insights. The exact topics of this subject will change from year to year but will include some/all of topics that involve using vision science to study: normal and abnormal visual development and ageing; biological growth control; ocular disease (glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration); diabetes, neurological and cognitive abnormalities (for example: migraine, dyslexia, schizophraenia, degenerative illness); and normal cognition (for example: attention). The subject will consist of lectures and lecture/discussions on research papers in vision science, literature review and analysis where published papers are analysed and discussed and oral presentations. The subject provides students with skills and knowledge for understanding original research and enhanced oral communication skills.

• Understand the way in which experiments in vision science are designed, communicated and interpreted.
• Understand how vision science can be used in a variety of disciplines.
• Extension of the student’s abilities in oral and written communication.
• The ability to read and assimilate specific research papers and to understand how the reported research related to the broad field of vision science and related disciplines.

Oral presentation (30 minutes) [20%] and supporting written documentation [1000 words, 15%] due in the second half of the semester.
Written assignment [2000 word] due in week 12 of semester: 30%
End of semester written examination held during the examination period: 2 hours: 35%

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

At the completion of the subject, students should gain skills in:

• High level oral and written communication and presentation skills.
• The ability to evaluate scientific literature.
• The ability to use conceptual models to assess experimental data.
• The ability to examine critically, synthesise, and evaluate knowledge.
• Critical and creative thinking with an aptitude for continued self-directed learning.