ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES OF OPTOMETRY

GENERAL AND SCHOOL-SPECIFIC PREREQUISITES

April 2021

updated 6-21-21

qtr = quarter; sem = semester

Rec = Recommended; SR = Strongly Recommmended; Req = Required

1 www.optometriceducation.org

ADDITIONAL SCHOOL-SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS

School CALC ANAT PHYSIO

ORGAN

CHEM

BIO CHEM MICRO STATS PSYCH

SHADOWING

ALABAMA

University of Alabama at Birmingham, School of Optometry

http://www.uab.edu/optometry

ARIZONA

Arizona College of Optometry, Midwestern University

http://www.midwestern.edu/Programs_and_Admission/AZ_Optometry.htm

CALIFORNIA

Southern Calif. Col. of Optometry at Marshall B. Ketchum Univ.

https://www.ketchum.edu/optometry/requirements

CALIFORNIA

University of California-Berkeley, School of Optometry

http://optometry.berkeley.edu

CALIFORNIA

Western University of Health Sciences, College of Optometry

https://prospective.westernu.edu/optometry/od/

FLORIDA

Nova Southeastern University, College of Optometry

http://optometry.nova.edu

ILLINOIS

Chicago College of Optometry, Midwestern University

https://www.midwestern.edu/programs_and_admission/il_optometry.html

ILLINOIS

Illinois College of Optometry

http://www.ico.edu

INDIANA

Indiana University, School of Optometry

https://optometry.iu.edu/

KENTUCKY

University of Pikeville, Kentucky College of Optometry

http://www.upike.edu/KYCO

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS for most optometry programs include at least one year of Biology or Zoology, General Chemistry, General Physics, English and College Math. Contact the schools or colleges directly by visiting their

websites to confirm prerequisite courses and to learn whether AP credits and/or on-line credits are accepted to complete prerequisites.

1 course SR SR

1 course

w/lab

1 course 1 course 1 course 1 course

Rec

Req 40 hrs

1 course

w/lab

1 course 1 course 1 course 1 course SR

1 course 1 course

1 sem or 1

qtr

1 sem or 1

qtr

1 sem or 1

qtr, lab SR

1 sem or 1

qtr w/lab

1 sem or 1

qtr, w/lab

1 sem or 1

qtr

1 sem or 1

qtr

1 sem or 1

qtr

1 sem or 1

qtr

1 sem or 1

qtr

1 sem or 1

qtr/no lab

required

1 sem or 1

qtr/no lab

required

1 sem or 1

qtr/no lab

required

1 sem or 1

qtr/no lab

required

1 sem or 1

qtr/lab

1 sem or 1

qtr

1 course 1 course

1 course

w/lab

1 course 1 course

1 sem or 2

qtrs

1 sem or 2

qtrs

1 sem or 2

qtrs

1 sem or 2

qrts w/lab

1 sem or 2

qtrs

1 sem or 2

qtrs

SR SR SR

1 course

w/lab

1 course

w/lab

1 course 1 course

1 or 2 sem

college math

SR SR

1 course

w/lab

1 course of

college math

SR SR

1 course (2nd

course Rec)

1 course

w/lab

1 course 1 course

1 course Rec Rec 1 course Rec

1 course

w/lab

SR SR 1 course SR

Separate anatomy/physiology courses or combined anatomy and physiology I, II courses are acceptable.

One semester or one quarter of immunology (w/o lab) is required. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Berkeley Optometry

will accept pass/no pass prerequisite coursework along with online lecture and labs taken during terms impacted by the crisis.

If a combined A&P course, it must be at least 4 semester or 6 quarter units. A lab is not required.

If a combined anatomy/physiology course is not taken, separate courses in anatomy and physiology must be taken.

ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES OF OPTOMETRY

GENERAL AND SCHOOL-SPECIFIC PREREQUISITES

April 2021

updated 6-21-21

qtr = quarter; sem = semester

Rec = Recommended; SR = Strongly Recommmended; Req = Required

2 www.optometriceducation.org

ADDITIONAL SCHOOL-SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS

School CALC ANAT PHYSIO

ORGAN

CHEM

BIO CHEM MICRO STATS PSYCH

SHADOWING

websites to confirm prerequisite courses and to learn whether AP credits and/or on-line credits are accepted to complete prerequisites.

MASSACHUSETTS

Massachusetts Col. of Pharmacy and Health Sci., School of Optomet

https://www.mcphs.edu/academics/school-of-optometry/optometry

MASSACHUSETTS

New England College of Optometry

http://neco.edu/admissions/requirements

MICHIGAN

Michigan College of Optometry at Ferris State University

http://www.ferris.edu/mco

MISSOURI

University of Missouri-St. Louis, College of Optometry

http://optometry.umsl.edu

NEW YORK

State University of New York, College of Optometry

http://www.sunyopt.edu

OKLAHOMA

Northeastern State Univ. – Oklahoma College of Optometry

http://optometry.nsuok.edu

OHIO

The Ohio State University, College of Optometry

http://optometry.osu.edu

OREGON

Pacific University, College of Optometry

http://www.pacificu.edu

PENNSYLVANIA

Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University

http://www.Salus.edu

1 course Rec Rec 1 course Rec 1 course Rec1 course 1 course

1 sem or 2

qtrs

1 sem or 2

qtrs

1 course Rec Rec

1 course

w/lab

1 course 1 course 1 course 1 course SR

Req 20 hrs Early

Adm Prog only

1 sem or 2

qtrs

SR SR 1 sem w/lab

1 sem or 2

qtrs

1 course

w/lab

1 sem or 1

qtr

SR SR

1 sem or 2

qtrs w/lab

1 sem or 1qtr

w/lab

1 sem or 1

qtr

1 sem or 1

qtr

SR 20 hrs or

1 sem or 1

qtr

Rec Rec

2 sems or 3

qtrs w/lab

Rec

1 sem or 1

qtr

1 sem or 1

qtr

1 sem

SR 1 sem w/lab

1 sem

1 sem 1 sem 1 sem SR 30+ hrs

SR 1 course

Minimum 10

hrs with 2

ODs

1 sem or 1

qtr

1 sem w/lab 1 sem w/lab

See below

1 sem or 1

qtr w/lab

1 sem or 1

qtr

1 course SR

1 course

w/lab

1 sem or 1

qtr

SR 10+ hrs

SR Rec

See below

1 sem or 2

qtrs

1 sem or 2

qtrs

1 sem or 2

qtrs

Rec 25 hrs,

Optometry or

Ophthalmology

Calculus I or its equivalent is required, not brief calculus or elements of calculus

One course in biochem can substitute for one course of either general or organic chemistry.

For institutions with multiple levels of

biochemistry offered, the more stringent biochemistry course is required.

If school spreads material over two courses, then both courses are required.

Organic chemistry – standard one year course sequence with lab or one

semester of organic chemistry with lab combined with one semester of biochemistry with lab if one is offered.

One semester of calculus will fulfill one year college math requirement.

One semester of organic chemistry I

with lab and one semester of organic chemistry II with lab are required. Biochem or molecular biology (lab highly recommended) may substitute for organic chemistry II.

ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES OF OPTOMETRY

GENERAL AND SCHOOL-SPECIFIC PREREQUISITES

April 2021

updated 6-21-21

qtr = quarter; sem = semester

Rec = Recommended; SR = Strongly Recommmended; Req = Required

3 www.optometriceducation.org

ADDITIONAL SCHOOL-SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS

School CALC ANAT PHYSIO

ORGAN

CHEM

BIO CHEM MICRO STATS PSYCH

SHADOWING

websites to confirm prerequisite courses and to learn whether AP credits and/or on-line credits are accepted to complete prerequisites.

PUERTO RICO

Inter American University of Puerto Rico, School of Optometry

http://www.optonet.inter.edu

TENNESSEE

Southern College of Optometry

https://www.sco.edu/academic-information

TEXAS

University of Houston, College of Optometry

http://www.opt.uh.edu

TEXAS

Univ. of the Incarnate Word, Rosenberg School of Optometry

http://www.uiw.edu/optometry/

Upper-level molecular biology can substitute for biochem.

Bacteriology can substitute for microbiology.

Eight hours of junior-/senior-level human biological sciences are required; a minimum of three hours must be

anatomy and/or physiology. Freshman-/sophomore-level A&P will not satisfy this requirement

. 15

1 course Human Anatomy and/or Human Physiology w/lab required.

One semester of any of the following courses with lab may

substitute: Biology II, Cell Biology or Genetics

. 16

Two semesters general chemistry w/labs and one semester organic chemistry w/lab are required

Molecular biology can substitute for biochem.

1 course

w/lab

1 course

w/lab

1 course 1 course

20 hrs with

1 course

See below

1 course

w/lab

1 course

w/lab

1 course 1 course

Minimum 20

hrs from 2

settings

1 course 1 course

Minimum 30

hrs in at least

2 settings

1 course SR SR

1 course

w/lab

1 course

w/lab

1 sem or 2

qtrs

Rec Rec

1 sem or 2

qtrs

1 sem or 2

qtrs

1 sem or 2

qtrs

1 sem or 2

qtrs

1 sem or 2

qtrs