School & College Prerequisites

(You can also download this document as a PDF)

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.

ADDITIONAL SCHOOL-SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS:

qtr = quarter; sem = semester; REC = Recommended; SR = Strongly Recommended; Req = Required

1. Separate anatomy/physiology courses or combined anatomy and physiology I, II courses are acceptable.
2. One semester or one quarter of immunology (w/o lab) is required.
3. If a combined A&P course, it must be at least 4 semester or 6 quarter units. A lab is not required.
4. If a combined anatomy/physiology course is not taken, separate courses in anatomy and physiology must be taken.
5. Calculus I or its equivalent is required, not brief calculus or elements of calculus
6. For institutions with multiple levels of biochemistry offered, the more stringent biochemistry course is required.
7. One course in biochem can substitute for one course of either general or organic chemistry.
8. If school spreads material over two courses, then both courses are required.
9. 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.
10. Onesemester of calculus will fulfill one year college math requirement.
11. 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.
12. Upper‐level molecular biology can substitute for biochem.
13. Bacteriology can substitute for microbiology.
14. Eight hours of junior‐/senior‐level human biological sciences are required; a minimum of three hours must be anatomy and 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 gen chemistry and one semester org chemistry are required.
17. Molecular biology can substitute for biochem.