School & College Prerequisites

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GENERAL REQUIREMENTS for all schools include at least one year of Biology or Zoology, General Chemistry, General Physics, English and College Math. Contact the school or college of your choice to confirm a list of required courses.

ADDITIONAL SCHOOL-SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS:

SCHOOL CALC ANAT PHYSIO ORGAN CHEM BIOCHEM MICRO STATS PSYCH
ALABAMA

University of Alabama at
Birmingham School of Optometry

 1 course SR SR 1 sem or
2 qtrs w/lab		 1 course 1 course 1 course 1 course
ARIZONA

Midwestern University,
Arizona College of Optometry

  1 course  1 course1  1 course1  1 course w/lab  1 course 1 course  1 course  1 course
CALIFORNIA

Southern California College of Optometry
at Marshall B. Ketchum University

 1 sem or
1 qtr		 1 sem or
1 qtr/no lab required1		 1 sem or
1 qtr/no lab required1		 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 sem or
1 qtr
CALIFORNIA

University of California, Berkeley,
School of Optometry2

 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
CALIFORNIA

Western University of Health
Sciences, College of Optometry

 1 course  1 course3  1 course3 1 course
w/lab		 1 course 1 course
w/lab		 1 course 1 course
FLORIDA

Nova Southeastern University
College of Optometry

 1 sem or
2 qtrs		 1 sem or
2 qtrs4		 1 sem or
2 qtrs4		 1 sem or
2 qtrs w/lab		 1 sem or
2 qtrs		 1 sem or
2 qtrs		 SR SR
ILLINOIS

Chicago College of Optometry,
Midwestern University

 1 course 1 course1 1 course1 1 course w/lab 1 course 1 course 1 course 1 course
ILLINOIS

Illinois College of Optometry

 1 course REC REC 1 course REC 1 course w/lab 1 course 1 course
INDIANA

Indiana University
School of Optometry

 1 course of
College Math		 SR SR 1 course
(2nd course REC)		 1 course   
 1 course
w/lab		 1 course 1 course
KENTUCKY

University of Pikeville
Kentucky College of Optometry

 1 sem or 2 sem
College Math
 SR
(Jr. or Sr.
level only)		 SR
(Jr. or Sr.
level only)		 1 course
w/lab		 SR SR SR 1 course
MASSACHUSETTS

MCPHS University
School of Optometry

 1 course REC  REC 1 course REC 1 course 1 course 1 course
MASSACHUSETTS

The New England College
of Optometry

 1 course  REC  REC 1 course w/lab 1 course
 1 course 1 course
 1 course
MICHIGAN

Michigan College of Optometry
at Ferris State University

 1 sem or
2 qtrs5		  REC  REC 1 yr w/lab 1 sem or
2 qtrs6		 1 course
w/lab		 1 sem or
2 qtrs		 1 sem or
2 qtrs
MISSOURI

University of Missouri-St. Louis

 1 sem or
1 qtr7		  SR  SR 1 sem or
2 qtrs w/lab		  SR 1 sem or
1 qtr w/lab		 1 sem or
1 qtr		 2 sem or
2 qtrs
NEW YORK

State University of New York
State College of Optometry

 1 sem or
1 qtr		  REC REC 2 sems or
3 qtrs w/lab8		  REC8 REC 1 sem or
1 qtr		 1 sem or
1 qtr
OKLAHOMA

Northeastern State University
College of Optometry

  1 sem5  SR  SR  1 sem w/lab  1 sem6  1 sem  1 sem  1 sem
OHIO

The Ohio State University
College of Optometry

 1 course  SR See below9 1 course See below9 1 course
w/lab		  SR 1 course
OREGON

Pacific University
College of Optometry

 1 sem or
1 qtr		 1 sem
w/lab		 1 sem
w/lab		 See below10  See below10 1 sem or
1 qtr w/lab		 1 sem or
1 qtr		 1 sem or
1 qtr
PENNSYLVANIA

Salus University
Pennsylvania College of Optometry

  SR11  REC  REC See below12 See below12 1 sem or
2 qtrs
w/lab		 1 sem or
2 qtrs		 1 sem or
2 qtrs
PUERTO RICO

Inter American University
of Puerto Rico School of Optometry

 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
TENNESSEE

Southern College
of Optometry

 1 course  SR  SR 1 course
w/lab		 1 course13 1 course
w/lab14		  1 course  1 course
TEXAS

University of Houston
College of Optometry

 1 course SR15
(Jr. or Sr.
level only)		  SR15
(Jr. or Sr.
level only)		 1 course
w/lab		  1 course 1 course
w/lab		  1 course  1 course
TEXAS

University of the Incarnate Word
School of Optometry

 1 course SR SR 1 course
w/ lab16		 1 course13 1 course
w/lab13		 1 course 1 course

 

  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 3 semester or 4 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. Trigonometry is required either as part of calculus, or as a separate high school or college course.
  8. One course in biochem can substitute for one course of either general or organic chemistry.
  9. More than one course may be required in order to cover complete content.
  10. 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.
  11. One semester of calculus will fulfill one year college math requirement.
  12. 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.
  13. Molecular biology can substitute for biochem.
  14. Bacteriology can substitute for microbiology.
  15. Eight hours of advanced human biological sciences are required; junior or senior-level anatomy or physiology is strongly recommended.
  16. Two semesters gen chemistry and one semester org chemistry are required.

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