Department of Biology

Pre-Optometry Program

Advisor: Dr. Kari Naylor, Department of Biology

Phone: 450-5826

Email kknaylor@uca.edu

Optometry is a profession of specialists who diagnose and correct defects in vision. The Doctor of Optometry degree requires a four-year program of study in an optometry school, preceded by at least 90 hours of college courses. The majority of the required courses are common to most optometry programs. However, some optometry schools require more mathematics than others.

A few optometry schools require only college algebra and trigonometry, but most require analytical geometry, differential calculus, integral calculus, and statistics. Students entering optometry school before having completed a UCA bachelor's degree might be able to complete the requirements for a UCA degree with their optometry school course work, provided they have completed 96 credit hours of prescribed course work at UCA. However, most optometry schools prefer applicants who acquire a bachelor's degree before entry.

Required courses for admission to most optometry schools would include the following:

Biology 1440, 1441, 2405, and 2411 or 3420

Chemistry 1450, 1451, 2401, 3411, 4320

Physics 1410, 1420

English, twelve credit hours

Mathematics 1390 plus 1392, or 1580 (most schools require 1591, and 2311)

Social Sciences, six credit hours

Psychology 1300

In any case, the course of study at UCA should be adjusted to suit the admissions requirements of the optometry school(s) of the students choosing. For more information about the UCA Pre-optometry program please communicate directly with Dr. Kari Naylor, UCA Department of Biology. Links

Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry. Information about the OAT, schools of optometry, contact information, and information on what it means to be an optometrist. http://www.opted.org