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Preoptometry Requirements
Indiana University School of Optometry
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A total of 90 semester hours of college credit is required as a minimum for admission to the School of Optometry; however, a bachelor's degree is strongly recommended. Preoptometry requirements must be completed by the time the student enters the School of Optometry. Students who already have a bachelor's degree with a major in a science field are often fully prepared for admission to the School of Optometry. Those with degrees in nonscience fields may find additional course work required. Students must take their preoptometry course work at any accredited institution. Grades lower than a C in any preoptometry requirement will not be accepted. Each course meets just one requirement. All preoptometry requirements must have been completed within 10 years from the time when the student hopes to start the Doctor of Optometry program.


Students entering with a bachelor's degree must have the following courses:
Subject area Min. sem. cr. hrs. req'd Comparable IU courses
Biology/Zoology

--Introductory, with lab 4 L112 and L113
--Advanced (animal or developmental) 3 (see recommended list below)
--Microbiology, with lab 4 M250 and M255 (formerly M310 and M315)
Chemistry

--Organic, 2 courses 4 C341, C342, and/or C343
--Inorganic, with labs 8 C117 and N330 or C118
Mathematics--Calculus 4 M211 or M119-120
Physics--General 8 P201 and P202
Statistical Techniques and/or Experimental Design 3 K300
Psychology--Introductory 3 P101
Writing Skills

--English Composition1 3 W131 or 132
--A course with a strong writing component2 3

Students entering the Indiana University School of Optometry WITHOUT a bachelor's degree must have completed the following courses IN ADDITION to the above:
Subject area Min. sem. cr. hrs. req'd
Arts and Humanities3 6
Foreign Language4 6
Social and Historical Studies5 6
Additional credits as needed
TOTAL 90

Of the 90 credit hours, at least 20 must be at the 300-400 level. A maximum of 60 semester hours may be taken at a junior college.

Strongly recommended:
Subject area Min. sem. cr. hrs. req'd Comparable IU courses
Vertebrate or Human Anatomy, with lab 4 A215
Physiology, with lab 4 P215
Biochemistry (300 level if possible) 3 M350

Other recommended courses:
Subject area
Comparable IU courses
Small Business Management (1 semester)
X100
Medical Terminology (1 semester)
C209
Histology (1 semester)
A464
Ethics (1 semester)
P140
Independent Research
490 series

1A minimum SAT Verbal score of 670 or ACT English score of 32 will exempt the student (without credit) from the requirement. Other means of completing the composition requirement exist. Consult the College of Arts and Sciences Bulletin for details on these options.
2Other means of completing the composition requirement exist. Consult the College of Arts and Sciences Bulletin or an undergraduate advisor for details on these options.
3A minimum of two courses is required.
4A minimum of two courses is required. This requirement for a Bachelor of Science in Optometry may be met by placement examination. Students who have completed two or more years of a single foreign language in high school with an average grade of C or above, or have completed a bachelor's degree at another institution, are exempt from this requirement. (Note: Variation exists among academic divisions of the university in basic foreign language requirements and exemption policies. For a bachelor's degree from the College of Arts and Sciences, or from another division of the university, consult the appropriate bulletin for foreign language statements.)
5A minimum of two courses is required. For departments in this area, consult the College of Arts and Sciences Bulletin.

None of the specified courses may be taken on a pass/fail basis. The credit hours required in the individual subjects are considered absolute minimums, which must be met or exceeded. If the hours of credit in any subject total less than the minimum specified, the student should complete the next higher course in that subject. Quarter hours convert to semester hours by the following scale:

3 quarter hrs. = 2 semester hrs.
4 quarter hrs. = 3 semester hrs.
5 quarter hrs. = 3.33 semester hrs.
6 quarter hrs. = 4 semester hrs.

Transfer Admissions
The Indiana University School of Optometry admits students with advanced standing only when a vacancy exists and when the student would have met the Indiana University preoptometry requirements and standards for admission had he or she applied here originally. In addition, the student must have a minimum cumulative average of B in the optometry curriculum, be in good standing with his or her present institution, and have a compelling reason for wanting to transfer to Indiana University's School of Optometry.

Students may lose credits transferring and, for this reason, transfer is generally not recommended. At the very least, 45 credit hours of optometry courses must be completed in residence at Indiana University. No deficiencies in the Indiana University preoptometry requirements may exist at the time of admission. Candidates for transfer must submit a statement of good standing from their current dean. Along with documents specific to the transfer request, the regular application for admission should be submitted.

URL: http://www.opt.indiana.edu/programs/od/prereqs.htm
Revised: June 15, 2007
IU Optometry home page: http://www.opt.indiana.edu/
Comments: Web Administrator
Page design and coding: Terri Greene
Copyright © 2007, The Trustees of Indiana University