To prepare for a career in optometry, a student must complete a Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) degree at a professional college of optometry. All colleges of optometry require a minimum of 60 semester hours of college work in order for the student to be eligible to apply for admission. In actual practice, 90 percent of all successful applicants will have a bachelor's degree. The Optometry Admission Test (OAT) is required of all applicants.
Pre-optometry students are also strongly recommended to include courses in anatomy, physiology, genetics, speech, economics and computer sciences.
Eastern Illinois University is not affiliated with any colleges of optometry and cannot guarantee admission to a professional school. Students who apply to colleges of optometry will be competing with students applying from other colleges and universities.
Advisement checklist and suggested course sequence (PDF) Revised Fall, 2012
Tentative course offerings
For additional information on pre-optometry studies, please visit the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry.
Necessary Undergraduate Coursework
Most college of optometry require the following coursework:
| Requirement | EIU Courses |
|---|---|
| General Biology with Laboratory (Two Semesters) | BIO 1100, BIO 1300G |
| Microbiology with Laboratory | BIO 3300 |
| General Chemistry with Laboratory (Two Semesters) | CHM 1310, 1315; 1410G, 1415G |
| Organic Chemistry* with Laboratory | CHM 2430, 2435 |
| Physics With Laboratory (Two Semesters) | PHY 1151, 1152; 1161G, 1162G |
| Math* (Through Calculus) | MAT 1441G |
| Statistics | BIO 4750 OR MAT 2250G OR PSY 2610 |
| English Composition (Two Semesters) | ENG 1001G, 1002G |
| Psychology* | PSY 1879G |
| Social Sciences* | Elective |
