Christopher Wheeler, Chief Advisor
To prepare for optometry, students need three or four years of undergraduate work in science, followed by four years at an accredited college of optometry. Completion of the professional program leads to the degree of Doctor of Optometry. The curriculum described below satisfies the entrance requirements to most optometry schools in the United States. Applicants to optometry schools are accepted on a competitive basis. Students are encouraged to carefully check the prerequisites at the optometry schools of their interest and to work closely with admissions officers to see that all requirements have been fulfilled. Pre-Optometry majors interested in working toward a biology or zoology degree should refer to these majors.
First Year (45)
CH 231, CH 232, CH 233. *General Chemistry (4,4,4)
and CH 261, CH 262, CH 263. *Laboratory for Chemistry 231, 232, 233 (1,1,1)
HHS 231. *Lifetime Fitness for Health (2)
HHS 241–HHS 248. *Lifetime Fitness: (various activities) (1)
or any PAC course (1–2)
MTH 251. *Differential Calculus (4)
MTH 252. Integral Calculus (4)
PSY 201, PSY 202. *General Psychology (3,3)
WR 121. *English Composition (3)
Speech (3)
Bacc Core and Electives (7)
Sophomore Year (45)
BI 211, BI 212, BI 213. *Principles of Biology (4,4,4)
CH 331, CH 332, CH 337. Organic Chemistry and Lab (4,4,4)
ST 201, ST 202. Principles of Statistics (4,4)
Writing II (3)
Baccalaureate Core courses (9)
Electives (3)
Junior Year (45)
PH 201, PH 202, PH 203. *General Physics (5,5,5)
or PH 211, PH 212, PH 213. *General Physics with Calculus (4,4,4)
WR 327. *Technical Writing (3) (recommended)
Z 331, Z 332, Z 333. Human Anatomy and Physiology (3,3,3)
and Z 341, Z 342, Z 343. Human Anatomy and Physiology Lab (2,2,2)
Contemporary Global Issues (3)
Science Technology and Society (3)
Electives (6) (PHL 444 recommended)
Senior Year (45)
BB 450, BB 451. General Biochemistry (4,3)
BI 311. Genetics (4)
BI 314. Cell and Molecular Biology (4)
MB 302, MB 303. General Microbiology and Lab (3,2)
Electives (21) (PH 332 recommended)
Choose 4 credits of WIC from the following:
HSTS 415. ^*Theory of Evolution and Foundation of Modern Biology (4)
HSTS 417. ^*History of Medicine (4)
HSTS 419. ^*Studies in Scientific Controversy: Methods and Practices (4)
HSTS 422. ^*Historical Studies of Science and Politics (4)
HSTS 425. ^*History of the Life Sciences (4)
Students who undertake a four-year program should plan their senior year in consultation with their advisor. Two study plans are available:
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A departmental major may be completed in any department of the College of Science.
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Students without a departmental major may earn a Bachelor of Science degree in General Science; a total of 41 credits of approved upper-division courses in science are required.
Recommended electives:
BB 331. *Introduction to Molecular Biology (3)
BI 460, BI 461. Cell Biology and Lab (3,2)
BI 370. Ecology (3)
CH 324. Quantitative Analysis (4)
CH 440, CH 441, CH 442. Physical Chemistry (3,3,3)
HSTS 411, HSTS 412, HSTS 413. *History of Science (4,4,4)
MB 416, MB 417. Immunology, Immunology Lab (3,2)
MB 430. Bacterial Pathogenesis (3)
MB 434. Virology (3)
MB 435. Pathogenic Microbes Lab (2)
MTH 254. Vector Calculus I (4)
MTH 256. Applied Differential Equations (4)
PH 332. *Light, Vision, and Color (3)
PSY 330. Brain and Behavior (4)
PSY 432. Physiological Psychology (4)
PSY 442. Perception (4)
Z 425. Embryology and Development (5)
Z 431, Z 432. Vertebrate Physiology (4,4)
2004 Oregon State University