Optometry School Academic Preparation
Optometry School Academic Preparation (PDF)
These courses meet the requirements for most optometry schools and for preparation for the OAT. Optometry schools generally do not accept AP credit or on-line courses for these required courses. Be sure to check each optometry school’s requirements.
No optometry school requires a science major, nor are science majors given extra consideration in the admission process. Becoming a competitive optometry school applicant also requires more than a solid GPA and OAT score. Be sure you are meeting regularly with your HPAO advisor.
One year General Chemistry with Labs
CHEM 200 General Chemistry (5)
Prerequisites: Knowledge of introductory chemistry as demonstrated by completion of CHEM 100 with a grade of C or better, or satisfaction of the Entry-Level Mathematics requirement and qualification on the Chemistry Department Placement Examination.
CHEM 201 General Chemistry (5)
Prerequisite: CHEM 200 or 202 with grade of C or better
One semester of Organic Chemistry with Lab
CHEM 232/232L Organic Chemistry (4)
Prerequisite: CHEM 201 with grade of C or better and credit or concurrent enrollment in CHEM 232L
One year of Biology with Labs
BIOL 203/203L Principles of Cell & Molecular Biology (4)
Prerequisite: Credit/ concurrent registration in CHEM 200 or 202 and satisfaction of the English placement test requirement
BIOL 204/204L Principles of Organismal Biology (4)
Prerequisite: Satisfaction of the English placement test requirement. Recommended completion of BIOL 203/203L
One semester of Microbiology
BIOL 350 General Microbiology (4)
Prerequisites: Biology 203, 203L, 204, 204L; Chemistry 232, 232L
OR
BIOL 211/211L Fundamentals of Microbiology (4)
Prerequisite: Biology 100 or 203 and 203L; or a grade of B or better in high school biology. Credit or
concurrent registration in Chemistry 100 or 102 or 130.
One semester of Biochemistry
CHEM 365 Biochemistry, Cell & Molecular Biology (3)
Prerequisites: BIOL 203, 203L and CHEM 232, 232L
One semester of Anatomy with Lab
BIOL 212 Human Anatomy (4)
Prerequisite: Grade of C or better in Biology 100, 203, or 211.
One semester of Physiology with Lab
BIOL 261 Human Physiology (4)
Prerequisites: Biology 212. Credit or concurrent registration in Chemistry 102 (or Chemistry 100 and credit or concurrent registration in Chemistry 130).
OR
BIOL 336 Principles of Human Physiology
Prerequisite: Completion of the General Education requirement in Foundations of Learning II.A.2. Life Sciences. If a biological sciences course is not taken to satisfy General Education II.A.2. Life Sciences, a college course in biological sciences is required.
BIOL 436 Human Physiology Laboratory (6)
Prerequisite: Credit or concurrent registration in Biology 336 or 590
OR
BIOL 590 Physiology of Human Systems
Prerequisite: Biology 366, Chemistry 365, Physics 180B, 182B
BIOL 436 Human Physiology Laboratory (6)
Prerequisite: Credit or concurrent registration in Biology 336 or 590
One year of Physics with Labs
PHYS 180A/182A Fundamentals of Physics I/Lab (4)
Prerequisite: Satisfaction of the Entry-level Mathematics requirement. Recommended concurrent registration in PHYS 182A
PHYS 180B/182B Fundamentals of Physics II/Lab (4)
Prerequisite: Satisfaction of the Entry-level Mathematics requirement, PHYS 180A. Recommended concurrent registration in PHYS 182B
OR
PHYS 195/195L Principles of Physics/Lab (4)
Prerequisites: High school physics or PHYS 180A. MATH 150 with a minimum grade of C
PHYS 196/196L Principles of Physics/Lab (4)
Prerequisites: PHYS 195. MATH 151
One year of Math and Statistics (one semester of each)
MATH 124 Calculus for Life Sciences (4)
Prerequisites: Knowledge of algebra, geometry, and trigonometry as demonstrated by either (1) satisfactory completions of MATH 141 with a grade of C (2.0) or above; or (2) satisfaction of the Entry-Level Mathematics requirement and qualification on the Mathematics Departmental Precalculus Proficiency Examination. Proof of completion of prerequisites required.
OR
MATH 150 Calculus I (4)
Prerequisites: Knowledge of algebra, geometry, and trigonometry as demonstrated by either (1) satisfactory completions of MATH 141 with a grade of C (2.0) or above; or (2) satisfaction of the Entry-Level Mathematics requirement and qualification on the Mathematics Departmental Precalculus Proficiency Examination. Proof of completion of prerequisites required.
One semester of Statistics
STAT 119 (3) or STAT 250 (3) or ECON 201 (3) or PSY 280 (4) or BIOL 215 (3)
Be sure to check each course’s prerequisites.
Highly Recommended (required by some schools)
BIOL250A Pre Professional Topics: Topics in Medicine (1)
BIOL 485 Principles of Immunology (Required by UC Berkeley) (3)
Prerequisite: BIOL 203, BIOL 203L, CHEM 365, credit or concurrent registration in BIOL 366
