Academic requirements for admission to SCCO are based on standards set by the California State Board of Optometry, the accrediting bodies and the judgment of the Admissions Policy Committee.
To be considered as a candidate for admission to the professional OD program, a four-year baccalaureate degree is recommended but not required. However, applicants who complete a minimum of 90 semester or 135 quarter credit hours of undergraduate study will qualify for admission. To be eligible to apply, the applicant must be on track to complete the required credit hours through the summer term that precedes fall matriculation.
The minimum prerequisite courses must be completed at a regionally accredited college or university in the U.S. or Canada. Applicants who are not U.S. citizens or permanent U.S. residents must submit a certified bank statement showing their ability to pay for the first year of education prior to an I-20 form being issued for immigration purposes.
The following courses must be completed, prior to enrollment, at a regionally accredited institution, in the U.S. or Canada, with a grade of “C-” or better, and are the minimum requirements for all applicants:
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6 semester credit hours or 9 quarter credit hours:
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General Biology or Zoology (no lab required)
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8 semester credit hours or 12 quarter credit hours in each of the following:
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General Physics (one year sequence, including labs)
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General Chemistry (one year sequence, including labs)
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3 semester credit hours or 4 quarter credit hours in each of the following:
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Calculus (analytic geometry/calculus also acceptable)
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General Microbiology or Bacteriology (including lab)
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Human Anatomy (no lab required)
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Human Physiology (no lab required)
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Organic Chemistry (no lab required)
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Biochemistry (no lab required)
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Psychology
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Statistics
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6 semester credit hours or 8 quarter credit hours:
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English Composition or Literature (writing intensive courses are acceptable)
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Placement (AP) courses for the prerequisites will be accepted as long as the appropriate number of credit hours was received. These courses must appear on your official college transcript or in a letter from the registrar.