For admission to the Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) program you must complete:
By the time you enter the IU School of Optometry you must have completed the following courses at an accredited institution with a grade of "C" or higher. None of the courses may be taken on a pass/fail basis.
All course requirements are considered minimums. No more than 60 credit hours may be taken at a junior college. Up to 10 credits of AP/CLEP coursework is accepted. All science courses must be taken in-person and only three other courses may be taken online.
Subject Area | Required Semesters or Quarters | Comparable IU coursework |
Introductory Biology with lab Must be taken in-person | One Semester/1 Quarter | BIOL-L 112 BIOL-L 113 |
Advanced (200+ level) animal or developmental biology Must be taken in-person | One Semester/1 Quarter | BIOL–L 211 BIOL-L 318 BIOL-L 312 |
Microbiology with lab Must be taken in-person | One Semester/ | BIOL-M 250/BIOL-M 315 or BIOL-M 380/BIOL-M 315 |
Course | Required Semesters or Quarters | Comparable IU coursework |
General/Inorganic chemistry with lab Must be taken in-person | Two Semesters/3 Quarters | CHEM-C 1171 /CHEM-C 127 and CHEM-N 331 and CHEM-N 3372 or CHEM-C 118 |
Organic chemistry Lab recommended. CHEM-C 342 also recommended. Must be taken in-person | One Semester/1 Quarter | CHEM-C 341 |
Biochemistry Must be taken in-person | One Semester/1 Quarter | CHEM-C 383, CHEM-C 483 (484 for biochemistry majors) or BIOL-M 350 (for microbiology majors only) |
Course | Required semesters or quarters | Comparable IU coursework |
Mathematics | One Semester/1 Quarter | Any course or courses fulfilling the Mathematical Modeling Requirement for the IU Bloomington General Education curriculum |
Course | Required semesters or quarters | Comparable IU coursework |
Physics—General with lab Must be taken in-person | Two Semesters/3 Quarters | PHYS-P 201 PHYS-P 202 |
Course | Required semesters or quarters | Comparable IU coursework |
Psychology—Introductory | One Semester/1 Quarter | PSY-P 101 PSY-P 106 |
Course | Required semesters or quarters | Comparable IU coursework |
Statistical Techniques | One Semester/1 Quarter | STAT-S 300 STAT-S 303 PSY-K 300 PSY-K 310 SPEA-K 300 ECON-E 370 MATH-K 310 SPH-Q 381 |
Course | Required semesters or quarters | Comparable IU coursework |
English Composition1 | One Semester/1 Quarter | ENG-W 131 ENG-W 132 |
One Semester/1 Quarter | IU Arts & Humanities and Social & Historical Studies courses may count toward both the distribution requirements and the intensive writing requirement. |
Subject Area | Comparable IU coursework |
Advanced Biology Must be taken in-person | BIOL–L 211 BIOL-L 318 BIOL-L 312 |
Vertebrate or Human Anatomy with lab/Histology Must be taken in-person | ANAT-A 225 ANAT-A 464 |
Human Physiology with lab Must be taken in-person | PHSL-P 225 |
Subject Area | Comparable IU coursework |
Anatomy & Physiology of the Eye Must be taken in-person | TOPT-V 201 |
Anatomy & Physiology - Introductory Must be taken in-person | MSCI-M 115 |
Cell Biology Must be taken in-person | BIOL-L 312 |
Genetics Must be taken in-person | BIOL-L 311 |
Immunology Must be taken in-person | BIOL-L 321 |
Neuroscience | PSY-P 337 PSY-P 346 |
Sensation and Perception | PSY-P 329 PSY-P 349 |
Intro Business Administration | BUS-X 100 |
Small Business Management | BUS-W 300 (P: BUS-A 200) |
Medical Terminology | CLAS-C 209 |
Ethics | PHIL-P 140 |
Independent Research | IU Independent Study and Research 490 series coursework offered in a variety of departments |
Please contact the IUSO Office of Student Administration with your questions about the admissions process or our academic programs.
