Professional Optometry Degree Program (OD)

Degree Requirements

Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) Degree

The courses required for this degree are listed in the section of this bulletin entitled “Optometry Curriculum.” All of the courses except those identified as electives must be completed. A baccalaureate degree is required prior to receiving the O.D. degree. The curricular requirements for preoptometry are described in the section of this bulletin entitled “Preoptometry Requirements.”

Students are responsible for understanding all requirements for graduation and for completing them by the time they expect to graduate.

Optometry Curriculum

The curriculum includes instruction in all of the clinical and practical phases of optometry as well as in the theoretical and fundamental aspects of vision science. It requires four years of professional degree courses, including at least a three-week summer assignment before the third year.1 The university schedules two regular academic semesters and two summer sessions. The regular fall semester includes 14 weeks and two days of instruction plus one week for final examinations; the spring semester includes 15 weeks of instruction plus one week for final examinations. Most optometry courses are scheduled for a full academic semester. Some, however, are scheduled for three, six, or eight weeks, and will be scheduled back-to-back with other courses that will be taken in the remaining weeks of the semester.

First Year

First Semester

V 501 Integrative Optometry I 2.0 cr.
V 521 Geometric and Visual Optics I 4.0 cr.
V 540 Ocular Biology I 4.0 cr.
V 542 Systems Approach to Biomedical Sciences I 5.0 cr.
V 550 Clinical Sciences I 3.0 cr.
Total 18.0 cr.

Second Semester

V 502 Integrative Optometry II 2.0 cr.
V 523 Geometric and Visual Optics II 4.0 cr.
V 543 Systems Approach to Biomedical Sciences II 4.5 cr.
V 551 Clinical Sciences II: Motility & Refraction 3.0 cr.
V 552 Clinical Sciences II: Anterior Segment Exam. Techniques 2.0 cr.

V 560

Vision Science I: Perception

3.5 cr.

V 574 Intro to Epidemiology 2.0 cr
Total 21 cr.

Second Year

First Semester

V 601 Integrative Optometry III 2.0 cr.
V 631 Optics III: Ophthalmic and Advanced Clinical Optics 4.0 cr.
V 642 General Pharmacology 4.0 cr.
V 652 Clinical Sciences III: Accommodation and Binocular Vision 3.0 cr.
V 653 Clinical Sciences III: Posterior Segment Examination Techniques 2.0 cr.
V 665 Vision Science II: Ocular Motility 2.5 cr.
Total 17.5 cr.

Second Semester

V 632 Optics IV: Optics of Ophthalmic and Contact Lenses 4.0 cr.
V 633 Contact Lenses 3.0 cr.
V 644 Ocular Disease I 3.0 cr.
V 646 Ocular Pharmacology 2.0 cr.
V 654 Clinical Sciences IV 4.0 cr.
V 666 Vision Science III: Binocular Vision 4.0 cr.
Total 20.0 cr.

Summer

V 680 Introduction to Clinic 2.5 cr.

Third Year

First Semester

V 701 Grand Rounds I 0.5 cr.
V 745 Ocular Disease II 3.0 cr.
V 748 Physical Assessment and Medicine 3.5 cr.
V 752 Advanced Contact Lens Topics I 2.0 cr.
V 756 Clinical Assessment I 1.0 cr.
V 781 Pediatric Optometry 3.0 cr.
V 786 Optometry Clinic 1, 2 3.0 cr.
V 787 Optometry Clinic 1, 2 3.0 cr.
Total 19.0 cr.

Second Semester

V 702 Grand Rounds II 0.5 cr.
V 746 Ocular Disease III: Neuro-Optometry 2.0 cr.
V 749 Ocular Disease IV: Applied Ocular Therapeutics 3.0 cr.
V 751 Low Vision Rehabilitation 3.0 cr.
V 757 Clinical Assessment II 1.0 cr.
V 754 Optometric Profession (Public Health,
Policy, Legal, History and Ethical Issues)
2.0 cr.
V 758 Advanced Clinical Concepts in Binocular
Vision and Pediatrics
2.0 cr.
V 759 Business Aspects of Optometry 2.0 cr.
V 788 Optometry Clinic  3.0 cr.
V 789 Optometry Clinic 3.0 cr.
Total 21.5 cr.

Fourth Year 2

V 885 Optometry Clinic (Bloomington) 10.0 cr.
V 887 Extension Clinic (Indianapolis) 10.0 cr.
V 888 External Clinic 10.0 cr.
Fourth Clinical Assignment  (V 885, V 887, Or V 888) 10.0 cr.
Total 40.0 cr.
Overall Total 159.5 cr.

Note: Subject to change.

  1. Elementary school vision-screening program assignments will be arranged.
  2. Students in the final year of the program will spend 12 weeks at each of their four clinic assignments (V 885, V 887, V 888, and the Fourth Clinical Assignment). Three of these four assignments are at various external locations.
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Optometry Degree

Students who enter the Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) program without an undergraduate degree will receive the B.S. in Optometry upon successful completion of the first two years of the four-year professional degree program. The following requirements, in addition to the preoptometry requirements and the courses in the first two years of the professional degree program, must be satisfied by the student seeking this degree:

  • A minimum of 122 credit hours in courses that may be counted toward the B.A., B.S., or higher degree of one or more degree-granting divisions of the university.
  • A minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5.
  • A minimum of 30 credit hours in courses at the 300 level or above.
  • At least 30 credit hours of V-lettered courses, which are regularly offered by the School of Optometry and/or the Vision Science Graduate Program.
  • A minimum of 60 credit hours at Indiana University, of which at least 26 credit hours, including not fewer than 10 credits in the V-lettered courses, must be completed in residence on the Bloomington campus.
  • Courses taken on a Pass/Fail basis can be applied only as electives in meeting the degree requirements. The limit is a total of eight courses with two courses allowed per year.
  • Not more than 60 credit hours earned in accredited junior colleges may be applied toward the degree.
  • Not more than 10 credit hours earned through online study and/or special credit examination may be applied toward the degree, except by special permission of the dean.
  • Work for a degree must be completed within six years from the time the student first registers in the university, except by special permission of the dean.

Academic Bulletins

PDF Version

Click here for the PDF version.