Program Requirements for the 3+4 Accelerated Program in Optometry

In addition to course requirements, to remain in the 3+4 Accelerated Program in Optometry, students must maintain a cumulative Penn State Behrend GPA of 3.5 or better on a 4.0 scale and earn a grade of C or better in all Penn State Behrend courses. Students will meet with a program adviser who will provide counseling, evaluate performance, and monitor student progress on application documentation. Penn State Behrend reserves the right to dismiss students for academic or disciplinary reasons.

Phase I

Typical Course Sequence

Students in Phase I of the Accelerated Program in Optometry must follow the Suggested Academic Plan for the Health Professions option of the Biology degree.

Semester 1

  • Biology: Basic Concepts and Biodiversity (4 credits)
  • Rhetoric and Composition (3 credits)
  • Chemical Principles I (3 credits)
  • Experimental Chemistry I (1 credit)
  • Health and Physical Activity (1.5 credits)
  • Arts course (3 credits)

Total Credits: 16.5

Semester 2

  • Biology: Function and Development of Organs (4 credits)
  • Calculus with Analytic Geometry I (4 credits)
  • Experimental Chemistry II (1 credit)
  • Chemical Principles II (3 credits)
  • Health and Physical Activity (1.5 credits)
  • Humanities course (3 credits)

Total Credits: 16.5

Semester 3

  • Biology: Populations and Communities (4 credits)
  • Organic Chemistry I (3 credits)
  • Calculus with Analytic Geometry II (4 credits)
  • Social and Behavioral Science course (3 credits)
  • Humanities course (3 credits)

Total Credits: 17

Semester 4

  • Biology: Molecules and Cells (4 credits)
  • Organic Chemistry II w/lab (5 credits)
  • Effective Speech (3 credits)
  • Introduction to Biostatistics (3 credits)
  • Arts course (3 credits)
  • Supporting Course from School Approved List (1 credit)

Total Credits: 19

Semester 5

  • Genetic Analysis (3 credits)
  • Introductory Microbiology w/lab (5 credits)
  • Introductory Physics I (4 credits)
  • Approved supporting course (3 credits)
  • Comparative Anatomy of Vertebrates (4 credits)

Total Credits: 19

Semester 6

  • General Biochemistry w/lab (4 credits)
  • Approved supporting course (3 credits)
  • Effective Writing: Technical Writing (3 credits)
  • Introductory Physics II (4 credits)
  • Social and Behavioral Science course (3 credits)

Total Credits: 17

* Optometry Admissions Test: The OAT should be taken no later than October of the student’s junior year and earned minimum scores of 320 science, 320 academic average, and above 300 in each subcategory.

 

Phase II

See the curriculum for OSU's Optometry Program for course requirements.

Conferral of B.S. Degree: Penn State Behrend will confer the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Biology to students in the program who have successfully completed the Penn State Behrend courses in Phase I (minimum 103 credits) and the first year of Ohio State University College of Optometry’s academic curriculum.

Conferral of O.D. Degree: Ohio State University will confer the Doctor of Optometry degree to students who have successfully completed their course and clinical requirements.