University of St. Thomas Houston - Educating Leaders of Faith and Character
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Degrees, Programs & Courses

DEGREE PROGRAMS & COURSES
PRE-PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS
Pre-Optometry Program
Contact: Dr E Larry Nordyke 713-525-3169 or nordyke@stthom.edu
Dr John A Palasota 713-525-6918 or japalaso@stthom.edu

The pre-optometry Program is designed to prepare students for entry into optometry school, and students enjoy outstanding optometry school acceptance. Undergraduate preparation for the study of optometry requires a strong foundation in science and mathematics and a background in the humanities and social sciences. The program is a rigorous science and math-based program that can be combined with any major. It is important to note that the pre-optometry program is not a major but rather a program consisting of 49 credit hours (10 classes and 7 labs) of science and math courses and 6 credit hours of Psychology. These courses serve as the prerequisites for application to the University of Houston College of Optometry. The prehealth professions advisors in the program advise students in tandem with their major advisor, inform them of prerequisite courses, admissions test dates, and application deadlines, and present appropriate workshops, as well as providing letters of evaluation for application to optometry school.

Optometry school admission data for the last five academic years (Table I) shows that 80% of St. Thomas applicants were accepted to optometry school. In our opinion, the acceptance statistic is indicative not only of the success of the pre-optometry program but also the high quality of teaching at the University.
 
Table I. Optometry School Applicants (Fall 2001-Spring 2005)

Applicants 

 Interviewed 

% App Int 

Accepted  

% App Acc 

10

80 

80 


Doctors of Optometry must successfully complete a four-year accredited degree program at one of the 17 colleges of optometry in the United States. The University of Houston College of Optometry (Table II lists the prerequisites for UHCO) is the only optometry school in the State of Texas and most of our pre-optometry students will apply there.
 
Preprofessional Course Requirements for UHCO
Prerequisite Courses  Sem Hrs
Biological Sciences with Laboratory

8

Advanced Physiology with Laboratory

Human Anatomy with Laboratory

4-8

Microbiology with Laboratory

General Chemistry with Laboratory

Organic Chemistry with Laboratory

Biochemistry

Elementary Functions

Calculus I

3-4 

General Physics with Laboratory

Introduction to Psychology

Statistics with Application in biological & social sciences

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