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It also covers typical math and statistics requirements, optional human anatomy/physiology, and the need for social science coursework. Guidance extends to choosing majors and minors, building a personalized four-year plan, considering extra semesters, and understanding pathways such as applying without a bachelor’s degree and meeting OAT and application timing.",{"@graph":69,"@context":127},[70,84,106],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":20,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/exam/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/academic-preparation-for-optometry-school-minimum-required-coursework-and-planning-guidance/292808/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/academic-preparation-for-optometry-school-minimum-required-coursework-and-planning-guidance/292808.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"Miles","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-29","2026-09-17",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":105},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",13,{"@type":107,"mainEntity":108},"FAQPage",[109,115,119,123],{"name":110,"@type":111,"acceptedAnswer":112},"What core coursework is commonly required for optometry school admission?","Question",{"text":113,"@type":114},"Most U.S. optometry schools require at least one year of English composition, one year of general chemistry (with lab), one semester of organic chemistry, one semester of general biology, one year of physics, and one semester of microbiology. Science courses must include a lab component.","Answer",{"name":116,"@type":111,"acceptedAnswer":117},"Do pre-optometry students have to choose a specific major?",{"text":118,"@type":114},"Most schools do not require a particular major, but students must still complete all required admission courses for their target optometry programs. Students are advised to create a personalized four-year plan to ensure the programs fit together.",{"name":120,"@type":111,"acceptedAnswer":121},"What are the chemistry and biology minor requirements mentioned for pre-optometry students?",{"text":122,"@type":114},"For a chemistry minor, students complete 16 chemistry credit hours (CHM 111, 112, 221, and 222) with at least 6 hours in 200-level or higher courses taken in residence at Mercer. For a biology minor, students complete 18 biology credit hours with at least 6 hours in 300-level or higher courses taken in residence at Mercer.",{"name":124,"@type":111,"acceptedAnswer":125},"Can students matriculate into optometry school without completing a bachelor’s degree?",{"text":126,"@type":114},"Yes, many schools do not require a bachelor’s degree, but they often prefer applicants who have completed one. If pursuing only the required 90 credit hours, students must plan for taking the OAT and applying at the end of their second undergraduate year rather than the third year.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":129,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":95,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":131,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":133,"site_id":62},292808,1789655936,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":136},{"doc_id":133,"user_id":137,"nickname":92,"user_avatar":138,"doc_module":4,"category_id":19,"category_name":20,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":139,"file_id":140,"file_url":141,"file_type":142,"file_size":143,"view_count":105,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":8,"language":144,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":145,"faqs":146,"seo_title":147,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":134,"read_time":81},13056703019404,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_29158cc5080c5b710cf443261637dec0","Academic Preparation for Optometry School  \nMinimum Required Coursework for Optometry School. Most optometry schools in the U.S. require a minimum of one year of English composition, one year of general chemistry (CHM 111 and 112), at least one semester of organic chemistry (CHM 221), at least one semester of general biology (BIO 171), one year of physics (PHY 141 and 142 or 161 and 162), and one semester of microbiology (BIO 303) . All science courses require a lab component. Most schools also one semester each of calculus (MAT 191) and statistics (STA 126), and at least one semester of a course in the social sciences. Some schools require human anatomy and physiology (BIO 131 and 132), while others require additional social sciences. Students on the pre-optometry track must investigate the different optometry schools available and make themselves aware of the particular requirements for the programs in which they are interested. The website of the centralized application service for optometry schools in the US, OptomCAS, offers a summary of the admissions prerequisites of their member schools here: [https://www.optomcas.org/information-about-schools-colleges/](https://www.optomcas.org/information-about-schools-colleges/) .  \nMajors and Minors for Pre-Optometry Students. Most optometry schools in the U.S. prefer applicants who complete a bachelor’s degree before they matriculate, but many do not express a preference for any particular academic major when reviewing applications. Although a pre-optometry student may major in any discipline s/he chooses, s/he must also complete the required courses for admission to their preferred optometry programs. Before officially declaring a major, therefore, a student should create a personalized 4-year plan (4YP) that includes all required coursework to see how well the two programs fit together. (Watch the video, Creating a 4-Year Plan, on the GPS advising course on Canvas.) Students need to be aware that extra semesters might be required for degree programs that do not fit well with the pre-optometry classes.  \nMinors in Chemistry & Biology. Pre-optometry students who select a non-science major are encouraged to at least minor in both Chemistry and Biology in order to obtain a firm foundation in the sciences.  \nChemistry Minor: Students who complete 16 credit hours of chemistry (CHM 111, 112, 221, and 222) , with 6 hr or more in courses numbered 200 or higher taken in residence at Mercer, fulfill the Mercer University College of Liberal Arts & Sciences requirements for a minor in chemistry.  \nBiology Minor: Students who complete 18 credit hours in biology, with 6 or more hr in courses numbered 300 or higher in residence at Mercer fulfill the CLA’s requirements for a minor in biology.  \nMinors in Business: Many pre-optometry students see the value of education in a field of business, as such training can further their professional goals as optometrists operating in their own clinics. Options can be found in the University Catalog.  \nOptometry School Matriculation Without a Degree. Many optometry schools do not require a bachelor’s degree for admission (e.g., [http://www.uab.edu/optometry/home/become-an-optometrist/application-process](http://www.uab.edu/optometry/home/become-an-optometrist/application-process);  \n[http://optometry.nova.edu/od/admissions/index.html](http://optometry.nova.edu/od/admissions/index.html); [https://optometry.uiw.edu/admissions/doctor-of](https://optometry.uiw.edu/admissions/doctor-of)  \noptometry/index.html) but most schools give preference to applicants who have completed a bachelor’s degree. Students interested in only completing the 90 credit hours required for admission to optometry school rather than completing a bachelor’s degree must plan ahead carefully, as they would need to take the OAT and apply to professional school at the end of their second year of undergraduate study rather than at the end of their third year. Students are encouraged to have a ","cbCaidZjDgmmVXeW","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaidZjDgmmVXeW","pdf",126205,"English","# Minimum Required Coursework for Optometry School\n## Majors and Minors for Pre-Optometry Students\n## Minors in Chemistry & Biology\n## Minors in Business\n## Optometry School Matriculation Without a Degree","[{\"question\":\"What core coursework is commonly required for optometry school admission?\",\"answer\":\"Most U.S. optometry schools require at least one year of English composition, one year of general chemistry (with lab), one semester of organic chemistry, one semester of general biology, one year of physics, and one semester of microbiology. Science courses must include a lab component.\"},{\"question\":\"Do pre-optometry students have to choose a specific major?\",\"answer\":\"Most schools do not require a particular major, but students must still complete all required admission courses for their target optometry programs. Students are advised to create a personalized four-year plan to ensure the programs fit together.\"},{\"question\":\"What are the chemistry and biology minor requirements mentioned for pre-optometry students?\",\"answer\":\"For a chemistry minor, students complete 16 chemistry credit hours (CHM 111, 112, 221, and 222) with at least 6 hours in 200-level or higher courses taken in residence at Mercer. For a biology minor, students complete 18 biology credit hours with at least 6 hours in 300-level or higher courses taken in residence at Mercer.\"},{\"question\":\"Can students matriculate into optometry school without completing a bachelor’s degree?\",\"answer\":\"Yes, many schools do not require a bachelor’s degree, but they often prefer applicants who have completed one. If pursuing only the required 90 credit hours, students must plan for taking the OAT and applying at the end of their second undergraduate year rather than the third year.\"}]","Academic Preparation for Optometry School - Minimum Required Coursework and Planning Guidance | PDF"]