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Shape Your Future in Eye Care

Embark on a rewarding journey in eye care with Nova Southeastern University's Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) program. As an aspiring optometrist, you'll play a pivotal role in improving vision and detecting potential health issues early on, which can save lives. Our program provides:

  • Holistic Health Focus: Gain insights into overall health, positioning yourself as a vital healthcare professional.
  • Comprehensive Skills: Learn to examine, diagnose, treat, and manage visual system diseases with a focus on using glasses, contact lenses, and visual rehabilitation.
  • Flexible Paths: Choose from a traditional four-year path or opt for a more comprehensive experience with the extended program.
A Tradition of Excellence and Success

NSU's College of Optometry boasts high graduation rates, top board exam scores, and clinical proficiency. Over 25% of our graduates secure residency positions nationwide and are highly sought after by O.D.s, M.D.s, and corporations.

We consider candidates competitive if they score 320 or higher on the Optometry Admissions Test (OAT) and maintain a GPA of 3.4 or above. To learn more about our admissions process, we recommend scheduling a 15-minute telephone information session with our Admissions Counselor. During this session, you'll gain an understanding of our admission requirements and procedures.

Curriculum Overview

Our curriculum is designed to provide a comprehensive and tailored exploration of vital optometric disciplines. We combine theoretical foundations with practical application to ensure that our students gain specialized knowledge and hands-on experiences that will help them excel in the dynamic field of optometry.

During the first year of optometry school, students concentrate on the basic biological sciences including; anatomy and physiology, microbiology, and neuroanatomy. In addition, they engage in lectures, labs, and clinical instruction to grasp theoretical optics and the art of conducting optometric examinations.

Course # Course Name Term
OPT 1134 Gross Anatomy/Head and Neck Fall
OPT 2144 General Physiology Fall
OPT xxxx Integrated Optics I  Fall
OPTL xxxx Integrated Optics I Lab Fall
OPT 1724 Optometric Theory & Methods 1 Fall
OPTL 1724 Optometric Theory & Methods 1 Lab Fall
OPT 1831 Cont. Issues in Optometry Fall
OPT 2422 Ocular Anatomy and Physiology Fall
OPTC 2023 Neuroanatomy  Winter
OPT 1323 Microbiology Winter
OPT xxxx Integrated Optics 2  Winter
OPTL xxxx Integrated Optics 2 Lab Winter
OPT 2522 Visual Neurophysiology  Winter
OPT 2724 Optometric Theory & Methods 2 Winter
OPTL 2724 Optometric Theory & Methods 2 Lab Winter
OPT xxxx Vision Science I Winter
OPT 4811 Epidemiology Winter
OPT xxxx Integrative Course Seminar I Winter
OPT 3624 Optometric Theory & Methods 3 Summer
OPTL 3624 Optometric Theory & Methods 3 Lab  Summer
OPT 3021 Optometric Sim. Lab Summer
OPT 3243 Principles of General Pharmacology Summer
OPT 3344A&B Psychophysics/Monocular Sensory Processes I & II Summer
OPT 3434 Ophthalmic Optics I Summer
OPTL 3434 Ophthalmic Optics I Lab Summer
OPT 4811 Epidemiology Summer

 

Explore ocular physiology, and psychophysics, and delve into the intricacies of ocular disease and binocular vision anomalies. Gain hands-on experience at NSU Health Eye Care during the summer between the second and third years, providing primary eye care to a diverse patient population.

Course # Course Name Term
OPT 3033 General Pathology Fall
OPT 3244 Systemic Pharmacology Fall
OPT 4524 Optometric Theory & Methods 4 Fall
OPTL 4524 Optometric Theory & Methods 4 Lab Fall
OPT 4234 Ophthalmic Optics II Fall
OPTL 4234 Ophthalmic Optics II Lab Fall
OPT 4122 Ocular Pharmacology Fall
OPT 2622 Ocular Disease of the Anterior Segment Fall
OPT xxxx Clinical Reasoning & Case Analysis I Fall
OPT 3624 Low Vision Winter
OPTL 3624 Low Vision Lab Winter
OPT 4433 Anomalies of Binocular Vision 1 Winter
OPTL 4433 Anomalies of Binocular Vision 1 Lab Winter
OPT 4636 Glaucoma Winter
OPT  4634 Retina Winter
OPT 4635 Seminars in Posterior Segment Disease Winter
OPT 71xx Introduction to Primary Care Clinic Winter
OPTL xxxx Clinical Reasoning & Case Analysis II Winter
OPT 5411 Clinical Gerontology Summer
OPT 5322 Clinical Medicine and Ocular Manifestations of Systemic Disease 1 Summer
OPT 5412 Physical Diagnosis Lab Summer
OPT 5122 Contact Lens 1 Summer
OPT 5122L Contact Lens 1 Lab Summer
OPT xxxx Anomalies of Binocular Vision 1.5 Summer
OPT 1612 Health Systems Summer
OPT 7161 Optical Services Rotation Clinic 1 Summer
OPT 7111 Primary Care Clinic 1 Summer
Specialty Service Rotations Summer

 

In addition to seeing patients, third-year students continue to study ocular disease, contact lenses, and clinical medicine. A two-semester practice management course begins in the third year with an introduction to basic business and management concepts.

Course # Course Name Term
OPT 5022 Anomalies of Binocular Vision II Fall
OPTL 5022 Anomalies of Binocular Vision II Lab Fall
OPT xxxx Pediatric Optometry Fall
 OPT 6332 Clinical Medicine and Ocular Manifestations of Systemic Disease II Fall
OPT 6233 Neuro-Eye Disease Fall
OPT 4721* Nutrition in Eye Care Fall
OPT 7122 Optical Services Rotation Clinic 2 Fall
OPT 7161 Primary Care Clinic 2 Fall
Specialty Service Rotations Fall
OPT xxxx Clinical Reasoning & Case Analysis Fall
OPT 6122 Contact Lens 2 Winter
OPT 6122L Contact Lens 2 Lab Winter
OPT 6633 Pediatric Optometry Winter
OPTL 6633 Pediatric Optometry Lab Winter
OPT 7182 Ophthalmic Lasers, Injections, and Surgical Procedures  Winter
OPT *** NBEO Prep  Winter
OPT 4951 Community Outreach Winter
OPT  6512 Practice Management 1  Winter
OPT 7161 Optical Services Rotation Clinic 3 Winter
OPT 7122 Primary Care Clinic 3 Winter
Specialty Service Rotations Winter
OPT xxxx Clinical Reasoning & Case Analysis  Winter

During the fourth year, students receive extensive training in; secondary-tertiary eye care, specialized optometric care, and continued clinical education. Training emphasizes practical experience through externships, specialty clinical rotations, and clinical practice. A fourth-year practice management course presents business decisions and concepts that will be necessary for success in practice.

Course # Course Name
OPT 6524 Practice Management II
OPT 7146 Primary Care Clinical Internship
OPT 7214 Cornea & CL Clinical Internship
OPT 7224 Peds & BV Clinical Internship
OPT 7308 Med Surg Clinical Externship
OPT 7408 Clinical Elective Externship

*Beginning May 2022

Celebrating Diversity at NSU College of Optometry

Our commitment to diversity is not just a statement but a living reality, as evidenced by the rich composition of our student body.

image of nextwork Reflecting Local Diversity

27% of our students identify as Black/African AmericanHispanic/Latino, or American Indian/Alaskan Native, reflecting the South Florida community.

image of people synergy National Melting Pot

Beyond the Sunshine State, we have students from over 35 U.S. states, creating a dynamic blend of perspectives and experiences that enrich the learning environment.

image of globeInternational Flair

Canada is well represented with approximately 10% of our student population from 5 Canadian provinces. 

Extended Program

Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry offers a distinctive educational path through our Extended Program. This unique curriculum allows individuals to attain a Doctor of Optometry degree over an extended five-year period, offering flexibility to accommodate various life circumstances.

Who is the program designed for?

The Extended Program is ideal for individuals looking to return to school after a break, those transitioning from other professional fields, or those with family or other obligations that require a lighter course load. It is worth noting that the program is not intended for students with weaker academic credentials. Instead, it often attracts high-achieving individuals who are juggling additional responsibilities.

How does the program differ from the traditional four-year program?

The extended program allows students to complete the first two years of the traditional four-year program over three years, while the third and fourth years remain the same for both programs. Upon completion of the extended program, individuals receive the same Doctor of Optometry degree as those who complete the traditional four-year program, and they are held to the same high standards of excellence for graduation.

Is the application process the same for the extended program?

Yes, the same application process used for the traditional four-year program is also used for the extended program. Applicants who want to apply for the Extended Program must submit a brief statement with their secondary application describing why they feel the Extended Program is appropriate for them. It's important to note that enrollment for the extended program is limited, and requesting admission to the Extended Program does not guarantee acceptance into this program nor does it lower the admissions standards.

Student Success

Explore the outcomes of our graduates through National Board Results, delve into the diverse statistics of our entering classes, and track our impressive Retention and Graduation Rates. This section provides a comprehensive overview of the high-quality education and supportive community you can expect at NSU College of Optometry.

 

Academic Year

2019-2020 *

2020-2021

2021-2022

National Average

2021-2022

NBEO Exam

# of all first time takers Pass rate (%) of first time takers # of all first time takers Pass rate (%) of first time takers # of all first time takers Pass rate (%) of first time takers Pass rate (%) of first time takers

Part I First Time Pass Rate 

(August and March Administrations)

98 75.51 104 68.57 103 59.22 63.66

Part II First Time Pass Rate 

(December and April Administrations)

96 86.46 99 86.87 100 86 84.65

Part III First Time Pass Rate

(August - June Administrations)

96 86.46 99 84.85 102 79.41 79.64

Ultimate Passage Rate

(Year of graduation, October 1 – September 30, as defined by NBEO)

# passing all parts % of graduates # passing all parts % of graduates # passing all parts % of graduates  Ultimate Pass Rate
104 97.62 107 96.26  97 90.72 87.77

 

*Reporting adjustments to NBEO test administration dates due to the impact of COVID-19 for 2019-2020, the administrations include July 2020, November 2020 and January 2021 for Part I and December 2019 and July 2020 for Part II.

NSU Entering Class Student Profile (ASCO's Entering Class Profiles)

 

CUMULATIVE GPA

SCIENCE GPA

OAT AA/TS

2014 3.34 3.24 322.31/320.44
2015 3.40 3.30 323.62/322.98
2016 3.42 3.30 328.83/328.72
2017 3.37 3.22 323.44/321.04
2018 3.47 3.33 318.31/313.82
2019 3.43 3.30 322.87/319.57
2020 3.48 3.36 322.76/318.97
2021 3.36 3.21 323.23/320.52
2022 3.51 3.42 328.80/325.42
2023 3.52 3.41 322.02/313.57

Year Initially Matriculated

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

Number Matriculated

105 101 105 104 104 105 105

Graduated in 4 years

91.4% 92.0% 89.5% 84.6%  84.6% 93.3% 90.5%

Graduated in 5 or more years

4.8% 4.0% 6.7%  7.7% 6.7% 1.9% TBD

Graduated at any time

96.2% 96.0% 96.2% 92.3%  91.3% 95.2% TBD

Attrition for Academic Reasons

3.8% 2.0% 1.9% 3.8% 3.8% 4.8% 4.8%

Attrition for Other Reasons

0% 2.0% 1.9% 3.8% 4.8% 0% 1.9%

Still enrolled or on a leave of absence

0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 2.9%

 

Professional Licensure Disclosure Statement

 NSU College of Optometry values transparency and accountability. To help you make informed decisions, we provide a Professional Licensure and Disclosure Statement. This statement includes important information about the requirements for obtaining a professional license as an optometrist. 

Professional Licensure Disclosure Statement

Why NSU College of Optometry?

See what our students have to say about their program and college experiences. 

Shape your future in eye care with NSU's Doctor of Optometry program

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