Degrees and Requirements

Pre-Optometry (Salus University)

A major in Optometry is meant to prepare students for a career as an optometrist. As health-care practitioners, optometrists engage in an examination process of the eye; as well as, diagnosing, treating, and managing diseases of the visual system affecting the eye. In addition, optometrists prescribe spectacle and contact lenses in order to correct refractive errors.

The La Roche University/ Salus University Doctor of Optometry program is a seven-year program, culminating in a Doctor of Optometry (OD) degree from Salus. Salus’ Doctor of Optometry program is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE) of the American Optometric Association (AOA).

REQUIREMENTS FOR PRE-OPTOMETRY (PHASE 1):
• Complete the Pre-Optometry curriculum at La Roche, which must consist of a minimum of 90 semester hours of undergraduate education including the required prerequisites
• Maintain a GPA of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale.
• Submit a completed application to the Optometry Centralized Application Service (OptomCAS), including satisfactory scores results of the Optometry Admissions Test (OAT) and required letters of evaluation.
• Shadow a practicing optometrist(s) in order to be familiar with the role of the optometrist as a member of the healthcare team.

REQUIREMENTS FOR PROFESSIONAL PHASE 2 (SALUS UNIVERSITY):
• For consideration for admission into the Doctor of Optometry Program at Salus, a student must successfully complete Phase I as described above.
•  Students must then apply to the Doctor of Optometry Program by following the application procedures described on the Salus University website no later than December 1st of the intended entering year.  These admissions procedures include completion of a successful on-campus interview.
• Salus will reserve four (4) seats in each class of the Doctor of Optometry Program for La Roche students who have successfully completed Phase I of the Program and the Phase II application process.  If there are more than four (4) such qualified La Roche students, the remaining La Roche students will be considered for admission along with all other applicants.
 
Students accepted into the Professional Phase complete four years of full-time study at Salus University. Upon successful completion of the fourth year, students will be awarded either a Bachelor of Arts degree in Health Science or a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from La Roche University depending on their declared major.

REQUIREMENTS:  The following coursework is required:
• 56 credits of Phase 1 courses
• Must have completed a minimum of 90 credits prescribed by their LRC program prior to articulation

Summary of Requirements

Phase I Component: 56 Credits (Select BIOL1015/L OR BIOL2025/L)

• BIOL1003

  BIOL1003
  

  Credits (Min/Max): /

  PREREQUISITES:

  Concurrent: BIOL1005

• BIOL1004

  BIOL1004
  

  Credits (Min/Max): /

  PREREQUISITES:

  BIOL1003 & BIOL1005, Concurrent: BIOL1006

• BIOL1005

  BIOL1005
  

  Credits (Min/Max): /

  PREREQUISITES:

  coreg: BIOL1003

• BIOL1006

  BIOL1006
  

  Credits (Min/Max): /

  PREREQUISITES:

• BIOL1015

  BIOL1015
  

  Credits (Min/Max): /

  PREREQUISITES:

  Concurrent: BIOL1015L

• BIOL1015L

  BIOL1015L
  

  Credits (Min/Max): /

  PREREQUISITES:

• BIOL2025

  BIOL2025
  

  Credits (Min/Max): /

  PREREQUISITES:

  BIOL1004 & BIOL1006

• BIOL2025L

  BIOL2025L
  

  Credits (Min/Max): /

  PREREQUISITES:

• CHEM1001

  CHEM1001
  

  Credits (Min/Max): /

  PREREQUISITES:

  Concurrent: CHEM1003

• CHEM1002

  CHEM1002
  

  Credits (Min/Max): /

  PREREQUISITES:

  Concurrent: CHEM1004

• CHEM1003

  CHEM1003
  

  Credits (Min/Max): /

  PREREQUISITES:

• CHEM1004

  CHEM1004
  

  Credits (Min/Max): /

  PREREQUISITES:

• CHEM2015

  CHEM2015
  

  Credits (Min/Max): /

  PREREQUISITES:

  CHEM1002 concurrent: CHEM2015L

• CHEM2015L

  CHEM2015L
  

  Credits (Min/Max): /

  PREREQUISITES:

• CHEM2016

  CHEM2016
  

  Credits (Min/Max): /

  PREREQUISITES:

  CHEM2015 concurrent: CHEM2016L

• CHEM2016L

  CHEM2016L
  

  Credits (Min/Max): /

  PREREQUISITES:

  CHEM2015L

• ENGL1011

  ENGL1011
  

  Credits (Min/Max): /

  PREREQUISITES:

• ENGL1012

  ENGL1012
  

  Credits (Min/Max): /

  PREREQUISITES:

  ENGL1011

• MATH1032

  MATH1032
  

  Credits (Min/Max): /

  PREREQUISITES:

  MATH1010

• MATH1033

  MATH1033
  

  Credits (Min/Max): /

  PREREQUISITES:

  MATH1032

• MATH1040

  MATH1040
  

  Credits (Min/Max): /

  PREREQUISITES:

  MATH1010

• PHYS1032

  PHYS1032
  

  Credits (Min/Max): /

  PREREQUISITES:

  MATH1032, Coreq: PHYS1032L

• PHYS1032L

  PHYS1032L
  

  Credits (Min/Max): /

  PREREQUISITES:

• PHYS1033

  PHYS1033
  

  Credits (Min/Max): /

  PREREQUISITES:

  PHYS1032, Coreq: PHYS1033L

• PHYS1033L

  PHYS1033L
  

  Credits (Min/Max): /

  PREREQUISITES:

• PSYC1021

  PSYC1021
  

  Credits (Min/Max): /

  PREREQUISITES: