Combined Degree (3/4) Program
SUNY Fredonia and
SUNY State College of Optometry
SUNY State College of Optometry
33 West 42nd Street
New York, New York 10036
Telephone: (212) 780-5100
E-mail: admissions@sunyopt.edu
Web: www.sunyopt.edu
General Information and Requirements
The Combined Degree (3/4) Program is a seven-year program developed
between the State University of New York at Fredonia and the State
University of New York State College of Optometry. This program allows
six participating students per year the opportunity to receive a
baccalaureate (B.S.) degree in Biology and a Doctor of Optometry (O.D.)
degree in optometry. The first three years of the program are completed
at SUNY Fredonia and the last four years are completed at SUNY State
College of Optometry. Accepted students are admitted into Fredonia's
Biology major and simultaneously admitted to candidacy to the SUNY
State College of Optometry professional program of study.
A. Selection of Participants
Participants may be selected for the program in one of two ways --
1. High School Students:
- Must express an interest in and have a basic understanding of the optometric profession.
- Must have a definite interest in the optometry profession and has explored it.
- Must
submit two recommendation letters to evidence community involvement,
communication and interpersonal skills, and motivation for a career in
optometry.
- Must be in the upper one-tenth of their high school graduating class.
- Must have achieved at least a minimum of 93 high school grade average on a scale of 100.
- Attain a total score of 1300 (at least 670 Math) or better on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT).
- Prior
to consideration for the Combined Degree Program, an applicant must
first be accepted to SUNY Fredonia through the normal admissions
process as a member of the entering first-year class and paid the
Fredonia Admissions Deposit.
- Prior to the beginning of the
freshman year and after all of the above criteria have been met,
members of the SUNY State College of Optometry Student Affairs
Committee will interview the applicant at the SUNY State College of
Optometry. It is the student's responsibility to arrange this interview
and to contact the Fredonia Admissions Office to have your supporting
application materials forwarded to the State College of Optometry.
- Following
the required interview, the applicant will be reviewed by the State
College of Optometry Student Affairs Committee and a decision will be
made on acceptance into the Combined Degree Program. In order to be considered for the program, participants must be interviewed at the SUNY State College of Optometry.
2. First- and Second-Year College Students:
- May apply for the Combined Degree Program following completion of the first full year of study at SUNY Fredonia.
- A
minimum overall 3.3 grade point average and 3.3 grade point average
(out of 4.0) in all science and math pre-requisite undergraduate
coursework completed at the time of application to the Combined Degree
Program. All science and math prerequisite courses must be satisfied
with a grade of C or higher.
- Has met the conditions for continuance in the program (See B below).
- Requires
the support of the Biomedical Professions Committee at SUNY Fredonia in
the form of a positive letter of recommendation to be forwarded to the
SUNY State College of Optometry.
- Three years (ninety or more credit hours) of study at Fredonia.
- Will have met all conditions for participation in the program prior to enrolling at the SUNY State College of Optometry.
B. Continuance in the Program
In order to remain in the program, the participant will matriculate
at SUNY Fredonia for three years and must satisfy the following
requirements.
- Provide evidence of community involvement.
- During your three years at SUNY Fredonia, you must visit at least
three different professional optometric offices in order to be fully
acquainted with the profession of optometry. Submit appropriate
documentation (forms available in the Biology Office or a letter from
the optometrist) immediately to the Biomedical Professions Council.
- Maintain a minimum overall 3.3 grade point average and maintain a
3.3 overall grade point average (out of 4.0) in the math and science
prerequisites with no individual grade below a "C".
- Completion of all SUNY State College of Optometry pre-requisite
coursework for the professional program with individual grades of C or
higher.
- Completion of the SUNY Fredonia core course requirements.
- Completion of additional coursework that can be used, in addition
to the above, to place Combined Degree students in proper position to
complete their SUNY Fredonia requirements upon successful completion of
their first year of professional study at SUNY State College of
Optometry.
- Participants must gain experience in professional optometric
offices during the first three years while enrolled in this program.
The participant must visit at least three different professional
optometric offices in order to be fully acquainted with the profession
of optometry. The participant is solely responsible for ensuring signed
documentation of completed hours is on file in the Department of
Biology. Required forms are available in the Biology Office for this
documentation.
- Release official transcripts of all college courses taken on a
yearly basis while enrolled in this program to SUNY State College of
Optometry.
- Attain a Total Science score (TS) above 330 on the Optometry
Admissions Test (OAT), with no individual score below 310. The OAT must
be taken no later than the Fall Semester of the third year (junior) of
the program.
- Must be interviewed by the SUNY Fredonia Biomedical Professions
Council in the Spring Semester of the third year (junior) and pass
reasonable personal interview standards.
- Provide a positive letter of recommendation to SUNY State College
of Optometry from the SUNY Fredonia Biomedical Professions Council.
- Submit all required admission application materials to SUNY State
College of Optometry in the Spring Semester of your Junior Year.
- Release official transcripts of all college courses taken on a
yearly basis while enrolled in this program to SUNY State College of
Optometry.
- Satisfactorily complete the first year at SUNY State College of
Optometry and have a transcript submitted to the Registrar at SUNY
Fredonia.
- Satisfactorily complete all of the degree requirements for SUNY Fredonia.
- Obtain the SUNY Fredonia Application for Degree form from the
Registrar's Office. Complete this form and return it directly to the
Registrar during the month of January of your senior year (fourth year).
- Meet all academic requirements of the SUNY State College of Optometry in order to receive the O.D. degree.
- Maintain appropriate moral and ethical standards necessary for the eventual attainment of professional licensure.
- Failure of the student to achieve or maintain the above standards will result in his or her removal from the program.
- Failure
of the student to be accepted into the Combined Degree Program or
discontinuance of the program following acceptance to SUNY Fredonia
will not preclude direct application to the SUNY State College of
Optometry through its standard application process.
- Based
upon any of the above deficiencies, student will not be considered in
any future admissions review process for the Combined Degree Program.
C. Counseling, Advising, and Program
Upon acceptance into the Combined Degree (3/4) Program, the
participant will schedule an appointment (required during the month of
September) to meet with the Chairperson of the Biomedical Professions
Committee at SUNY Fredonia to review the requirements of the program.
The Chairperson (or designee) of the Biomedical Professions Committee
will act as the Program Advisor to the participants while they are
enrolled at SUNY Fredonia. At this meeting, the participant will
receive an outline of the program as approved by SUNY Fredonia. The
student will be required to sign in triplicate an Agreement of
Participation that signifies his or her awareness of the academic
standards that must be maintained, the OAT scores that must be
achieved, the courses that must be taken while at SUNY Fredonia, and
the process and requirements for receiving the baccalaureate degree
from SUNY Fredonia following successful completion of the first year
(fourth year of the seven-year program) at SUNY State College of
Optometry.
D. Course Requirements
- Total of 120 credit hours required for SUNY Fredonia B.S. Degree
SUNY Fredonia - 90 credit hours - as listed on the Combined Degree Checklist and Agreement Form
- Biology major course requirements
- Supporting courses
- College Core Curriculum courses
SUNY State College of Optometry - 30 credit hours
Includes appropriate Biology elective courses to substitute for
Fredonia courses for the major as advised by the Biomedical Professions
Advisor
E. Clinical Experience and Documentation
Participants must gain experience in clinical optometry while
enrolled the first three years of the program. The participant must
complete a minimum of one hundred hours of clinical experience. While
this requirement can generally be met by volunteering in private
optometric clinics, the participant may utilize other clinical
experiences in optometry to meet this requirement with the approval of
the program advisor at SUNY Fredonia. The participant is solely
responsible for ensuring signed documentation of completed hours is on
file in the Department of Biology (forms are available in the Biology
Office for this documentation).
F. Withdrawal from the Program
Participation by the student in the Combined Degree Program should
be regarded as a serious commitment by both parties, only to be
abrogated by extenuating circumstances. In such cases, it is the sole
responsibility of the student to advise SUNY State College of Optometry
officials and the Chairperson of the Biomedical Professions Council at
SUNY Fredonia of withdrawal at the earliest possible date.
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