GREGORY M. ANDRASO, Ph.D., Director of the Pre-Professional Phase

Aims and Objectives

This is an accelerated program in optometry presented in cooperation with the Pennsylvania College of Optometry of Philadelphia. The Program is designed to assist young men and women who wish to enter the profession of optometry. Students in the program are encouraged to enter the practice of optometry in underserved areas of Pennsylvania. Following three years of pre-optometry studies at Gannon, students in the accelerated program in optometry will be evaluated and will make application to the Pennsylvania College of Optometry and pursue the four years of the optometry curriculum at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry. At the end of the first year of study at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry, upon application to Gannon, students in the program will receive a bachelor’s degree (in Health Sciences or other degree program for which requirements have been met) from Gannon University. The degree of Doctor of Optometry will be awarded to students who complete the four year course of study at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry. One quarter of the student’s final year of study will be spent in “clerkships” (in institutional settings) and “preceptorships” (in office settings) in Northwestern Pennsylvania.

Admissions Requirements:

• Completion of four years of science courses at the high school level. Three of these science courses must be Biology, Chemistry, and Physics.
  
• No grade lower than a "C" in any high school science course.
  
• Completion of four years of math courses at the high school level.
  
• Minimum SAT score of 1050.
  
• Minimum cumulative high school grade point average of 3.0 out of 4.0.
  
• Class rank in the top 25%.
  

• Satisfactory completion of the following course of study at Gannon.
  Optometry Curriculum

  (Numerals in front of courses indicate credits.)

  FIRST YEAR
  Semester I			Semester II
  4 Biology/BIOL 122, 123 4 Chemistry/CHEM 111, 112 3 College Composition/LENG 111 3 Mathematics/MATH 111 or 140 3 Hist of West & World/LHST 111 17 Credits			4 Biology/BIOL 124, 125 4 Chemistry/CHEM 114, 115 3 Crit Analysis & Comp/LENG 112 3 Mathematics/MATH 112 or 141 3 Sacred Scriptures/LTHE 121 17 Credits
  SECOND YEAR
  Semester III			Semester IV
  4 Chemistry/CHEM 221, 222 4 Physics/PHYS 105 & 106 or PHYS 111 & 112 3 Invitation to Philosophy/LPHI 231 3 Literature Series/LENG 3 Social Science Elective 17 Credits			4 Chemistry/CHEM 224 and CHEM 225 4 Physics/PHYS 108 & 109 or PHYS 212 & 213 3 Philosophy Series II/LPHI 3 Theology Series II/LTHE 3 Elective 17 Credits

  THIRD YEAR
  Semester V		Semester VI
  3 Theology or Phil Series III/ LTHE or LPHI 3 Elective 3 Statistics/PSYC 211 or MATH 213 4 Biology/BIOL 331, BIOL 332 3 Fine Art Series/LFIN 16 Credits		3 Senior Seminar/LBST 383 3 Psychology/PSYC 111 4 Biology/BIOL 368,369 or BIOL 365, 366 5 Electives 15 Credits

  
  

• Nomination by the joint Pennsylvania College of Optometry-Gannon University Selection Committee. Student candidates qualified for entrance into the first professional year of optometry shall be presented to the Pennsylvania College of Optometry for admission.