Pre-Optometry
Start your journey to becoming an optometrist.
Take Prerequisites Courses.
University of Nebraska Lincoln offers the classes you need to apply for an optometry program while earning your bachelor’s degree. See the list below for a brief overview of required prerequisite courses.
Get Experience.
Start building your shadowing and volunteer hours to be a more competitive optometry school applicant. Don’t forget to keep track of your hours!
Talk to an Advisor Each Semester.
There’s a lot of coordination and planning that needs to happen to make sure you do everything you need before graduate school. The Explore Center’s advisors are here to help you navigate this journey. Meet with an advisor today to get a personalized 4-year pre-optometry plan!
Pre-Optometry Roadmap at UNL
Optometry Prerequisite Classes
Depending on the school you plan to attend, you may need additional prerequisite courses. Meet with an advisor for more information.
Typical Optometry School Requirements
Biology – 2 semesters
Anatomy – 1 semester
Physiology with lab – 1 semester
Microbiology – 1 semester
Chemistry – 2 semesters
Organic Chemistry – 2 semesters
Biochemistry – 1 semester
Physics with lab - 2 semesters
Calculus – 1 semester
Statistics – 1 semester
Psychology – 1 semester
English – 2 courses
Social Science – 1-2 courses
What to Take at University of Nebraska Lincoln
Some classes require prerequisites. Meet with an advisor for help planning your courses.
Biology* – LIFE 120/120L or LIFE 121/121L
Anatomy – BIOS 214
Physiology with lab – BIOS 213/213L
Microbiology – BIOS 312/314
Chemistry – CHEM 109A/L & CHEM 110A/L or 113A/L, 114, & 221L
Organic Chemistry – CHEM 251/253 & 252/254 or 261/263 & 262/264
Biochemistry – BIOC 401/401L or 431
Physics with lab – PHYS 141 & 142 or 211/221 & 212/222
Calculus – MATH 104 or 106
Statistics – STAT 218, EDPS 459, ECON 215, or PSYC 350
Psychology – PSYC 181
English – ENGL 150, 151, 254, or 354
Social Science – Any SOCI, PSYC, POLS, HIST, ECON, ANTH, GEOG, RELG, or PHIL
Specific admission requirements vary at optometry schools. Students should consult with schools of interest directly to determine their admission requirements. A list of each school’s requirements is also available at optometriceducation.org. The above is a list of generally accepted requirements, with specific UNL courses that will fulfill the requirement.
Other Notes:
- *Courses with an asterisk have additional options depending on your desired school.
- OAT Content: Not all content on the OAT may be covered by pre-requisite courses. See courses containing OAT content below. Talk to an advisor about incorporating these into your course plan.
OAT Exam Recommended Courses:
LIFE 120/120L
LIFE 121/121L
BIOS 213/213L
CHEM 109A/L & 110A/L or 113A/L & 114A/L
CHEM 251/253 & 252/254 or 261/263 & 262/264
BIOC 401/401L (if didn’t take the 2nd Organic Chem class)
PHYS 141 and 142 or 211/221 and 212/222
For more information on the OAT exam, visit ada.org/en/oat.
Meet with an Explore Center advisor to develop your OAT preparation plan.
Suggested Sequencing
Semester 1 | Semester 2 |
Semester 3 | Semester 4 |
Semester 5 | Semester 6 |
**Take the OAT 12-15 months prior to entering Optometry school | |
Semester 7 | Semester 8 |
Extracurricular Involvement and Activities:
Pursuing optometry school requires more than just coursework. Your extracurricular activities, employment, and healthcare experiences like shadowing and volunteering will contribute greatly to your success in this field. See your pre-health advisor in the Explore Center to plan extracurricular activities that will prepare you for this program.
Application and Admission
Application: Students apply through the centralized application service, OptomCAS. See optomcas.org for application process information. Applications are generally accepted beginning in August or September of the academic year preceding the anticipated date of enrollment. Deadlines for applications also vary. For all specific application and admission deadlines, students must contact the school of interest directly.
Entrance Exam: Most schools require applicants to take the Optometry Admission Test (OAT), which is a computer-based exam. Information about the OAT is available at ada.org/en/oat.
Additional admission requirements: Letters of recommendation are generally required and vary by school.