3/4 Joint Degree Program

SUNY Optometry and 24 colleges and universities in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania offer an affiliation program to highly qualified students whereby students may complete a joint BS or BA degree and OD degree in just seven years instead of the usual eight.

High School Senior Application (November 1 to January 1)
College First-Year Application (May 15 to September 15)

How Does It Work?

Selected academically talented high school seniors and college freshman are admitted to an approved joint degree track at one of the 24 affiliate colleges and, simultaneously, to candidacy for admission to the professional OD program at SUNY Optometry. After three years of undergraduate work at one of the affiliate colleges, upon maintaining the required academic standing, the qualified student is admitted to the SUNY College of Optometry. After the first year at SUNY Optometry, the student receives his or her baccalaureate degree from the undergraduate college. The OD degree is awarded after completing the four years at SUNY Optometry.

Benefits

A student saves one year in tuition, travel and books. In addition, students who are accepted into the program simultaneously establish a candidacy for admission to the professional program. The student also receives continuous guidance from both institutions throughout the seven-year program.

College Major

Most of the students in the 3/4 Joint Degree Program are biology, chemistry undergraduate majors. However, many different majors may be accepted as long as the prerequisites for the optometry program are met.

Prerequisites

Prerequisites, to be met during the three years of undergraduate college, for the professional optometry program are:

General Biology: 1 year*
General Chemistry: 1 year*
General Physics: 1 year*
Organic Chemistry: 1 semester*
Microbiology: 1 semester*
Biochemistry: 1 semester
Calculus I: 1 semester
English Composition and Literature: 1 year
General Psychology: 1 semester
Statistics: 1 semester
Optometry Admission Test (OAT)

*A laboratory course is required.

Affiliate Colleges

The 24 colleges and universities involved in the 3/4 Joint Degree Program are listed below (additional colleges are under consideration.) More details are available from the Admission Offices and advisors at these colleges or you may call the Office of Student Affairs at SUNY State College of Optometry at (212) 938-5500 or (800) 291-3937 for more details.

Adelphi University
Canisius University
CUNY Brooklyn College
CUNY College of Staten Island
Manhattan University
Muhlenberg College (PA)
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Pace University
Ramapo College of New Jersey
St. John’s University
Siena University
SUNY University Center at Albany
SUNY University Center at Binghamton
SUNY at Fredonia
SUNY at Geneseo
SUNY at New Paltz
SUNY at Oneonta
SUNY at Oswego
SUNY at Plattsburgh
SUNY at Potsdam
The College of New Jersey
Utica College of Syracuse University
Wagner College
Yeshiva University and Stern College

Requirements for the 3/4 Joint Degree Program with the SUNY College Of Optometry

All applicants must be interviewed when initially applying by a representative of the Office of Student Affairs of the SUNY College of Optometry.

To be considered when applying to undergraduate school directly from high school:

Must be accepted into one of the 24 undergraduate colleges/universities, with which we have this program affiliation, as a freshman
Must have total SATs of at least 1360 with the math score of at least 700, or 29 on the ACT
Must have a high school grade average of at least 93 out of a 100
Should be in the upper 10% of their high school class (depending on the reputation of the high school)
Must have a definite interest in the profession of optometry and have explored it
Must show evidence of community involvement
Must have reasonable communication and interpersonal skills
Must submit to an interview

To be considered once attending a college or university:

Must complete at least 24-30 undergraduate credits and apply no later than the fall of Sophomore year
Must have an overall GPA of at least 3.3
Same as numbers 5-8 above

If admitted into the 3/4 program, the following are required while attending the undergraduate college/university:

Maintain a minimum overall GPA of 3.3;
Maintain a minimum GPA of 3.3 in the science and math prerequisite courses of the SUNY College of Optometry, with no grade below a C;
Take and pass the Optometry Admission Test with all section scores of at least 330;
Have the Pre-professional Committee at your undergraduate institution submit a positive recommendation;
Become well-acquainted with the practice of optometry by shadowing at least two different optometrists;
Meet with the Admissions Committee at the SUNY College of Optometry during your last undergraduate year and demonstrate that you have satisfied all other regular admission requirements of the SUNY College of Optometry, including transcripts, an OptomCAS application and a final interview during which good interpersonal and communication skills are evident;
Meet at least once a year with a representative of the SUNY College of Optometry and make available undergraduate transcripts.

3/4 Joint Degree Program Timelines

High School Senior

January 1^st:
Application deadline to submit the SUNY Optometry Application. (see above)
January 15^th – March 31^st:
SUNY Interviews will be conducted virtually.
March 1st – March 31st
SUNY will notify Program Advisors of our decision.
April 1^st – April 30^th:
Applicants will receive a final decision from undergraduate institution and SUNY Optometry.
May 1^st:
Accepted Students must notify undergraduate institution of their commitment by submitting tuition deposit.
May 15^th:
Enrolled Students must notify SUNY Optometry of their decision.
May 30^th:
SUNY Optometry will submit all signed contracts from enrolled students to program advisors at the affiliate institutions.

College First-Year

May 15th – September 15th:
The electronic application must be submitted through the SUNY Optometry website.
July 15th: Priority Deadline
Applicants who apply by July 15th and qualify for an interview will be interviewed virtually by a member of the SUNY Optometry admissions team in late July or early August. Final decisions will be made by the end of August.
Applicants who apply by the priority deadline and are accepted to the program must return their contract by September 30th. SUNY Optometry will then forward contracts to program advisors at affiliate institutions.
September 15th: Final Deadline
Applicants who apply between July 16th and September 15th and qualify for an interview will be interviewed virtually by a member of the SUNY Optometry admissions team in late September or early October. Final decisions will be made by the end of October.
Applicants who apply after the priority deadline and are accepted to the program must return their contract by November 30th. SUNY Optometry will then forward contracts to program advisors at affiliate institutions.