University of Houston College of Optometry (UHCO)

505 J. Davis Armistead Building Houston, Texas 77204-2020 Phone: 713-743-2040 or 800- 282-8426 Fax: 713-743-2046 Email: osa@optometry.uh.edu http://www.opt.uh.edu

The University of Houston College of Optometry (UHCO) has been educating optometrists for over 50 years, and had its first graduating class in 1955. The college offers a Doctor of Optometry degree, as well as graduate studies that can lead to a Master of Science or Doctor of Philosophy degree in Physiological Optics/Vision Science. The school also has 7 residency and fellowship programs in cornea and contact lenses, pediatrics, vision rehabilitation, family practice, ocular disease, vision therapy and binocular vision. Facilities at the college include the University Eye Institute (UEI), that features 70 fully equipped examination and treatment rooms and plans for the Vision Institute, a 50,000 square foot facility to house, that will provide many facets relating to eye care education, services, and research.

The UHCO has a class size of around 100 students and has been competitive to enroll in, with the majority of the students coming from Texas. There were 371 applications for the 2009-2010 term with 104 students enrolled. Out of the 104 students, 74 were Texas residents. The 2009-2010 entering class had a mean overall GPA of 3.48 and an OAT Total Science score of 346. Students, through the course of the 4 year program, see approximately 1,500 patients before graduating.

Tuition

The tuition for UHCO for the 2008-2009 academic year was $395.09 per semester credit hour for Texas residents, and $676.09 per semester credit hour for non-residents. At this rate, and the 177 semester credit hours needed for completion of the program, the total for Texas residents comes out to $69,930.93 and $119,667.93 for nonresidents. The curriculum for the 4-year Doctor of Optometry program consists of 2 summer semesters, one in the third and fourth years of the program. Please check the school for updated and accurate tuition and fees.

Education Requirements

The UCHO requires applicants to have a bachelor’s degree or higher and to also meet 65 semester credit hours of prerequisite courses with a grade of ‘C’ or better ,with no “pass-fail” basis. The required prerequisites courses include basic pre-optometry ones including Biology, Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Anatomy, Calculus, Physics, and Microbiology.

Admissions Checklist

• School of Optometry Application- OptomCAS
• Personal Statement
• 2 Essays
• Official academic transcripts
• OAT Scores
• Letters of recommendation - Composite letter of reference from pre-health professions committee or 3 letters of reference from faculty members who taught the student through the Request for Confidential Recommendation forms

2008 ICO Entering Class Profile

• Total Applications: 2008
• Number of Applicants Accepted: 382
• Number of Students Enrolled: 128
• # of Enrolled with Bachelors degree: 100
• # of Males Enrolled: 37
• # of Females Enrolled: 63
• # of States Represented: 12
• Overall Average GPA: 3.46
• Average OAT AA Score: 338
• Average OAT Total Science Score: 336
• # of Residents Applied: 178
• # of Residents Accepted: 83
• # of Non-residents Applied:204
• # of Non-residents Accepted:45
• Residents 1st Year Tuition and Fees: $18680
• Non-residents 1st Year Tuition and Fees: $29920
• Offers Advanced Standing: No

University of Houston College of Optometry Residency

University of Houston Residency in Cornea and Contact Lenses - Houston, TX

University of Houston Residency in Low Vision Rehabilitation - Houston, TX

University of Houston Residency in Family Practice Optometry - Houston, TX

University of Houston Residency in Community Based Family Practice - Houston, TX

University of Houston Residency in Ocular Disease - Houston, TX

University of Houston Residency in Pediatric Optometry - Houston, TX

Affiliated Optometric Residency

Bridge Builders Eye Clinic Residency in Ocular Disease - Dallas, TX

Eye Center of Texas Residency in Ocular Disease and Refractive and Ocular Surgery - Bellaire, TX

Omni Eye Specialist Residency in Ocular Disease/Refractive & Ocular Surgery - Denver, CO

Albuquerque VA Residency in Primary Care - Albuquerque, NM