Pre-optometry students who are residents of Michigan normally plan an academic program of three or more years to meet requirements for admission to the College of Optometry at Ferris State University. Those requirements can be completed at Northern Michigan University, specifically courses in biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics, psychology, behavioral science, English and humanities. Pre-professional course requirements for the other American optometry schools can also be completed at NMU.
Students are encouraged to complete a bachelor’s degree at Northern by pursuing a regular major in fields related to optometry, such as biochemistry, biology, mathematics, physics, chemistry or psychology. Students interested in the pre-optometry program should contact an adviser in the Biology Department.
For department information or additional degree requirements, go to the Pre-Professional Programs department page.
For related information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos073.htm
| Total Credits Required | 0 |
| SP 100 Public Address or | 4 |
| SP 110 Interpersonal Communication (4 cr.) | |
| BI 111 Introductory Biology: Principles [Div II] | 4 |
| BI 112 Introductory Biology: Diversity [Div II] | 4 |
| BI 201 Human Anatomy | 3 |
| BI 202 Human Physiology | 5 |
| BI 203 Medical Microbiology | 3 - 5 |
| CH 111 General Chemistry I [Div II] | 5 |
| CH 112 General Chemistry II [Div II] | 5 |
| CH 322 Organic Chemistry II | 4 |
| CH 450 Biochemistry I | 4 |
| MA 111 College Algebra for Calculus Preparation [Div II] | 4 |
| MA 106 Trigonometry [Div II] | 3 |
| MA 115 Precalculus [Div II] | 4 |
| MA 161 Calculus I [Div II] | 4 |
| MA 171 Introduction to Probability and Statistics [Div V] | 4 |
| Choose from the following groups: | 10 |
| PH 201 College Physics I (5 cr.) [Div II] and | |
| PH 202 College Physics II (5 cr.) [Div II] or | |
| PH 220 Introductory Physics I (5 cr.) [Div II] and | |
| PH 221 Introductory Physics II (5 cr.) [Div II] | |
| PY 100S Psychology as a Natural Science [Div II] or | 4 |
| PY 100L Psychology as a Natural Science with Laboratory (4 cr.) [Div II] | |
| Behavioral Science Electives** | 6 |
An introductory management course (MGT 240 Organizational Behavior and Management, 4 cr.) or accounting course (ACT 201 Practical Accounting Procedures, 4 cr., or ACT 230 Principles of Accounting, 4 cr.) is highly recommended but not required. The recommended courses are solely designed for completion of the pre-optometry requirements of the Michigan College of Optometry at Ferris State University. Course application to other programs may vary.
*Ferris State University's humanities requirements include courses in art, science, drama, foreign language, history, literature, music, philosophy, and theology.
**The behavioral science requirement at Ferris State University includes courses in anthropology, economics, geography, political science, psychology, and sociology.
Bulletin Year:
2014 - 2015 Undergraduate Bulletin
| View the current NMU Catalog.