Graduate Programs
Graduate degree programs in optometry are usually research oriented and are for individuals interesting in delving further into the “whys” and “hows” of the visual system. Master’s, PhDs and dual degree programs are offered at many of the schools and colleges of optometry and are identified by different names, but most emphasize and explore some aspect of vision and the visual and ocular system.
More detailed descriptions and enrollment figures for the programs listed below are here.
Click here to watch a video and learn more about careers in optometric research.
In alphabetical order by State
Alabama
UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM
School of Optometry
Birmingham, Alabama
Master of Science (MS) – Vision Science (Combined OD/MS program is also offered)
OD/Master of Public Health (MPH) Dual Degree Program
OD/Master of Business Administration (MBA) Dual Degree Program
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) – Vision Science
Contact: Lawrence Sincich, PhD (sincich@uab.edu)
http://www.uab.edu/vsgp
Arizona
MIDWESTERN UNIVERSITY
Arizona College of Optometry
Glendale, Arizona
OD/Master of Public Health (MPH) Dual Degree Program (through the College of Graduate Studies)
Contact: Alice Chapman, DVM, MPH, DACVPM (achapm1@midwestern.edu)
https://www.midwestern.edu/academics/degrees-and-programs/master-of-public-health.xml
California
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA COLLEGE OF OPTOMETRY AT
MARSHALL B. KETCHUM UNIVERSITY
Fullerton, California
Master of Science (MS) – Vision Science (Combined OD/MS and OD/Residency programs are also offered.)
Contact: William H. Ridder, III, OD, PhD (wridder@ketchum.edu)
http://www.ketchum.edu/optometry/ms_in_vision_science
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA – BERKELEY
School of Optometry
Berkeley, California
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) – Vision Science
Contact: Jessica Rivers, MA (vision@berkeley.edu)
http://vision.berkeley.edu
Florida
NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY
College of Optometry
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Graduate Program in Clinical Vision Research
Master of Science (MS)
Contact: Bin Zhang, MD, PhD (bz52@nova.edu)
http://optometry.nova.edu/cvr/
Illinois
MIDWESTERN UNIVERSITY
Chicago College of Optometry
Downers Grove, Illinois
OD/Master of Public Health (MPH) Dual Degree Program (through the College of Graduate Studies)
Contact: Alice Chapman, DVM, MPH, DACVPM (achapm1@midwestern.edu)
https://www.midwestern.edu/academics/degrees-and-programs/master-of-public-health.xml
Indiana
INDIANA UNIVERSITY
School of Optometry
Bloomington, Indiana
Master of Science (MS) – Vision Science (Combined OD/MS program as well as non-thesis MS are also offered.)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) – Vision Science
Contact: Dr. Steve Burns (staburns@indiana.edu)
http://www.optometry.iu.edu/academics/degrees/phd.shtml
http://optometry.iu.edu/academics/ms-vision-science.html
Massachusetts
MCPHS UNIVERSITY
School of Optometry
Worcester, Massachusetts
OD/MPH Dual Degree Program Encompasses five Core Disciplines (Biostatistics, Environmental Health Science, Epidemiology, Health Policy & Management, and Social and Behavioral Sciences)
Contact: Carly Levy, MPH (carly.levy@mcphs.edu)
Contact: Nancy Coletta, OD, PhD (nancy.coletta@mcphs.edu)
https://www.mcphs.edu/academics/school-of-optometry/optometry/optometry-od
NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE OF OPTOMETRY
Boston, Massachusetts
Master of Science (MS) – Vision Science (Combined OD/MS program is also offered.)
OD/PhD Dual Degree Program with Boston University School of Medicine, Division of Graduate Medical Sciences
Contact: Jane Gwiazda, PhD (gwiazdaj@neco.edu)
http://www.neco.edu/academics/graduate-programs
Michigan
MICHIGAN COLLEGE OF OPTOMETRY AT FERRIS STATE UNIVERSITY
Big Rapids, Michigan
Master of Business Administration (MBA)/OD Dual Degree Program in Optometric Practice Management
Beginning Fall of 2021
Contact: Daniel Taylor, OD, EdD, MS (DanielTaylor@ferris.edu)
Program website to come
New York
STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
College of Optometry
Graduate Center for Vision Research
New York, New York
Master of Science (MS) – Vision Science (Combined OD/MS and Residency/MS programs are also offered.)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) – Vision Science (Combined OD/PhD and Residency/PhD programs are also offered.)
Contact: Dr. Stewart Bloomfield (sbloomfield@sunyopt.edu)
http://www.sunyopt.edu/education/academics/graduate_programs
Combined OD/MBA (offered with SUNY Empire State College)
Contact: Dr. Richard Madonna (rmadonna@sunyopt.edu)
http://www.sunyopt.edu/education/academica/mba-certificate-program
Ohio
THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
College of Optometry
Columbus, Ohio
Master of Science (MS) – Vision Science (Advanced Practice Fellowship and combined OD/MS programs are also offered.)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) – Vision Science
Contact: Heather Anderson, OD, PhD (Anderson.3881@osu.edu)
http://optometry.osu.edu/graduate/
Oregon
PACIFIC UNIVERSITY
College of Optometry
Forest Grove, Oregon
Master of Science (MS) – Vision Science
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) – Vision Science
Contact: Yu-Chi Tai, PhD (ytai@pacificu.edu)
Master of Education (MEd) – Visual function in learning Pacific University, College of Education (Combined OD/MS and OD/MEd programs are available.)
Contact: Linna Armstrong (linnaso@pacificu.edu)
OD/Master of Business Administration (MBA) Joint Program
Contact: Ryan P. Garcia (garcia@pacificu.edu)
http://www.pacificu.edu/optometry/
Pennsylvania
PENNSYLVANIA COLLEGE OF OPTOMETRY AT SALUS UNIVERSITY
Elkins Park, Pennsylvania
Master of Science (MSc) – Biomedicine with a concentration in Optometry
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) – Biomedicine with a concentration in Optometry
Contact: Mitchell Scheiman, OD, PhD, FAAO (Dipl) (mscheiman@salus.edu)
http://www.salus.edu/Colleges/Health-Sciences/Biomedicine.aspx
Texas
UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON
College of Optometry
Houston, Texas
Master of Science (MS) – Physiological Optics/Vision Science
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) – Physiological Optics/Vision Science (Combined OD/MS or OD/PhD, and MS (or PhD)/Residency programs are also offered.)
Contact: Dr. Laura Frishman (lfrishman@uh.edu)
http://www.opt.uh.edu/academics/graduate/index.cfm
UNIVERSITY OF THE INCARNATE WORD
ROSENBERG SCHOOL OF OPTOMETRY
San Antonio, Texas
Master of Science (MS) – Vision Science
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) – Vision Science
Contact: Jeffrey Rabin, OD, PhD (rabin@uiwtx.edu)
https://optometry.uiw.edu/academics/ms-in-vision-science/index.html
https://optometry.uiw.edu/academics/phd-in-vision-science/index.html