Program Overview
The Bachelor of Science in Vision Science (BSVS) program at The Ohio State University is a seven-year accelerated program that combines a Bachelor's degree with a Doctor of Optometry degree. Students complete General Education Requirements in the first three years, then transition to the College of Optometry, where courses in the first year of the OD program count towards the BSVS degree. Upon completion of the remaining three years of the OD program, students earn both a BSVS and a Doctor of Optometry degree. Optometrists have a wide range of career opportunities and earn competitive salaries.
Program Outline
Degree Overview:
The Bachelor of Science in Vision Science (BSVS) program is designed for highly motivated and well-qualified students who wish to fast-track their optometry education at The Ohio State University. By pursuing this option, students can earn both a Bachelor of Science degree and a Doctor of Optometry degree in a total of seven years, reducing both the time to career entry and total cost of education by one year.
Outline:
The BSVS program consists of the following components:
- Completion of the General Education Requirements for a Bachelor of Science in the first three years of undergraduate career.
- Upon admission to the Ohio State College of Optometry, the courses taken in the first year of the OD program are applied to the BSVS and the degree will be awarded in the spring of that year.
Careers:
Optometrists practice in a variety of settings, including:
- Independent practices
- Group practices
- Health maintenance organizations
- Academic institutions
- Research institutions
- Retail/optical settings
- Optometric/ophthalmologic professional settings
- Military/public health settings
- Interdisciplinary care
- Corporate or industrial consulting The beginning salary for optometrists ranges from $90,000 to $100,000, depending on the type of practice, setting, or geographic location. According to the 2018 American Optometric Association Survey of Optometric Practice, the 2017 average net income of optometrists was $143,520.
