Optometry Affiliation Agreement:

Saint Joseph’s College has an affiliation agreement with Salus University Pennsylvania College of Optometry (Salus/PCO) for an accelerated 3 + 4 Doctor of Optometry degree program. Under this agreement select undergraduate students, who complete specific course requirements at Saint Joseph’s College, may continue their education in optometry at Salus/PCO and earn a Doctor of Optometry degree in seven years. Students are awarded a bachelors degree in pre-optometry  from Saint Joseph’s College upon successful completion of their first year at Salus/PCO.  

Students may apply for the 3 + 4 program after the completion of their first undergraduate year, but before the commencement of their second undergraduate year at Saint Joseph’s. A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher is required at the time of application and thereafter, a GPA of 3.3 or higher must be maintained. In addition, students must also submit their SAT scores for consideration. Any student interested in the accelerated program should speak with their faculty advisor for specifics about the application process.