Graduate Center for Vision Research
Vision Science is the study of the structures and processes involved in vision. It includes physics, chemistry, molecular biology, anatomy, physiology, neurosciences, behavioral sciences, and applied mathematics and engineering, as these subjects apply to the visual system.
Graduate students at SUNY Optometry may work towards either a PhD degree or MS degree in Vision Science. The Graduate Center for Vision Research administers these programs, which are designed for individuals holding a professional degree in a health science or a bachelor's degree in any discipline.
PhD in Vision Science Program
Doctoral students fulfill eighty semester-hour credits of seminars, tutorials and research as part of degree requirements. In addition, they are required to do two lab rotations in their first year and make a major oral presentation at the end of each year in the program. Intensive training in selected areas of research concentration forms the basis of the required graduate training. After students are advanced to PhD candidacy, they must pass an oral specialty area examination and submit a dissertation proposal for approval. Upon completion of the PhD dissertation, an oral defense must be taken and passed. Following this, the PhD can be granted. Students accepted into the PhD program are typically full-time students. However, a limited number of part-time students are also accepted. The Graduate Policy Document outlines all current policies including: Admissions, Financial Aid, Awards, and Assistantships, Advisors, Registration and Maintenance of Matriculation, Grades and Probation, and Dismissal, Graduate Courses and Credit, Requirements for the PhD Degree.
The Graduate Student Handbook summarizes the typical training experience of a graduate student in this program. For further information, please click on the links below.
Graduate Policy Document
Graduate Student Handbook
Goal 1: The PhD program in Vision Science aims to train students who will go on to do ground-breaking research. As part of their research training, students participate in thinking of:
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Significant questions
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Innovative ways of attacking these questions
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Systemic ways of analyzing and modeling the results
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Drawing broader theoretical implications
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Presenting the work in written and oral form
Students also learn the practices and norms of the scientific community and how to develop grant proposals to fund scientific work.
Goal 2: Program Assessment
Progress in meeting the goal and objectives of the PhD program will be determined through the regular collection and analysis of the following data:
- Student performance on written examinations
- Student performance on oral presentations
- Number of student publications
- Number of student presentations at scientific meetings
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Post-graduate research success as indicated by
- Receipt of grants
- Placement in post-doctoral research positions
- Faculty appointments
- Publication records
Combined OD/PhD in Vision Science
Qualified students accepted to or working toward the OD degree may also apply for admission into the Graduate Program in Vision Science leading to the MS degree. Students entering this program follow the professional optometry curriculum while devoting summers fulltime and the academic year part-time to graduate seminars and research. In this manner, students are able to fulfill OD and MS degree requirements within four years of study. Master of Science students receive a broad background education in a variety of areas of vision science as well as basic training in the concepts and methods of research. Students may become acquainted with both basic and clinical vision science research. Forty semester-hour credits of courses and research are required to fulfill degree requirements along with writing and submitting a research paper for publication. For further information, please click on the link below.
Combined OD/MS in Vision Science for Optometry Students
Qualified students accepted to or working toward the OD degree may also apply for admission into the Graduate Program in Vision Science leading to the MS degree. Students entering this program follow the professional optometry curriculum while devoting summers fulltime and the academic year part-time to graduate seminars and research. In this manner, students are able to fulfill OD and MS degree requirements within four years of study. Master of Science students receive a broad background education in a variety of areas of vision science as well as basic training in the concepts and methods of research. Students may become acquainted with both basic and clinical vision science research. Forty semester-hour credits of courses and research are required to fulfill degree requirements along with writing and submitting a research paper for publication. For further information, please click on the link below.
Graduate Policy Document
MS in Vision Science Program
Students in this program receive a broad background education in a variety of areas of vision science as well as basic training in the concepts and methods of research. Students may become acquainted with both basic and clinical vision science research. Forty semester-hour credits of courses and research are required to fulfill degree requirements along with writing and submitting an MS research paper for publication. The Graduate Policy Document outlines all current policies including: Admissions, Financial Aid, Awards, and Assistantships, Advisors, Registration and Maintenance of Matriculation, Grades and Probation, and Dismissal, Graduate Courses and Credit, Requirements for the MS Degree.
Graduate Student Handbook
