University of Alabama At Birmingham

Vision scientists have an in-depth knowledge of the eye's inner workings and how it connects with the rest of the body. Through this degree program, you can study problems such as dry eye disease, myopia, retinal degeneration, and more, which can prepare you for teaching, research, policy, and other jobs.

In our view, the optimal way to begin your optical education is with three 10-week lab rotations to determine what field and mentor is most suitable. Before you begin your research, you'll sit down with your faculty mentor to discuss your goals and determine which courses and lab experiences are best for you. In this program, we focus our research on ocular biology, systems neuroscience, biomedical optics, and patient-based vision research. Your classes will include Optical Imaging, Ocular Biology, Mechanisms of Ocular Disease, and Visual Neuroscience. You'll also take non-vision courses, such as Statistical Methods I and Principles of Scientific Integrity. Finally, you'll complete your degree by defending a thesis based on your proposed research topic.

• The MS in Vision Science offers an interdisciplinary education by collaborating with the departments of ophthalmology, neurology, psychology, and more.
• Students may combine clinical practice and vision science research with the dual OD/MS degree.