MSCHE/ACOE Self Study

degree. Each student entering the OD program is sent information regarding the OD/MS and OD/PhD programs. At the orientation for entering optometry students, the associate dean meets with the class to describe the graduate program and its potential value. This presentation includes a concise summary of the OD/MS and OD/PhD program requirements. The associate dean is also available to meet with students individually to discuss graduate program options. Recruitment of non-optometrists into the PhD program occurs primarily through announcements on vision science related Web sites and in vision science related periodicals, listings in graduate program registries and contacts made by individual PhD advisors. Examples of recent recruitment brochures can be found in Appendices E-9b, E9-c and E9-d. Financial support is provided to graduate students. While working on their research projects during a 10-week summer session, OD/MS students receive a stipend of $5,000. To support OD/MS students and other optometry students interested in participating in research, the College was recently awarded a National Institutes of Health (NIH) T-35 award ($226,585 over five years) that provides a summer stipend of $5,287 to 8 optometry students who conduct research in approved laboratories. To increase the competitiveness of the stand alone PhD program in the recruiting qualified students, the graduate stipend was recently increased to $30,000/year (Goal 2.4). PhD students receive a tuition waiver. Including the graduate stipend, tuition waiver, fees and health benefits, the package provided to PhD students has a value of about $55,000 per year. (Financial aid for optometry students is discussed on page 78.) The qualifications of students recently entering the various graduate programs can be seen in Appendix E-10. Recruitment to the PhD program has not been as strong as desired. The increased graduate stipend partially addressed this concern, but more critically, the program needed to be redesigned. As discussed in Section B: Educational Offerings (MSCHE 11): Graduate Program: PhD in Vision Science (page 24), the PhD program has recently undergone substantial curricular revision with the intent of making the program more attractive to candidates with backgrounds in other than biology, optometry/ophthalmology and medicine (Goal 2.4). The effectiveness of these changes in allowing the PhD program to attract quality candidates will continue to be monitored. Criteria for admission into the graduate program, as well as the policies and procedures used in the admission of applicants, are published in the Graduate Policy Document (http://www.sunyopt.edu/research/docs/POLICYDOC.pdf) (Appendix B-13) on page 3. These include a baccalaureate or professional degree in a health science; Graduate Record Examination or at the discretion of the Student Committee, the OAT or other similar examination; the ability to express oneself clearly in both written and spoken English [applicants from non- English speaking countries are required to submit the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores]; and letters of recommendation (3) from professors. Policies and procedures related to academic standards, including

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