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The New England College of Optometry was founded in
1894 as the Klein School of Optics and is the oldest continuously operating
school of Optometry in the United States. During the past century, as optometry
evolved as an independent health care profession, it expanded its curriculum
and clinical programs to reflect the changing demands of the public. The
name changed in 1901 to the Massachusetts School of Optometry, in 1950 to the
Massachusetts College of Optometry, and in 1976 to the New England College of
Optometry. It is the only optometry college in New England and
approximately 70% of the region's optometrists have been educated here. Today
the College, through its Center for the International Advancement of Optometry,
has also instituted the largest international optometric program in the world
by developing extension programs, the first of their kind, with China, France,
Italy, Spain, South Africa and, most recently, Germany.
The patient care
programs of the College began in 1933 with an
external clinic at the Harry E. Burroughs
Newsboys Foundation. It opened
it's first owned and operated
clinic, the Massachusetts Optometric Clinic, on
Commonwealth Avenue in 1941 that continues today
as the New England Eye Institute (NEEI). With
its main offices located near Fenway Park, the
NEEI system of clinics has expanded to include
sites throughout the greater Boston area and is
the largest provider of ambulatory eye and
vision care services in Massachusetts. In
2002, NEEI was restructured as a sole member
corporation to focus on its patient care mission
while continuing to serve as the primary
affiliate for the College's clinical teaching
mission. In addition to NEEI, the
College's nationwide network of affiliated
clinical sites has grown to include over 50
clinics, hospitals, and specialized care
facilities, including three sites in other
countries.
In recent years, the College has initiated an ambitious
and successful program of basic and applied research. Its faculty
annually attracts several million dollars in federal grants and is contributing
importantly to advances in our knowledge of ocular and visual disorders.
The College is particularly known as a center of excellence for research in the
etiology, prevention, and treatment of myopia.
In addition to the Doctor of Optometry degree, the
College also bestows the Bachelor of Science in Optometry, the Master of
Science in Vision Science, and the honorary degrees of Doctor of Ocular Science
and Doctor of Humane Letters. The institution is accredited by the New England
Association of Schools and Colleges and its professional degree programs are
accredited by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education of the American
Optometric Association.
The New England College of Optometry offers three
programs of study leading to the Doctor of Optometry degree. The standard
four-year program is for applicants who hold a baccalaureate degree or who have
completed a minimum of three years of specific undergraduate course work. There
are also a two-year Accelerated Doctor of Optometry Program for applicants
already holding a doctoral degree in science, and an Advanced Standing
International Program for those who have earned a degree in optometry from a
recognized foreign school of optometry. The College offers postgraduate
residency and fellowship programs in specialized areas of optometry such as
Cornea and Contact Lens Practice, Pediatrics, and Family Practice.
Selected students interested in research can obtain the M.Sc. degree while
simultaneously pursuing the O.D. degree.
The College’s Beacon Street campus, built as private
homes in the late 1800’s, was completely renovated in the late 1990’s and, in
addition to providing excellent classroom, laboratory, and office facilities,
it has won several local and national awards for outstanding preservation of
historic buildings. Despite a history of over 100 years, the College is
poised to move to even greater heights in the 21st Century.
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