Accreditation Status
Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE)
The Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE) has granted Western University of Health Sciences College of Optometry the accreditation status of “Accredited.” Accredited is a classification granted to an educational program indicating that the program generally meets the Standards for accreditation. For more information, see the ACOE’s website at www.theACOE.org or contact the ACOE at accredit@theacoe.org.
The next scheduled full evaluation visit to the professional optometric degree program is in March 2030.
Student Outcomes
| Year Matriculated | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |||
| # | % of matriculants | # | % of matriculants | # | % of matriculants | |
| Graduated in 4 years | 60 | 87.0% | 80 | 84.2% | 57 | 79.2% |
| Graduated in 5 or fewer years | 64 | 92.8% | 86 | 90.5% | 57 | 79.2% |
| Still enrolled or on leave of absence | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0.0% | 3 | 4.2% |
| Graduated at any time | 65 | 94.2% | 86 | 90.5% | 57 | 79.2% |
| Attrition for academic reasons | 0 | 0.0% | 2 | 2.1% | 3 | 4.2% |
| Attrition for other reasons | 4 | 5.8% | 7 | 7.4% | 9 | 12.5% |
NBEO First-Time Pass Rates
Includes students who have attempted and passed each part of the exam on their first attempt within the defined year of administration regardless of year of enrollment, graduation or graduation status.
NBEO Part I Applied Basic Science
|
Academic Year |
# of first-time takers, program |
first time taker pass rate, program | first time taker pass rate, all exam takers |
| 2024-2025 | 63 | 33.3% | 62.0% |
| 2023-2024 | 61 | 29.5% | 65.8% |
| 2022-2023 | 91 | 27.5% | 65.8% |
NBEO Part II Patient Assessment and Management
|
Academic Year |
# of first-time takers, program |
first time taker pass rate, program |
first time taker pass rate, |
| 2024-2025 | 56 | 58.9%
|
86.6% |
| 2023-2024 | 83 | 51.8%
|
84.2% |
| 2022-2023
|
69 | 56.5%
|
82.9% |
NBEO Part III Patient Encounters and Performance Skills
|
Academic Year |
# of first-time takers, program |
first time taker pass rate, program | first time taker pass rate, all exam takers |
| 2024-2025 | 50 | 68.0% | 69.0% |
| 2023-2024 | 83 | 67.5% | 81.7% |
|
2022-2023 |
68 | 61.8% | 74.4% |
Program Completion Licensing Examination Rates
Percentage of graduates who are licensed or licensable by the end of December of the year they graduated.
|
Calendar Year |
# of students who completed all program curricular requirements | # licensed or who passed all parts of an exam series that would permit licensure, in the United States or Canada | Program Completion Licensing Examination Pass Rate |
|
2025 |
65 |
24 |
37% |
NBEO-ASCO PASS RATES FOR COHORT GROUPS
Includes students who have graduated within the listed timeframe (October – September of the given year) and attempted all three parts of the exam at least once.
| Time frame for Cohort | Number of Candidates | Part 1 ABS First-time Pass Rate |
Part 2 PAM First-time Pass Rate |
Part 3 CSE First-time Pass Rate |
Ultimate Pass Rate |
| 10/2024-9/2025 | 57 | 29.82% | 61.40% | 71.93% | 47.37% |
| 10/2023-9/2024 | 79 | 30.4% | 57.0% | 69.6% | 55.7% |
| 10/2022-9/2023 | 57 | 19.3% | 61.4% | 66.7% | 57.9% |
| 10/2021-9/2022 | 75 | 44.0% | 70.7% | 73.3% | 66.7% |
The Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO) publishes scores for first-time test takers who have graduated within the listed timeframe (October – September of the given year) and attempted all three parts of the exam at least once.
Western Association of Schools and Colleges (Wasc)
Effective December 8, 2008, the WASC Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities granted final approval of the substantive change proposal for the Doctor of Optometry program.
For more information on the accrediting agency, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).