ASSOCIATE OF APPLIED SCIENCE
Allied Health Careers

Ophthalmic Technician Option
This program is designed to prepare the student to act as an
entry level ophthalmic technician. Duties of the ophthalmic
technician generally include, but are not limited to: case histories,
visual acuity measurement, visual field testing, refractometry,
contact lenses, caring for and maintaining ophthalmic instruments,
and assisting the doctor in the setup and performance of minor
ophthalmic surgery. This program has received accreditation through
the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education
Programs in cooperation with the Committee on Accreditation of
Ophthalmic Medical Personnel.
Admission to the program is limited and on a competitive
basis. Screening for Fall entry into the program is conducted in
June. Acceptance is contingent upon completion of the general
education core and AHC 115*, with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or
better, prior to the Fall term. Once students are admitted to the
program, three consecutive semesters of intensive full-time study
are required for graduation.
Required General Education Courses
Courses That Fulfill Minimum Degree Requirements
Course No. Course Title Credit
BIOL 2010 Human Anatomy & Physiology I 4
or AHC 130* Anatomy & Physiology for Health Sciences
COM 100 Fundamentals Speech Communication 3
or COM 103 Public Speaking
CIS 100 Computer Technology & Applications 3
ENGL 1010 English Composition I 3
Fine Arts/Humanities 3
MATH MATH 1010 (or higher level) 3
PHED Any 1-hour PE activity 1
PSY 101 General Psychology 3
Total General Education 23
Required Major Core Courses
Course No. Course Title Credit
AHC 115* Medical Terminology 3
OPH 102* Ocular Anatomy and Physiology 2
OPH 105* Introduction to Ophthalmic Technology 2
OPH 110C* Clinical Applications I 6
OPH 112* Ophthalmic Optics 2
OPH 120C* Clinical Applications II 9
OPH 121* Basic Ophthalmic Pharmacology 1
OPH 123* Introduction to Ophthalmic Diseases 1
OPH 126* Ocular Motility 2
OPH 127* Refractometry/Retinoscopy 2
OPH 130C* Clinical Applications III 4
OPH 150* Ophthalmic Procedures I 3
OPH 151* Ophthalmic Procedures II 2
OPH 152* Ophthalmic Procedures III 3
OPH 153* Ophthalmic Procedures IV 3
Total Major Core 45
Total Degree Requirements 68

Physical Therapist Assistant Option
This program prepares students to become Mid-level Physical
Therapy practitioners. Physical Therapist Assistants work under
the direction of a Registered Physical Therapist in a wide variety
of health care facilities. The Vol State program meets the guidelines
for accredited curricula and is accredited by the Commission on
Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education, 111 North Fairfax
Street, Alexandria, VA 22314. Telephone: 703-706-3245
Admission to the program is limited. The application deadline
is April 15 of each year. Class selection is completed in May
from applicants who complete all prerequisites by the end of the
Spring Semester. In order to be eligible for admission into the
PTA program, students must successfully complete, with a grade
of "C" or better, all of the required general education courses
except Fine Arts) and BIOL 2020, AHC 115*, HED 200, and
PTA 110*. Once students are admitted into the second year of the
PTA program, three semesters of continuous full-time intensive
study are required for completion. The program begins with the
Summer Session. The PTA program classes frequently do not
follow the regular College calendar.
Required General Education Courses
Courses That Fulfill Minimum Degree Requirements
Course No. Course Title Credit
BIOL 2010 Human Anatomy & Physiology I 4
COM 100 Fundamentals Speech Communication 3
or COM 103 Public Speaking
CIS 100 Computer Technology & Applications 3
ENGL 1010 English Composition I 3
Fine Arts/Humanities 3
MATH MATH 1010 (or higher level) 3
PHED Any 1-hour PE activity 1
PSY 101 General Psychology 3
Total General Education 23
Required Major Core Courses
Course No. Course Title Credit
AHC 115* Medical Terminology 3
BIOL 2020 Human Anatomy & Physiology II 4
HED 200 First Aid & Safety/CPR 3
PTA 110* Physical Sciences for the PTA 2
PTA 210* Fundamentals of PTA 1
PTA 221* Clinical Anatomy I 2
PTA 222* Clinical Anatomy II 2
PTA 242C* Clinical Practice I 3
PTA 243C* Clinical Practice II 8
PTA 250* Medical Conditions for the PTA 3
PTA 251* PTA Seminar I 2
PTA 253* Therapeutic Applications I 4
PTA 263* Therapeutic Applications II 5
PTA 264* Therapeutic Applications III 5
PTA 265* Therapeutic Applications IV 2
PTA 270* Therapeutic Applications V 4
Total Major Core 53
Total Degree Requirements 76
Students who wish to explore the field of physical therapy are
encouraged to enroll in AHC 101, Introduction to Physical Therapy.
Those applicants who have completed this course have been more
successful in the admission process.