Overview of Program

The Southern California College of Optometry, SCCO, part of Marshall B. Ketchum University, was founded in 1904. It is the third oldest of the schools and colleges of optometry in the United States. SCCO, a private, non-profit college, is accredited professionally by the Council on Optometric Education (ACOE) of the American Optometric Association and regionally by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).

Two Degrees Offered:

• Doctor of Optometry (O.D.), a professional degree
• Master of Science in Vision Science (M.S.), an academic degree that can be completed concurrently with the O.D. program.

Location: Sunny Southern California is the setting for SCCO. The City of Fullerton is known as "the Education Community," as five colleges and universities call it home. A beautiful seven-acre, suburban-set campus, with great year-round weather, fantastic natural resources, and tremendous recreational attractions combine to create a wonderful environment for learning and personal growth. Beaches; mountains; professional baseball, basketball and hockey; major theme parks; and entertainment events are all part of the backdrop for SCCO. 

Regional Setting: Southern California is a melting pot of cultural diversity where students benefit firsthand from experience inherent in this spectrum. Diverse cultural experience provides the opportunity for students to learn about people, not only as patients, but to also learn about them in their cultural context through exposure to such elements as native cuisine and fine arts - all part of the SCCO regional experience.

Our Mission: To educate today's minds to provide tomorrow's eye, vision and health care.

Our Vision: To lead the future of eye, vision and health care one student at a time.

Campus Features

• Richard L. Hopping Academic Center: three high-tech classrooms with lecture-capture capability.
• Two Anatomage tables and VR Magic binocular indirect ophthalmoscopy simulators for lab and clinical practice purposes.
• NBEO mock exam room for 3rd and 4th year students to practice for the National Boards.
• M.B. Ketchum Memorial Library houses one of the most complete visual science libraries in the nation: http://ketchum.ent.sirsi.net/client/en_US/default/ 
• Multi-level parking structure, adjacent to the Academic Center for convenient parking
• Student Fitness Center complete with fitness equipment and sound system.
• Student Recreation Center complete with a kitchen, BBQ, patio area, Campus Store and Student Lounge.
• Outdoor Amphitheater
  
• State-of-the-art teleconferencing center (TVCI)

Clinical Education Program: 
Two components make up the program: Ketchum Health and the Outreach Clinical Program. 

In Ketchum Health, students begin exposure to patient-care as a 1st year student. 2nd year students see their first patients in clinic in 2nd quarter. 3rd year students spend 1/2 their time in lecture/lab and 1/2 in clinic. 4th year students perform four three-month rotations - one at Ketchum Health and the other three at outreach clinical sites that provide diversity of both clinical experience and patients. Through this Outreach Clinical Program which offers approx 80 rotation sites throughout the US, Canada and two foreign countries, students have the ability to tailor their fourth-year clinical education to meet their needs and interests.

Ketchum Health: Recently opened in June 2016, our brand new clinic is located just 15 minutes away from the main campus. It serves as the main clinical teaching facility, estimated to serve more than 25,000 optometric patients annually. Professional optometric services encompass the diagnosis, treatment, and management of eye disease and vision disorders. Clinical services include contact lenses, vision therapy, pediatrics, geriatrics, sports vision, low vision rehabilitation, pediatric/infant contact lenses, ocular prosthetics and electrodiagnostics.  A Pharmacy and Community Health Facility will also be housed in the Ketchum Health building so students and faculty representing all disciplines will be able to work collaboratively under one roof to treat patients. 

Interprofessional Education: SCCO is one of the programs under the umbrella of Marshall B. Ketchum University (MBKU), and as such, its students enjoy the vital benefit of being educated in an interprofessional healthcare environment. With the addition of the School of Physician Assistant Studies and the College of Pharmacy (began Fall 2016 and pending accreditation), MBKU is taking necessary steps in the development of an interprofessional healthcare campus. To read more about this aspect of our program, visit http://optometryadmissions.com/2015/03/05/the-answer-interprofessional-education-at-mbku/

Student Achievement Center: The Office of Student Affairs Office founded the Student Achievement Center to help our talented and high-achieving students maximize their learning. We offer a number of services through the Center to help every student become a caring, inspired health care professional through academic and personal growth. http://www.ketchum.edu/student_services/student_support

Student Life: Student life outside the classroom provides opportunities for community service and leadership. Students take an active part in the governance of the College. Fifty percent of SCCO students live within a one mile radius of campus creating a true feeling of community. For a list of clubs, student organizations and their activities, visit: http://www.ketchum.edu/student_services

The campus borders Cal State University, Fullerton. Students do have time with friends to enjoy nearby locales that include Downtown Brea with its restaurant and movie theaters; Downtown Fullerton with its college-town night-life; and the Brea Mall. Within an eight mile radius of campus, students can enjoy Anaheim Stadium, Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm and the Honda Center just to name a few attractions. 

• Degrees Conferred
• Region