Admission Requirements

Applications are submitted and processed through the UAB Graduate School.

Academic Qualifications

• Minimum undergraduate GPA of at least a B (3.0) average
• A strong background in biological, physical or health sciences is highly recommended
• Previous research experience is strongly encouraged

Application Requirements

• Personal statement/essay
• Curriculum vitae/resume
• Official transcripts from undergraduate degrees along with transcripts from other institutions where transfer credits were obtained
• Three letters of recommendation
• Payment of application fee ($50 for domestic applicants and $60 for international applicants)
• GRE (Graduate Record Exam) test scores are not required

English Proficiency (International Applicants)

International applicants are required to submit English proficiency scores to demonstrate a command of written and spoken English. In some instances, English proficiency exam waivers are granted. Visit the International Applicants webpage for more information. Minimum English proficiency scores required by the UAB Graduate School are:

• TOEFL: 80
• IELTS: 6.5
• PTEA: 53
• IELA: 176
• Duolingo: 120

Admissions Process

Submit your application

Submit your application along with all the required documentation by the application deadline. We recommend applicants start the process early to allow adequate time to send in your documentation and processing.

Initial Review

After the application deadline has passed, all complete applications will be reviewed by the VSGP Admissions committee, and recommend applicants to be interviewed. The review process occurs 1-2 weeks after the application deadline.

Interview

If your application was reviewed favorably, the VSGP program manager will contact you via email to schedule an interview. The interview schedule is determined by the availability of the admissions committee and occurs 1-2 weeks after notification of the interview.

• Domestic PhD applicants will be invited to UAB for in-person interviews. For international applicants, interviews are conducted using an online platform. 
• Interviews for MS applicants are conducted online unless the applicant is within driving distance to the UAB campus. 
• Interviews for OD/MS applicants are conducted in person with the admissions committee. 

Final Review

After all applicant interviews are completed, the admissions committee will meet to determine the final admission list. This review meeting is normally held within a week of the last scheduled interview.

Applicant Decision Process

Notification of the final decision will be sent via email within 5 business days of the admissions committee’s final review meeting. For applicants that have been offered admission, your email will have an acceptance letter attached for you to review and to indicate if you accept your admission offer. 

Application Deadlines

• Doctoral application deadline: January 15th (Fall entry only)
• *Summer entry may be granted only in exceptional cases
• Master’s application deadline: January 15th (Fall entry only)
• OD/MS application deadlines:
  • Fall Term Entry: July 1st
  • Spring Term Entry: November 1st
  • Summer Term Entry: April 1st

Submit Application

Transcripts

Official transcripts can be sent electronically to the UAB Graduate School at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or via mail to the following address:

UAB Graduate School
LHL G03
1700 University Boulevard
Birmingham, AL 35294-0013

English Proficiency Exam Scores

Applicants will need to contact the testing agency to have official test scores sent to the UAB Graduate School. TOEFL scores can be submitted to institution code 1856. IELTS and PTEA scores need to be issued electronically or mailed direct to the UAB Graduate School.

PhD

Eyesight is central to our everyday activities. It is also a fascinating and important topic for research, especially if directed at the visual disorders and retinal diseases that afflict millions. If you're seeking an in-depth understanding of the eye, how it works, and how it connects to everything else we do, a Ph.D. in Vision Science could be the degree for you. UAB can prepare you to work in industry, research, academia, and more.

Degree Requirements

• Complete at least 72 credit hours if entering with a Bachelor’s degree, or must complete at least 51 credit hours if entering with a previously earned Master’s degree
• Complete three 10-week lab rotations based on research interests; may select primary research advisor after completing two rotations. Students use their classroom and laboratory experiences during the first year to help them further define their research interests.
• Select a dissertation committee consisting of the primary research advisor and four or five other faculty members
• Develop dissertation research project, and complete a written research proposal and present to dissertation committee
• Publish at least one first-author peer-reviewed research publication
• Participate in at least one teaching experience opportunity
• Conduct dissertation research, write dissertation and publicly defend dissertation research

Curriculum

• VIS 610 Ocular Anatomy and Biology (4 credit hours; Fall term)
• VIS 611 Biology and Pathology of Ocular Disease (4 credit hours; Spring term)
• VIS 612 Optics for Vision Science (4 credit hours; Fall term)
• VIS 613 Visual Neuroscience (4 credit hours; Spring term)
• VIS 700 Vision Research Literature Review (1 credit hour; every Fall and Spring term)
• VIS 702 Fundamental Techniques in Vision Science (4 credit hours; Fall term)
• GRD 717 Principles of Scientific Integrity (3 credit hours)
• VIS 798 Doctoral Level Non-Dissertation Research (credit hours vary)
• VIS 799 Doctoral Level Dissertation Research (at least 6 credit hours)
• Statistics 
• Elective (at least 4 credit hours)

For detailed description of each course, please visit the UAB Course Catalog 

MS

Vision scientists have an in-depth knowledge of the eye's inner workings and how it interacts with the rest of the body. What we see informs what we do and how we live. Through the Master’s in Vision Science degree program, you can study a host of research topics such as dry eye disease, myopia, retinal degeneration, and clinically-focused studies. The M.S. degree can prepare you for education, research laboratories, policy work, and jobs in the optometric and ophthalmological industries. 

Degree Requirements

• Complete at least 30 credit hours with at least 6 credit hours of VIS 699 Master’s thesis research hours
• Complete three 10-week lab rotations based on research interests; may select primary research advisor after one rotation. Students use their classroom and laboratory experiences during the first year to help them further define their research interests.
• Select a thesis committee consisting of the primary research advisor and two other faculty members
• Develop thesis research project and present a research proposal to the thesis committee
• Conduct thesis research, write thesis and publicly defend thesis research

Curriculum

• VIS 610 Ocular Anatomy and Biology (4 credit hours; Fall term)
• VIS 611 Biology and Pathology of Ocular Disease (4 credit hours; Spring term)
• VIS 700 Vision Research Literature Review (1 credit hour; every Fall and Spring term)
• GRD 717 Principles of Scientific Integrity (3 credit hours)
• VIS 698 Master's Level Non-Thesis Research (credit hours vary)
• VIS 699 Master's Level Thesis Research (at least 6 credit hours)
• Elective (at least 3 credit hours)

For detailed description of each course, please visit the UAB Course Catalog. 

OD/MS

Doctors of Optometry can simultaneously earn a M.S. in Vision Science during their professional education to help bridge the gap between research and clinical care. Dive into the study of the eye and learn how it relates to the rest of the body—and uncover new ways to improve the quality of patient eye care. Research topics such as dry eye disease, vision therapy, biomedical optics, and more, which can lead to a career as a clinician scientist, researcher, eye care provider, and leader in the eye care industries.

Degree Requirements

• Complete at least 30 credit hours with at least 6 credit hours of VIS 699 Master’s thesis research hours
• Complete lab rotations as needed. Students use their classroom and laboratory experiences during the first year to help them further define their research interests.
• Select a thesis committee consisting of the primary research advisor and two other faculty members
• Develop thesis research project and present a research proposal to the thesis committee
• Conduct thesis research, write thesis and publicly defend thesis research

Curriculum

• VIS 700 Vision Research Literature Review (1 credit hour; every Fall and Spring term)
• GRD 717 Principles of Scientific Integrity (3 credit hours)
• VIS 698 Master's Level Non-Thesis Research (credit hours vary)
• VIS 699 Master's Level Thesis Research (at least 6 credit hours)

PhD for ODs

The Vision Science Graduate Program Ph.D. program welcomes O.D. graduates from North American optometric institutions who are interested in becoming rigorously trained clinician-scientists. Many of these clinicians have held NIH-sponsored career development awards to support their research and offset educational debts via NIH Loan Repayment Programs. Participate in patient-centered clinical and translational studies investigating mechanisms underlying ocular diseases and visual system disorders. A Ph.D. in Vision Science can prepare you for a career in optometric education and leadership, industry, and more.

Degree Requirements

• Complete at least 51 credit hours with at least 15 credit hours of didactic coursework
• Complete lab rotations as needed. Students use their classroom and laboratory experiences during the first year to help them further define their research interests.
• Select a dissertation committee consisting of the primary research advisor and four or five other faculty members
• Develop dissertation research project, and complete a written research proposal and present to dissertation committee
• Publish at least one first-author peer-reviewed research publication
• Participate in at least one teaching experience opportunity
• Conduct dissertation research, write a dissertation and publicly defend dissertation research

Curriculum

• Didactic coursework selected/customized to O.D. background
• Statistics
• VIS 700 Vision Research Literature Review (1 credit hour; every Fall and Spring term)
• GRD 717 Principles of Scientific Integrity (3 credit hours)
• VIS 798 Doctoral Level Non-Dissertation Research (credit hours vary)
• VIS 799 Doctoral Level Dissertation Research (at least 6 credit hours)

Ocular Biology

Within ocular biology, researchers at UAB are studying the many cellular and mechanical mechanisms that impact vision, including retinal anatomy and physiology, ocular biome, ocular surface, identifying molecular biomarkers in meibomian gland dysfunction and dry eye disease, glaucoma, dry eye, neurobiology and ocular pharmacology.

Primary Focus

Secondary Focus

Patient-Based Research

By looking at health outcomes, access and social disparities in addition to safety, occupational and environmental vision, researchers gain a better understanding of how vision is tied to health. Clinical trials, studying ocular disease, dry eye, contact lens, epidemiology, myopia control, vision therapy for children with amblyopia, concussion and evidence-based practice fall under patient-based research.

Primary Focus

Secondary Focus

Systems Neuroscience

Faculty and students involved in systems neuroscience research are looking at eye movement and control, visual neuron response properties, neurodegeneration, anomalies of aging and development, perception, and traumatic brain injury.

Primary Focus

Secondary Focus

Biomedical Optics

Optics research remains a fundamental discipline in vision science. At UAB we have faculty who are using advanced optical designs to study myopia progression, improve retinal imaging, and assess the biomechanical properties of ocular tissues.

Primary Focus

Secondary Focus

Other Departmental Faculty