Opticianry Course Participation
The Opticianry degree program is not offered 100 percent online. Courses with lab credits will require you to come to campus periodically to complete the lab requirements. Depending on your specific situation there will be some classes where you will be required to attend either weekly or monthly in-class sessions on campus. The following information briefly describes what the Opticianry Degree Program entails.
| Course | Course Type |
|---|---|
| Fall Semester | |
| OPH 131 Optical Dispensing I | 100 Percent Online |
| OPH 141 Optical Theory I | 100 Percent Online |
| Spring Semester | |
| OPH 111 Ophthalmic Lab I | Hybrid (weekly class meetings on Tuesdays) |
| OPH 121 Anatomy & Physiology-Eye | 100 Percent Online |
| OPH 132 Optical Dispensing II | Hybrid (weekly class meetings on Tuesdays) |
| OPH 142 Optical Theory II | 100 Percent Online |
| Fall Semester | |
| OPH 112 Ophthalmic Lab II | Hybrid (weekly class meetings on Tuesdays) |
| OPH 222 Optical Business Management | 100 Percent Online |
| OPH 233 Advanced Optical Procedures | 100 Percent Online |
| OPH 251 Optical Internship I | Work on-campus optical shop 3 hour session |
| OPH 261 Contact Lenses I | Hybrid (weekly class meetings on Tuesdays) |
| Spring Semester | |
| OPH 215 Laboratory Proficiency | Hybrid (weekly class meetings on Thursdays) |
| OPH 243 Technical Proficiency | Weekly Testing Center |
| OPH 262 Contact Lenses II | Hybrid (weekly class meetings on Thursdays) |
| OPH 282 Optical Externship I | Work off-campus optical shop 6 hour session |
Course Type Definitions
100 percent Online: Course work will be completed weekly online. At the end of the semester students will have a proctored final exam at an approved proctored testing facility.
Hybrid: Two-part course: The first part is online (similar to 100 percent online courses). The second part is in-class, hands-on meetings. The hands-on part of the class will be held weekly. During these in-class meetings students will perform the activities they’ve been learning about online.
*Students may apply for the monthly hands-on meetings if they meet all of the requirements listed on the Monthly Option Opticianry Program Application.
Internship Course: Students will work an unpaid internship in the Durham Tech Optical Shop with live patients/customers to practice the skills they have been learning in a real life setting (3 hours per week).
Externship Course: Students will be assigned to work an unpaid externship in an optical establishment for 6 hours per week.
Weekly Testing Center: Students will need to take weekly tests at an approved proctored testing facility.
Specific Course Information
40 percent of the course work is 100 percent online.
These courses are as follows: OPH 131, 141, 121, 142, 222, and 233.
In these courses you will be required to submit weekly assignments online by the due dates set by the course instructor. The online final exams are proctored but can generally be taken at any college testing facility* in your area. These courses do not require any in-class meetings.
40 percent of the course work is hybrid (courses with lab credits).
These courses are as follows: OPH 111, 132, 112, 261, 262, and 215.
In addition to your weekly assignments online you will be required to attend the in-class lab for hands on training and assessment. Students who do not work at an optical practice or do not have access to the required equipment will be required to attend the weekly lab meetings where the equipment and materials will be provided for them. Students who work at an optical practice that has all of the required equipment for a given course may submit the Monthly Option Opticianry Program Application to be considered for monthly attendance on a per-course basis. The final exams are proctored and will most likely be taken during the final in-class lab session.
20 percent of the course work requires special situations indicated below.
These courses are as follows: OPH 243, 251, and 282.
For OPH 243 you will be required to visit a college testing facility (either in your area or at Durham Tech campus) for two online proctored tests per week for the majority of the semester (approximately 2 hours a week), and during the last month of the semester you will be required to complete four online proctored tests per week at the proctoring facility (approximately 4 hours a week). This testing is similar to the online proctored final exams in all of the previous courses. For OPH 251 you will be required to work 3 hours a week in an optical practice that has a full finishing lab (see “Monthly Option Application” form.) For OPH 282 you will be required to work 6 unpaid hours a week in an optical practice that has a full finishing lab (see “Monthly Option Equipment Requirements” list and form). You will not be able to complete this Course at your normal place of business. It must be at a different optical practice. You will need to contact the clinical coordinator (Tracy Bennett) to locate the proper location for you. The 6-hour sessions can be broken into two 3-hours sessions, if desired.
Contact Information
If you have any questions about a specific course please contact the instructor via phone at 919-536-7233 or view the Opticianry department directory.
Online Testing Facilities
Online testing facilities are available at Durham Tech and most community colleges in your area. This is generally a free service provided by colleges while you are enrolled, however, some colleges are beginning to apply a fee for this service. If you plan to use the testing facilities at another college you may want to contact them to find out if they charge a fee for this service. Use of Durham Tech testing facility is always free. This includes Durham Tech’s Main Campus and the Orange County Campus location.