Opticians Apprentice
- Career Studies Certificate (C.S.C.)
Program Snapshot
Your Learning Options
In-person, Hybrid, 100% Online
20 Credit Hours
Estimated Time to Complete
1 year (2 full-time semesters)
In-State Tuition Per Credit Hour
$176.00 | Calculate your costs
Why Opticians Apprentice?
Master the skills for success as an Optician’s Apprentice in a program designed for individuals registered with the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry.
- Receive online instruction from accredited program faculty, offering an interactive learning experience that goes beyond typical home-study courses.
- Benefit from personalized guidance and support as you prepare to excel in your apprenticeship and licensure exams.
- Join a program with a proven track record of success, boasting high licensing exam pass rates on the first attempt.
Paying for College
We are committed to using all of the available funds to help you gain access to a college education. In fact, more than 91% of our students graduate without any educational debt. In 2023, Reynolds Community College students received over $21 million dollars in grants, loans, work-study and scholarships with the average aid awarded totaling over $4,000 per student.
Payment plans are offered to break down tuition payments. Textbook Assistance and Laptop Lending Programs are also available. Be sure to explore all the types of financial aid available as well!
Get a Skill. Get a Job. Get Ahead.
G3 financial assistance at Reynolds can help cover tuition for select programs like this one! Starting something new or changing a career path can be scary, but if you want to earn workplace certifications or an academic degree that leads to a career, G3 tuition assistance can help remove the financial barrier of going to college.
Why Reynolds?
We are more than a community college.
Reynolds is the key that unlocks the door to your academic and professional success. Here you will find a safe place to start. We will help you explore, dream, succeed, try, and try again. Our amazing faculty and highly personalized advisors, your Reynolds Navigators, are well known for guiding you to discover that "aha moment.” That means an outstanding college experience, less debt, more freedom, and a solid start on your future.
Receive top-quality education and training that meets industry standards in a program that is only one of three approved related instruction programs by the Board of Hearing Aid Specialists and Opticians in Virginia.
Access financial aid options that may not be available with other related instruction providers. We're committed to ensuring that cost is not a barrier to your education and career advancement.
Secure your future in a rewarding field with abundant job opportunities throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia. Opticians are in high demand, with 100% employment rates for apprentices who are already employed.
The only secret is to keep going… If you fall 100 times then you get up 101 times.
Keya Wingfield
Class Highlights
OPT 121 - Optical Theory I
Explore the theory and application of ophthalmic lenses including history, basic manufacturing, and quality standards of ophthalmic lenses.
OPT 105 - Anatomy, Physiology, and Pathology of the Eye
Study the fundamentals of various body systems and principles of human physiology with a focus on the eye.
OPT 160 - Optical Dispensing Theory I
Learn the skills necessary for becoming a dispensing optician including frame and lens materials, frame and lens selection, and adjustment techniques.
Program Roadmap
Get all the details on our Opticians Apprentice program, including class sequences, admission requirements, financial considerations, and more.
Additional Program Information
PURPOSE: Successful completion of the Opticians Apprentice Career Studies Certificate will prepare students for employment in the eye care field throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia. This program is offered solely to provide the required related instruction component of the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry (DOLI) Opticians Apprentice program.
OCCUPATIONAL OBJECTIVES: Students who successfully complete this career studies certificate and complete the 4,000 hours of on-the-job training as a Virginia DOWDA registered apprentice will be eligible to sit for the licensure examination to become an optician in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS: General college curricular admission.
PROGRAM NOTES: In addition to the general college curricular admission requirements, an interview with the Opticianry program head is required before beginning the curriculum. Students must provide proof that they are registered as an Apprentice Optician with the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry. This career studies certificate may be completed in one to two years. Apprentice students are required to complete 2,000 hours of on-the-job training per year, for a total of 4,000 hours, along with the required courses in this career studies certificate. Students will be required to repeat any OPT course in which a grade lower than “71” is received.
The courses in this certificate are offered online with weekly virtual meetings. Computer literacy is required to be successful. If a student is not prepared to take an online class, we highly recommend taking ITE 152 (or equivalent course) prior to enrolling in this program.
FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS: In addition to the regular college tuition and fees, the following expenses may be required for the Opticians Apprentice program:
| Approximate Textbooks costs | $400 |
| Testing center fees (for distance clinical courses only) | $ varies by location |
