Visual Impairment Education, BS in Education
The Ohio State University is proud to have one of only 5 undergraduate programs in the country preparing students to become teachers of students with visual impairments. With a current employment rate of 100%, this program offers students the opportunity to learn about braille, adapting educational materials for students with visual impairments, how the eye works, eye diseases and anatomy, as well as how to include students with visual impairments in the general education curriculum. Graduates of the program work as itinerant teachers, resource room teachers and classroom teachers at specialized schools for the blind.
Program Features
Students will receive their own braillewriter to use throughout the program and access to over 300 educational aids, models and resources in our lending library to use during student teaching. We have a lab that provide students the opportunity to create their own 3D models for use in their student teaching, tactile diagrams and electronic braille.
Key Facts and Statistics
The Ohio State University (OSU) hosts one of the oldest teaching programs in visual impairments in the United States; started as graduate-level university program that promoted sight-saving in the 1950s, it has since evolved into an accredited program that is nationally recognized. Our programs consist of a variety of options for teacher licensure, including tracks at both undergraduate and graduate levels, including:
- One of only five undergraduate programs nationwide preparing Intervention Specialists to work with students who have vision loss.
- VI Minor tailored for undergraduate pre-optometry, occupational therapy, and pre-med majors.
- Two graduate programs (MA and MEd) prepare professionals for education and rehabilitation roles, focusing on unique needs presented by vision loss.
Since 2021, Ohio State initial and advanced licensure completers have had a pass rate that is consistently higher than the statewide pass rate on the required Ohio Assessments for Educators (OAE) exams, with rich opportunity for employment upon graduation. Specific to the field of visual impairments, OSU Office of Accreditation, Placement and Licensure data indicates that 86% of program completers since 2020 and 91% since 2022 Ohio licensure, Graduates in this field are in high demand, with many receiving job offers from their student-teaching or internship sites.
For additional program data, please visit the Accreditation, Placement and Licensure (APL) site.*
*In Ohio, educator preparation program data are not publicly reported when fewer than 10 individuals complete a program to protect participant privacy and confidentiality.
Funding Opportunities
The college annually awards scholarships to its students to support their academic goals.
Career Paths
Degree requirements
Get in touch with advising team.