Southern College of Optometry is a college of optometry in the United States. It is located in Memphis, Tennessee and is dedicated to the study of optometry, the field of medicine that includes not only the performance of refractive eye examinations and the fitting of necessary corrective lenses or vision therapy, but also the diagnosis and treatment of numerous ocular diseases. After completing a 4-year graduate program, students at SCO receive the degree of Doctor of Optometry (OD). Southern College of Optometry is a private, non-profit institution founded in 1932, and it is one of only 20 schools of optometry in the United States. J.J. Horton, MD, an ophthalmologist, established SCO in 1932.