Optics PhD Program
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The doctoral program is designed to prepare its graduates to carry out independent, creative research in an industrial, academic, or government settings. Admission to the optics PhD program is very competitive, with approximately 12 to 15 students admitted each year.
See Application RequirementsProgram Overview
This program was created to prepare students to assume roles as independent researchers in university, industrial, or government laboratories. Most of the program is devoted to learning specialized research skills and carrying out thesis research.
Students will spend their first year taking a variety of optics courses, giving them a broad background of advanced optics topics to help them decide what they’d like to concentrate their research on. Students should also take this time to get acquainted with the faculty, advanced students, and research in the Institute. First-year students are welcome to stop in and see what is going on in the laboratories and are strongly encouraged to attend as many “What’s Up in Optics” presentations as possible.
After their first year, students will take the PhD preliminary examination to demonstrate that they’ve mastered the foundational optics knowledge and are ready to pursue targeted research for their thesis.
After students have passed the preliminary examination, found a thesis advisor, and selected a research topic, they will start preparing for the PhD qualifying examination. This examination consists of a paper, no longer than 12 pages, that describes their proposed research, including a brief literature survey and their plan to solve potential problems that may arise. Students will also prepare a 25-30 minute presentation for the oral examination. The committee members can ask questions during and following this presentation.
The optics PhD program culminates with a final research thesis on the topic approved during the qualifying examination, as well as an oral defense of that research.
*For more information about the PhD program, see the Graduate Handbook.
Research Groups
Prospective students do not apply for admission in a specific research group. Instead, they must first be admitted into our PhD program, and then they join a research group after successful completion of two semesters of coursework. This gives students time to get to know the different faculty and their research.
The department would pay your stipend until you join a research group at the completion of your first year.
Courses
Suggested core courses for PhD students include:
- OPT 411: Mathematical Methods for Optics
- OPT 425: Radiation and Detectors
- OPT 441: Geometrical Optics
- OPT 461: Fourier Optics
- OPT 596: Optics Colloquium
- OPT 442: Instrumental Optics
- OPT 462: Electromagnetic Waves
- OPT 412: Quantum Mechanics for Optics
- OPT 596: Optics Colloquium
Teaching Assistantships
All optics PhD students are required to serve as a TA for two semesters. This service is required whether or not the student has received financial support from the University, and is typically done during the student’s second year.