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Programs

The Institute of Optics

Founded in 1929, the Institute of Optics was the first optics education program in the nation. It is an academic department within the University of Rochester and grants undergraduate, master’s and PhD degrees in optics.

Through rigorous academic instruction, laboratory exercises, informal events, and networking opportunities, faculty and staff at the Institute of Optics are dedicated to providing a challenging and enjoyable educational experience in the broad field of optics. Instruction and research are offered in virtually every phase of optics, including physical optics, optical instrumentation and design, quantum optics, laser engineering, signal processing, guided wave optics, nonlinear optics, and optical materials. Well-equipped laboratories allow student thesis research in a wide range of areas, including gradient index optics, image processing, integrated optics, dielectric thin films, ultrahigh resolution laser spectroscopy, and high-power laser physics.

Information about faculty and research can be found on the The Institute of Optics website.

AdmissionsLink to section

Applying to Master's ProgramsLink to section

All tracks for the Optics MS program (including HOME) use the same Optics MS application. The MS Track selection indicated on the application is not binding, and students may change their MS track after enrollment. All applicants must complete their application in the University of Rochester Graduate Applications portal and provide the following:

  • Statement of purpose
  • Curriculum vitae or detailed resume
  • At least three letters of recommendation
  • Transcript from bachelor’s degree program (with proof of conferral for completed degrees)
  • Proof of English proficiency (TOEFL or IELTS) for international applicants who did not complete a four-year degree at an English-speaking institution

Our Optics MS program is appropriate for students of various STEM backgrounds, with many students coming from physics, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, and biomedical engineering bachelor’s programs. A previous degree in optics is not required.

Applying to Doctoral ProgramsLink to section

All applicants must complete an application in the University of Rochester Graduate Applications portal and provide the following:

  • Statement of purpose
  • Curriculum Vitae or detailed resume
  • At least three letters of recommendation
  • Transcript from bachelor’s degree program (with proof of conferral for completed degrees)
  • Proof of English proficiency (TOEFL or IELTS) for international applicants who did not complete a four-year degree at an English-speaking institution

Admission is decided by the graduate admissions committee rather than by a potential research supervisor. Only after being admitted and then completing two semesters of courses do students join a research group. Therefore, applications should not be directed to individual faculty members but submitted according to the instructions in the portal. Our Optics PhD program is appropriate for students of various STEM backgrounds, with many students coming from physics, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, and biomedical engineering bachelor’s programs. A previous degree in optics is not required.

AcademicsLink to section

Master's Degrees and RequirementsLink to section

The Optics MS program is available as an in-person program for students in residence at the University of Rochester, and as a primarily remote program, the Hybrid Optics Master’s Education (HOME). The HOME program is designed for working professionals and allows MS students to take all courses, except for one optics laboratory course, remotely. The HOME program has no residence requirement and cannot be used to request an F-1 visa for study from within the United States.

All Optics MS students (HOME and in person) must select one of two MS tracks:

  • Plan A – Thesis
    • Core coursework+ research study + final oral defense of thesis
  • Plan B – Coursework
    • Core course + elective coursework + final essay

All Optics MS students complete core coursework in the areas of laboratory skills, modern optical systems, wave optics and imaging, and optical radiation and detection. The Optics MS core courses ensure that all students receive a solid foundation in optics regardless of their academic background.

Both Plan A and Plan B students have the option for in-person or HOME program study. Our Optics MS students may also take MS internships as part of the program, including yearlong co-ops starting during the second semester of study.

Doctoral Degrees and RequirementsLink to section

The Optics PhD program is designed to prepare graduates to carry out independent, creative research in an industrial, academic, or government setting. The Optics PhD program is a combination of research, coursework, teaching assistantships, and thesis work that students complete over four or more years.

The first two semesters of PhD study focus on courses, with seven core courses and one elective, followed by a preliminary examination in the summer after the first year of study. Following that exam, students begin research duties. Subsequent years of PhD study include the completion of additional elective courses and research toward the completion of the PhD thesis, which is presented in an oral defense as the final requirement of the PhD program.

Optics PhD students are required to serve as a teaching assistant for two courses. Additional teaching assistant positions may be taken voluntarily for pay. PhD students may also take internships with the approval of their research advisors. Some students also complete research at outside institutions, including research universities and national laboratories. We highly encourage collaboration, and Optics PhD students frequently work in laboratories in the Laboratory for Laser Energetics, the Center for Visual Science, and other University of Rochester facilities.

Graduate Course TitlesLink to section

  • OPT 401: HOME First Laboratory
  • OPT 402: HOME Second Laboratory
  • OPT 403: HOME Third Laboratory
  • OPT 407: SEM Practicum
  • OPT 410: Introduction to Augmented and Virtual Reality
  • OPT 411: Mathematical Methods for Optics
  • OPT 412: Quantum Mechanics for Optics
  • OPT 413: Introduction to Random Processes
  • OPT 414: Detection and Estimation
  • OPT 420: Introduction to Illumination
  • OPT 421: Optical Properties of Materials
  • OPT 422: Color Technology
  • OPT 423: Detection of Optical Radiation
  • OPT 425: Radiation and Detectors
  • OPT 427: Liquid Crystal Materials
  • OPT 428: Optical Communications
  • OPT 429: Chemical Bonds: From Molecules to Matter
  • OPT 430: Mechanics for Optical Engineers
  • OPT 432: Opto-Mechanical Systems
  • OPT 433: Optical Fabrication and Testing Technology
  • OPT 438: Selected Topics in Augmented and Virtual Reality
  • OPT 440: Freeform Optics
  • OPT 441: Geometrical Optics
  • OPT 442: Instrumental Optics
  • OPT 443: Foundations of Modern Optical Systems
  • OPT 444: Lens Design
  • OPT 445: Precision Instrument Design
  • OPT 446: Optical Interference Coating
  • OPT 447: Advanced Optical Coatings
  • OPT 448: Vision and the Eye
  • OPT 449: Introduction to Illumination
  • OPT 450: Polarization
  • OPT 452: Medical Imaging Theory and Implementation
  • OPT 453: Advanced Quantum and Nano Optics Laboratory
  • OPT 454: Optics Laboratory for HOME Program
  • OPT 456: Optics Laboratory
  • OPT 461: Fourier Optics
  • OPT 462: Electromagnetic Waves
  • OPT 463: Wave Optics and Imaging
  • OPT 464: Nanophotonics and Nanomechanical Devices
  • OPT 465: Principles of Lasers
  • OPT 466: Ultrafast Optics and Laser Fundamentals
  • OPT 467: Nonlinear Optics
  • OPT 468: Integrated Photonics
  • OPT 470: Gradient Index GRIN Lens Design
  • OPT 472: Advanced Biomedical Microscopy
  • OPT 473: Laser Engineering
  • OPT 476: Biomedical Optics
  • OPT 477: Structured Light and Singular Optics
  • OPT 478: THz Technology and Applications
  • OPT 481: Technical Entrepreneurship
  • OPT 482: System and Product Development
  • OPT 483: Computational Imaging
  • OPT 484: Petawatt Lasers
  • OPT 485: Proposal Writing in Vision Science and Optics
  • OPT 486: Innovation: IP Strategy
  • OPT 489: The Retina-Brain Interface
  • OPT 491: MS Reading Course in Optics
  • OPT 492: Special Topics in Optics
  • OPT 494: MS Internship in Optics
  • OPT 495: MS Research in Optics
  • OPT 501: Quantum Mechanics I
  • OPT 502: Quantum Mechanics II
  • OPT 503: Practicum in Augmented and Virtual Reality
  • OPT 507: SEM Practicum
  • OPT 511: Advanced Mathematical Methods in Optics
  • OPT 516: Inverse Problems in Optics
  • OPT 535: Modern Coherence Theory
  • OPT 544: Advanced Lens Design
  • OPT 591: PhD Reading Course in Optics
  • OPT 594: PhD Internship in Optics
  • OPT 595: PhD Research in Optics
  • OPT 894: MS Co-op in Optics