The Optics and Photonics PhD program provides the highest-quality education in optical science and engineering, allowing students to conduct scholarly, fundamental, and applied research, while aiding in the development of Florida's and the nation's technology-based industries.
Research activities cover all aspects of optics, photonics, and lasers, and the Center for Research and Education in Optics and Lasers (CREOL), the Florida Photonics Center of Excellence (FPCE), and the Townes Laser Institute (TLI) are integral parts of the College of Optics and Photonics. Current research areas include: linear and nonlinear guided-wave optics and devices, high speed photonic telecommunications, fiber optic fabrication, fiber optic communications, solid state laser development, nonlinear optics, laser-induced damage, quantum-well optoelectronics, quantum optics, photonic information processing, infrared systems, optical diagnostics, optical system design, image analysis, virtual reality, medical imaging, diffractive optics, optical crystal growth and characterization, high intensity lasers, x-ray optics, EUV sources, optical glasses, laser materials processing, free-electron lasers, and light matter interaction.
The College of Optics and Photonics (COP) was the first program to be offered the distinction of a college devoted to Optics in the United States. The College of Optics and Photonics has grown rapidly and now has 55 faculty members and faculty with joint appointments, 41 research scientists and 148 graduate students with research activities covering all aspects of optics, photonics, and lasers. Research expenditures are over $10 million annually, with more than 20 percent of the funding coming from industrial partners, illustrating the effectiveness of the commitment to partnerships that is a foundational value of the COP.
Program Prerequisites
Bachelor's or master's degree in Optics, Electrical Engineering, Physics or closely related discipline.
Students with degrees in related fields may be required to take undergraduate articulation courses determined by the program director on a case-by-case basis.
Degree Requirements
Required Courses
21 Total Credits
- Complete all of the following
Core Courses- Complete all of the following
- Complete the following:
- OSE6111 - Optical Wave Propagation (3)
- OSE5115 - Interference and Diffraction (3)
- OSE5312 - Light Matter Interaction (3)
- OSE6211 - Imaging and Optical Systems (3)
- OSE6474 - Fundamentals Optical Fiber Communications (3)
- OSE5525 - Laser Engineering (3)
- OSE 6536 Semiconductor Lasers may be used as a substitute for OSE 5525 Laser Engineering
Research Methods/ Laboratory Courses- Complete all of the following
- Complete at least 1 of the following:
- OSE6234C - Applied Optics Laboratory (3)
- OSE6455C - Photonics Laboratory (3)
- OSE6526C - Laser Engineering Laboratory (3)
- OSE6615L - Optoelectronic Device Fabrication Laboratory (3)
- Other graduate science and engineering labs may be taken with college approval.
Elective Courses
36 Total Credits
- Complete all of the following
Restricted Electives- Earn at least 9 credits from the following types of courses: Students will need to complete an additional 9 credit hours to meet the 30 hours of formal Optics (OSE) course work required. An additional three hours of optics coursework will be required if the student waived out of the research methods/laboratory courses above, or if the laboratory courses taken is not an OSE prefix. Other courses with significant optics content may be accepted toward the Optics (OSE) coursework requirement, upon approval by the Associate Dean. A listing and description of courses offered by the College of Optics and Photonics is found in the "Courses" section.
Unrestricted Electives- Earn at least 27 credits from the following types of courses: A combination of formal course work and research hours comprise the remaining unrestricted hours. At least 9 of these hours must be formal course work, which may be graduate optics, science or engineering courses. In addition to the 9 hours, 18 credits may be regular formal course work, doctoral research hours, independent study, or doctoral dissertation hours. The independent study hours are limited to a maximum of 3 credit hours. Any courses outside of the graduate optics, science or engineering disciplines must be approved by the college associate dean.
Dissertation
15 Total Credits
- Earn at least 15 credits from the following:
- OSE7980 - Dissertation (1 - 99)
Qualifying Examination
0 Total Credits
- Before students are eligible to take the candidacy examination, they must pass a written qualifying examination, which for full-time students is normally taken at the end of the first year of graduate study. The purpose of the qualifying exam is for the student to demonstrate mastery of the fundamentals of optics and photonics. The exam is administered by the doctoral qualifying examination committee, which consists of several graduate faculty members representing the appropriate disciplines, appointed by the director or designee. The committee's duties include the preparation and grading of the examination material, and it may solicit input from other interested faculty. The exam is a closed book written exam in the general areas of electromagnetic foundations of optics, interference, diffraction, coherence, linear systems imaging, and light matter interaction. Students who do not pass the qualifying examination in two attempts will not continue in the program.
Candidacy Examination
0 Total Credits
- Students are required to successfully complete the candidacy examination before admission to full doctoral status. The purpose of the candidacy exam is for the student to demonstrate his or her readiness for the PhD program through preliminary research work in the chosen field of study. The candidacy exam is comprised of written and oral portions. The exam is administered by the members of the student's dissertation advisory committee who are full faculty members of the College of Optics and Photonics. External committee members of the dissertation advisory committee are not appointed until after the student has passed the candidacy exam. The exam is normally taken near the completion of required course work. Students must pass the candidacy exam before registering for doctoral dissertation hours (OSE 7980).
Admission to Candidacy
0 Total Credits
- The following are required to be admitted to candidacy and enroll in dissertation hours: Completion of most course work, except for dissertation hours. Successful completion of the candidacy examination. The dissertation advisory committee is formed, consisting of approved graduate faculty and graduate faculty scholars. Submittal of an approved program of study.
Dissertation Proposal and Defense
0 Total Credits
- Approximately one year after passing the general candidacy examination, and after the student has begun research, the student will write a dissertation proposal and present it to their dissertation advisory committee for its approval. The proposal must include the research performed to date and the research planned to complete the dissertation. The committee, which consists of three graduate faculty members from the College of Optics and Photonics and one faculty member from outside the college, must be approved by the director or designee and will meet annually to review the student's progress. The dissertation advisory committee also administers the dissertation oral defense examination.
Independent Learning
0 Total Credits
- The dissertation satisfies the independent learning experience.
Grand Total Credits: 72
Application Requirements
For information on general UCF graduate admissions requirements that apply to all prospective students, please visit the Admissions section of the Graduate Catalog. Applicants must apply online. All requested materials must be submitted by the established deadline.
In addition to the general UCF graduate application requirements, applicants to this program must provide:
- One official transcript (in a sealed envelope) from each college/university attended.
- Bachelor's or master's degree in Optics, Electrical Engineering, Physics or closely related discipline.
- The GRE is not required for admission to this program.
- Three letters of recommendation
- The College of Optics and Photonics requires a Statement of Purpose.
- A brief, 1-2 page statement about educational, research, and long-term professional career objectives.
- Résumé
- Applicants to this program, except those that have earned or will earn a Masters or Doctoral degree from an accredited U.S. institution recognized by UCF, who have attended a college/university outside the United States must provide a course-by-course credential evaluation with GPA calculation. Credential evaluations are accepted from World Education Services (WES) or Josef Silny and Associates, Inc. only.
Students with degrees in related fields may be required to take undergraduate articulation courses determined by the program director on a case-by-case basis.
Application Deadlines
| Optics and Photonics PhD | *Fall Priority | Fall | Spring | Summer |
| Domestic Applicants | Jan 15 | Jul 1 | Dec 1 | Apr 1 |
| International Applicants | Jan 15 | Jan 15 | Jul 1 | Nov 1 |
*Applicants who plan to enroll full time in a degree program and who wish to be considered for university fellowships or assistantships should apply by the Fall Priority date.
Financial Information
Graduate students may receive financial assistance through fellowships, assistantships, tuition support, or loans. For more information, see the College of Graduate Studies Funding website, which describes the types of financial assistance available at UCF and provides general guidance in planning your graduate finances. The Financial Information section of the Graduate Catalog is another key resource.
Fellowship Information
Fellowships are awarded based on academic merit to highly qualified students. They are paid to students through the Office of Student Financial Assistance, based on instructions provided by the College of Graduate Studies. Fellowships are given to support a student's graduate study and do not have a work obligation. For more information, see UCF Graduate Fellowships, which includes descriptions of university fellowships and what you should do to be considered for a fellowship.
