Three universities and one photonics research institute in the BARCELONA area offer a comprehensive master's degree in PHOTONICS, the science and technology of LIGHT. PHOTONICS is one of the disciplines that will play a key role in the technology development of the 21st century. The Master in Photonics - PHOTONICS BCN aims at educating future researchers in this field and also promoting entrepreneurial activity in PHOTONICS amongst its students. Addressed to an international audience, the Master in Photonics is conducted in English.
The particular fields that students may be employed in once they graduate are proliferating, given the interdisciplinary nature and increasing relevance of photonics, which has been selected as one of five Key Enabling Technologies for the future of the European Union. The master’s degree in Photonics complements bachelor’s degrees in the sciences (particularly physics) and engineering (particularly engineering physics, telecommunications engineering, electrical, mechanical and electronic engineering and optics, as well as related fields such as nanophotonics and bioengineering) and provides broader and more specific training on scientific advances and interdisciplinary technologies. Career prospects may include the following:
• Taking a doctoral degree in Photonics, Optics, Physics, Optical Engineering, Nanophotonics, Biophotonics, Telecommunications, Electronics, Imaging, Quantum Information, etc.
• Participating in doctoral programmes, R&D and innovation programmes in companies, basic or applied research centers and universities.
• Joining a large company as a consultant or engineer on photonics-related topics, applications development engineer, sales specialist or laboratory consultant.
• Working as a freelance advisor or consultant on photonics-related subjects.
• Working in highly specialized technical positions for controlling services such as microscopy, X-ray diffraction, thin films, etc.
• Participating in (and promoting) spin-offs and other small technology-based companies.
• Joining the education system for high-level training in the field of photonics.
Generic competencies
Generic competencies are the skills that graduates acquire regardless of the specific course or field of study. The generic competencies established by the UPC are capacity for innovation and entrepreneurship, sustainability and social commitment, knowledge of a foreign language (preferably English), teamwork and proper use of information resources.
Specific competencies
The Master PICS program provides a comprehensive program of courses covering theoretical, experimental and engineering aspects of photonics, micro/nano technologies, time-frequency metrology, information theory and complex systems. It is delivered by the University of Bourgogne Franche-Comté (UBFC) in the city of Besançon. It is designed to cover a selection of topics at the interface of physics and engineering sciences, closely integrated with domains of research excellence developed in the Region of Bourgogne Franche-Comté (BFC). The master’s program also provides complementary courses in disciplinary and interdisciplinary knowledge, as well as broad digital, societal, cultural, environmental, and entrepreneurial skills. It is open to students with undergraduate physics degrees, and it aims to provide complementary courses to prepare students for careers in either industry or for future PhD level studies. The PICS masters is strongly supported by the FEMTO-ST Institute and the ICB Laboratory, research institutions with major international reputations in Physical Sciences and Engineering. The PICS Master’s program has received a national label as a Master’s of Excellence for Engineering and Research, entitled CMI (“Cursus master en Ingénierie”) which is delivered by the CMI-FIGURE network which consists of 28 universities in France.
Photonics and nanotechnologies are one of the 6 Key Enabling Technologies identified by the European Commission as sources of innovation and competitiveness for the future. They are technological sectors that feed competitive and fast-growing markets (environment, health, automotive, safety, etc.) and there is a strong need for qualified graduates to support developing European Industry. When compared to other French Masters programs in similar fields, the particular novelty of the Masters PICS is that it focuses on teaching multi-disciplinary skills on both the practical and fundamental level in a very wide range of topics: photonics, micro and nano-optics, quantum optics, micro-nanotechnologies, instrumentation, time-frequency metrology, micro-oscillators, micro- and nano-acoustics, bio-photonics, and complex systems.
The FEMTO-ST and ICB Institutes are the underlying UBFC laboratories that support the master PICS program. The FEMTO-ST Institute in Besançon (http://www.femto-st.fr/en/), with more than 750 staff, is one of the largest laboratories in France in Engineering Sciences, having high international visibility in photonics, nanotechnology and time frequency technology. The ICB Institute in Dijon (icb.ubourgogne.fr/en/), with a staff of 300 people, is also an underlying UBFC laboratory of the PICS master’s. The PICS master’s program is based on the internationally highly recognized research activities of all these laboratories in photonics, micro & nanotechnologies, time-frequency and complex systems, with teaching and supervision being performed by renowned and highly qualified researchers (professors, assistant professors, or full-time CNRS researchers).
The courses, taught in English (see Teaching section), are divided between lectures, exercises/tutorials, practical labs and project activities. Students will be immersed in the labs from their 1st year of study, closely connected with the research groups via lab projects that will run throughout semester 1 to 3. Individual supervision will be provided to all students, combining a personal project advisor and a mentor.
A one-semester research internship in semester 4 can be carried out at FEMTO-ST, ICB, or a local or national industry partner. Students also have the possibility to obtain significant international experience by carrying out Master’s Internships (5-6 months) abroad at internationally-renowned universities having strong research collaborations with FEMTO-ST and ICB. The proposed PICS Master’s program is also based on strong interactions with high-tech industrial partners both at the local and international levels.
The PICS master’s program takes place over 2 academic years divided into 4 semesters. Each semester corresponds to an accreditation of 30 ECTS, which leads to a total at the end of 120 ECTS. The program has an extensive international flavor, with all courses taught in English, except two modules of 3 ECTS in semesters 1 and 3 that will introduce French culture and language for foreign students, and organized in close connection with another master’s programs. We offer the opportunity to obtain French language certification (B2 at minimum). The teaching staff are highly qualified researchers with international recognition and all teaching staff are fluent in English, with many at native or near-native level.
Photonics and micro/nano technologies are very dynamic industrial sectors in Europe and hold the potential for huge market growth. It has a substantial leverage effect on the European economy and workforce: 20-30% of the economy and 10% of the workforce depend on photonics, directly impacting around 30 million jobs.
The master program offers intensive educational activities based on high level research activities in these domains. It focuses on fundamental & applied research mainly targeting careers in industry (R&D engineer) or for future PhD level studies either in academic institution or industry.
Students eligible to the master PICS program must have obtained a degree equivalent to or higher than a Bachelor of Science. Background knowledge in general physics, optics, electromagnetism, electronic and quantum physics is mandatory. Candidates must have very good academic qualifications and a very good practice of English.
Besançon is a historical town with a strong university community, and is consistently voted as having an excellent quality of life. It is home to a UNESCO-World Heritage listed citadel and fortifications, and is well known for its proximity to an excellent range of outdoor pursuits including hiking, mountain-biking, skiing and rock-climbing.
Many scholarships will be awarded each year to high quality foreign students.
The European MSc. in Photonics is an English-taught multidisciplinary programme of two years (120 ECTS) which leads to a joint degree from Ghent University and Vrije Universiteit Brussel.
The first year you can develop your skills in laser engineering, optical communication, optical materials, microphotonics and optical sensors. The first semester is devoted to the fundamental basics of photonics, while the second focuses on engineering skills and photonics applications. As this master is organised by two leading universities in Belgium, you have the possibility to follow courses entirely at VUB or to choose specific courses at UGent.
The second year opens the international gateway. Enrich your experience by choosing one of the international exchange tracks to follow courses, take up an internship or do a master thesis at an international partner.
Core and advanced photonics courses:
The first year will be devoted mainly to a programme of core photonics courses with essentially the same content at all institutes, complemented by a number of advanced photonics courses as well as several courses in related disciplines and transferable skill courses.
Move to another location:
In the second year you will move to another location where you will continue to take advanced photonics, multidisciplinary and transferable skill courses and where you will carry out your master thesis (30 ECTS) in a photonics sub-field of their choice. In addition to the regular courses, all students will attend a two-week summer school at the end of the first and second year of the programme.
The second year contains a mandatory external mobility component. You can spend one semester or do your master thesis abroad. Alternatively, you can do both thesis and courses abroad during two semesters, or do a 12-week industrial internship in the photonics industry or a research institute. You choose one of the four mobility tracks, allowing you to define the extent of your stay abroad. It allows you to benefit from the enriching expertise of our partner universities.
The European MSc. in Photonics has all the right ingredints to prepare you for a bright future. The valuable internships with industry and research institutes abroad enhance your employability significantly.
As consultant, engineer or researcher you might find yourself in the driver seat working domains as life sciences, biotechnology, telecommunications, sustainable energy, agrifood or Industry 4.0.
This course will train highly qualified physicists and engineers in the area of photonics, which is a key enabling technology, underpinning many areas of industry.
You'll have the opportunity to undertake a three-month research or development project based with one of our industrial partners such as M Squared Lasers.
We have a long tradition of cutting-edge photonics research, which supports our courses. Much of this work has resulted in significant industrial impact through our spin-out companies and academic-industrial collaborations.
You'll also have the opportunity to develop your entrepreneurial skills by taking courses delivered by the Hunter Centre for Entrepreneurship.
The course is made up of two semesters of taught classes, followed by a three-month research project based with one of our industrial partners. The majority of your classes are delivered by the Department of Physics and cover the following:
These classes are complemented by two classes delivered by the Department of Electronic & Electrical Engineering, which look at:
You'll be based with one of our industrial partners for a three-month project placement. This is your opportunity to experience how research and development operate within a commercial environment. It'll also give you a chance to form strong links with industry contacts.
The project is put forward by the company and supervised by both industrial and academic staff. Training on relevant skills and background will be received before and during the project.
Scotland has a world-leading position in optics and photonics industry.Your project will be carried out mainly in the excellent facilities of our Scottish industry partners. Projects elsewhere in the UK and with international companies may also be possible.
Advanced research facilities are also available in:
Our research is strongly supported in equipment and infrastructure. This includes a newly opened 3-storey wing in the John Anderson Building as part of a £13M investment programme in Physics. Furthermore, the IoP and FCAP have recently relocated into the University's Technology & Innovation Centre (TIC) which at £90 million TIC is Strathclyde’s single-biggest investment in research and technology collaboration capacity. This new centre will accelerate the way in which researchers in academia and industry collaborate and innovate together in a new specifically designed state-of-the-art building in the heart of Glasgow.
In semesters one and two, the course involves:
The courses include compulsory and elective classes from the Department of Electronic & Electrical Engineering.
Over the summer, you'll undertake a three-month project based on practical laboratory work in a partner company. You'll be supervised by the industrial partner and supported by an academic supervisor.
Assessment methods are different for each class and include:
Your practical project is assessed on a combination of a written report, an oral presentation, and a viva in which you're questioned on the project.
A degree in industrial photonics can set you up to work in a range of jobs in physics and positions in other industries.
Typically, it can lead you to photonic technologies in industrial corporate research and development units, production engineering and applied academic laboratories.
Employers want to know you can do the job so work experience is key.
This course has a strong focus on the relationship between academia and industry. It's a great opportunity to enhance your skills and provides a direct transition from university to the work place.
We have an excellent record of graduate employment in the Scottish, national and international optics and photonics industries.
If you're interested in practical work with impact but are also interested in a further academic qualification, you can move on to study an EngD or a CASE PhD studentship. These can lead to a doctorate within industry or in close collaboration with industry.
Our Physics graduates from photonics related courses have found employment in a number of different roles including:
The MSc in Photonics and Optoelectronic Devices is a 12-month taught programme run jointly by the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of St Andrews and the School of Engineering and Physical Sciences at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, which makes available to students the combined diversity of research equipment and expertise at both universities.
Students take modules at St Andrews in Semester 1 and Heriot-Watt in Semester 2, followed by approximately 3.5 months working on a project, which is usually with an optoelectronics company.
Teaching comprises lectures, tutorials and laboratory work. Lecture classes are relatively small, with typically around 20-30 students in a class. Lecture modules are assessed largely through examinations at the end of each semester whereas the laboratory work is assessed continuously. The lecture and lab modules develop important skills and knowledge that can be used in the summer project. The project is an on-the-job investigation or development of some aspect of photonics, often in a commercial setting.
Well-equipped teaching laboratories allow you to explore the science of photonics and interact directly with academic staff and the School’s early-career researchers. Teaching staff are accessible to students and enjoy explaining the excitement of physics and its applications.
Students are also encouraged to attend relevant research seminars and departmental discussions given by research staff from other universities and specialists from the industry.
Further particulars regarding curriculum development.
The lecture modules in this programme are delivered through lectures combined with tutorials, discussions and independent study; they are assessed through examinations and, in some cases, coursework. In the two lab modules, which are continuously assessed, students explore practical photonics for three afternoons a week.
For more details of each module, including weekly contact hours, teaching methods and assessment, please see the latest module catalogue which is for the 2017–2018 academic year; some elements may be subject to change for 2018 entry.
Our world class Masters degree in Photonic Technologies offers access to state-of-the-art facilities in our optical laboratories and clean room complex. This one year course offers core and optional modules including lasers, microfabrication, silicon photonics, metamaterials, nanophonics and plasmonics.
This MSc is the first Masters programme within the renowned Optoelectronics Research Centre (ORC). It offers students access to an excellent range of photonics equipment and materials technologies within a vibrant community of researchers, led by some of the leading figures in the field of photonics.
The Optoelectronics Research Centre (ORC) has a leading international reputation for its research in Photonics, Metamaterials, and Optical Fibre Communications. This MSc programme offers an advanced postgraduate education covering these Photonic Technologies. You will gain experience of working in research facilities including the Advanced Laser Laboratories, and the
Mountbatten Clean Room on a programme that includes:
Working in our state-of-the-art cleanroom complex with access to our extensive range of optical laboratories, you will benefit from integrated transferable skills elements and participation in the ORC's week long Industry Showcase event, where you will work with leading local and national photonics companies, share their views of the current photonics market and see first-hand their products and emerging photonics technologies.
Whether you intend to gain skills and expertise that will enable you to take up a position in a key industrial sector, or to embark on further postgraduate research, you will find that our MSc programme in Photonic Technologies will give you the solid intellectual foundation and hands-on practical and technical skills that you need for a successful professional career in science, engineering and related photonics-based industry.
View the programme specification document for this programme.
In completing an MSc at the ORC, you will work alongside some of the world’s leading photonics scientists, and spend time conducting novel research in our state-of-the-art facilities, keeping up to date with current research trends in photonics.
Our students receive a solid grounding for their future careers in photonics; over 600 ORC alumni work in strategic positions in the Photonics industry worldwide. MSc students are ideally suited to continuing in research PhD studies, or moving directly into the growing photonics industry, which you will experience during the Industrial Showcase as part of your MSc training.
Through an extensive blend of networks, mentors, societies and our on-campus startup incubator, we also support aspiring entrepreneurs looking to build their professional enterprise skills. Discover more about enterprise and entrepreneurship opportunities.
The proposed master program aims at training students in fundamental, both theoretical and experimental, physics with applications in photonics, nanotechnology, and quantum technologies. This combination, innovative at the level of a master program, is well aligned with priority investments in research at the European and international level, with thematic areas of growing demand for highly trained students, able to embark in a doctoral programme. This two-year master programme, fully taught in English for international students, is part of the Graduate School of Sciences of the University Bourgogne Franche-Comté (UBFC). It consists in both lessons and research project (3 month during the first year) / internship (5 months during the second year). This training program will be based on the internationally highly recognised research activities of the underlying laboratories ICB, Dijon and FEMTO-ST, Besançon.
This two-year master programme, fully taught in English for international students, combines macroscopic with nano- and quantum-scale topics. The programme aims at developing and improving students’ skills in fundamental optical physics, optical fibre communications, optoelectronics, laser technologies, ultrafast femtosecond optics, quantum information science, nanophotonics, nano-microscopy and nano-biosciences. This combination, innovative at the level of a master program, is well aligned with priority investments in research at the European and international level, and with thematic areas of growing demand for highly trained students.
The master programme is part of the Graduate School of Sciences of the University Bourgogne Franche-Comté (UBFC), Engineering and Innovation through Physical Sciences and High-technologies (EIPHI), which also includes a doctoral programme in the same topics.
Almost half of the programme is devoted to research project (3 month during the first year) & internship (5 months during the second year) in an international research team, leading to a master thesis aiming at the standards of a research article. This training program will be based on the internationally highly recognised research activities of the underlying laboratories ICB, Dijon and FEMTO-ST, Besançon, both having high international visibility in photonics, quantum technologies, nanotechnology and Engineering Sciences with researchers of high reputation.
Teaching consists of lectures, seminars by international researchers (both from the ICB & FEMTO-ST laboratories and from international partner universities), class tutorials, practical training & research work in laboratory, soft skills by professional coaches, technology and entrepreneurial courses by industrial partners, and French culture and language.
Photonics is a very dynamic industrial sector in Europe and holds the potential for huge market growth. It has a substantial leverage effect on the European economy and workforce: 20-30% of the economy and 10% of the workforce depend on photonics, directly impacting around 30 million jobs. The master program offers intensive educational activities based on research activities of photonics, including nanophotonics and quantum technologies. It focuses on fundamental & applied research mainly targetting PhD programs, which will lead to recruitment in academia or in industry. A need of master degree students in the field of photonics & nanotechnologies, including specialties in quantum technologies boosted by the European flagship in Quantum Technologies (launched in 2018), able to embark on a PhD program both in academia & industry will strongly increase in a near future.
The master's Alumni Office helps alumni keep in touch with each other and organises alumni events.
The two-year master program takes place at the University of Burgundy-Franche Comté, located in the scenic cities of Dijon & Besançon. The former capital city of the Duchy of Burgundy, Dijon is a medium-size French city, where you can enjoy a vibrant and active cultural life, as well as quick getaways to the countryside and the world famous neighbouring vineyards of the so-called “Golden coast” (city center, climates of the Burgundy vineyard, and gastronomy listed as world heritage sites in Dijon by Unesco). Life in Dijon is very affordable and accommodation easily accessible. The city is well-equipped with modern tramway and bus lines, making commuting between any place in Dijon and the University easy and convenient. Dijon is also host of several top-level professional sports teams (football, basketball, handball, rugby…), while also offering a large diversity of sports facilities.
Students eligible to the master program PPN must have obtained a degree equivalent to or higher than a Bachelor of Science. Background knowledge in general physics, optics, electromagnetism and quantum physics is mandatory. Candidates must have very good academic qualifications and a very good practice of English.
Many scholarships will be awarded each year to high quality foreign students.
During the first year, students have to pass the examinations associated with the Master 1 (60 ECTS credits) in order to proceed to the second year, Master 2 (60 ECTS), including research project and master thesis (33 ECTS).
For further information about how to apply, please directly contact the head of the master program, Professor Stéphane Guérin ([email protected]) and visit the webpage (http://www.ubfc.fr/formationen/).
Please also visit our dedicated webpage (http://blog.u-bourgogne.fr/master-ppn/).
Semiconductor photonics and electronics underpin many areas of advanced and emerging technologies, from high efficiency LED lighting to advanced photovoltaics and lasers for communications.
This course covers fundamentals through to cutting edge research in areas such as GaN materials and devices (behind the solid state lighting LED revolution), nanoscaled materials and devices, and photonic device manufacture.
You will gain a comprehensive understanding of the materials and device theory whilst developing excellent practical experimental skills in extensive semiconductor cleanroom lab-work, giving you a competitive edge for work in industry or further study.
You’ll be taught by academics who are leaders in their field. The 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF) puts us among the UK top five for this subject. Our courses are centred around finding solutions to problems, in lectures, seminars, exercises and through project work.
LED, laser photodetectors and transistor design, a high-tech field-emission gun transmission electron microscope (FEGTEM), a focused ion beam (FIB) milling facility, and electron beam lithographic equipment.
Our state-of-the-art semiconductor growth and processing equipment is housed in an extensive clean room complex as part of the EPSRC’s National Centre for III-V Technologies.
Our investment in semiconductor research equipment in the last 12 months totals £6million.
Specialist facilities for the design and manufacture of electromagnetic machines, dynamometer test cells, a high-speed motor test pit, environmental test chambers, electronic packaging and EMC testing facilities, Rolls-Royce University Technology Centre for Advanced Electrical Machines and Drives.
Advanced anechoic chambers for antenna design and materials characterisation, a lab for calibrated RF dosimetry of tissue to assess pathogenic effects of electromagnetic radiation from mobile phones, extensive CAD electromagnetic analysis tools.
Research-led teaching, lectures, laboratories, seminars and tutorials. A large practical module covers the design, manufacture and characterisation of a semiconductor component, such as a laser or light emitting diode.
This involves background tutorials and hands-on practical work in the UK’s national III-V semiconductor facility.
Assessment is by examinations, coursework or reports, and a dissertation with poster presentation.
This masters by research course brings together the University of Sheffield’s expertise in quantum photonics and nanomaterials.
There is a particular focus on the study of novel fundamental phenomena in condensed matter systems as well as applications in quantum information processing, photovoltaics and optoelectronics.
Choose from a range including:
One-year individual programme of research.
Taught material is complemented by a 12-month research project in one of our world-leading research groups.
Your training will cover optical experiments and fabrication of devices in our state-of-the-art laboratories as well as numerical methods and more.
