Master of Science Optical Sciences

  Summary of MS Program Requirements

 

                                        MS Completion Guide

 

Course Requirements:

There is no core curriculum for the MS degree and students are allowed considerable freedom in planning their study programs. The PhD core courses may form the nucleus of an MS program, but there is no requirement to take any of them. The MS student may limit his/her coursework to only one area if he/she so chooses. Only one non-technical course may count toward the MS degree. Either of two options may be selected:

 

Thesis option: A minimum of 32 units of University of Arizona graduate credit in optics or optics-related courses, including 8 units of 910 (thesis) and at least 2 units of optics laboratory courses (see below). Most graduate courses are 3 unit courses, so a typical student would take 8 or 9 academic courses and enroll for an additional 8 units of MS thesis credit.  Up to 6 units of credit for appropriate graduate courses may be transferred from other universities with approval from the department. Note: Opti597B does not count toward fulfilling the units required for the MS thesis.

 

Non-thesis option: A minimum of 35 units of University of Arizona graduate credit  in optics or optics-related courses is required, including at least 2 units of optics laboratory courses (see below). Up to 7 units of credit for appropriate graduate courses may be transferred from other universities with approval from the college. The student must demonstrate competence in written communication by successfully completing an appropriate graduate course in technical writing or by writing an acceptable Master's Report (for which 3 units of credit are received.) Opti597B and the U of Arizona graduate course PHCL 595B Scientific Writing Strategies, Skills & Ethics, may satisfy the non-thesis option in lieu of Opti909 Masters Report.

 

Independent Study 599 units must meet the Graduate College Policy and be approved by the Associate Dean of Academic Programs. Generally, 3 units of 599 is approved.

 

Lab Requirement:

All students must include at least two introductory optics laboratory courses as part of their plan.  These classes should provide hands on experiences to help the students learn the fundamentals that are taught in the core lecture classes. While two lab courses are required, additional laboratory courses are strongly recommended.  Some students may qualify to have one lab requirement waived by the Associate Dean of Academic Programs.  Waiver of a lab requirement does not reduce the overall total number of units required for the degree. The lab classes currently offered that satisfy this requirement are: 

OPTI 502L Fundamentals of Applied Optics Lab (1) Fall, P or C, OPTI 502

OPTI 505L Fundamentals of Physical Optics Lab (1) Spring, P, OPTI 501 or 505R

OPTI 511L Lasers and Solid-State Devices Lab (1) Fall, P, OPTI 511R, 507

OPTI 512L Mathematical Optics Lab (1) Fall, P, OPTI 512R or 604 + CSC 227 or SIE 270)

OPTI 513L Optical Testing Lab (1) Fall, P, CR OPTI 513R

OPTI 515L Optical Specifications, Fabrication & Testing Lab (1) Spring

OPTI 521L Introductory Opto-Mechanical Engineering Laboratory (1) Fall

OPTI 587L Photonic Communications Laboratory (1) Spring Effective 2011

PHYS 578 Laser Spectroscopy & Atomic Structure (4) Fall

 

 

Grading:

With approval of the student's major professor a C graded course may be included on the Plan of Study as long as the GPA is 3.0 or higher.  However, the student and his or her major professor should carefully consider the value of retaking a course in the event of a C grade.

 

Plan of Study:

The plan of study must be filed by the end of the second semester in residence. Transfer courses approved in advance by the Associate Dean are entered in the transfer section of the Plan of Study. Students must complete an Evaluation of Transfer Courses to be approved by the Associate Dean during their first semester.

 

Final Examination:

For students who select the thesis option, final examination is an oral exam based primarily on the content of the thesis. For those selecting the non-thesis option, this oral exam is normally based primarily on the subject matter of the courses taken; however, by mutual agreement between the student and the examination committee, the Master's Report can serve as the focus of the exam.

 

Time Limit:

Six years. Extensions of time to complete degrees will be granted by the Graduate College only in exceptional circumstances. If you are transferring units/credits, be aware that the 6 year time limit begins with the semester/year of your transfer units. The average time to MS degree for full time students is 2.5 years.

 

Distance Classes

With industry lab experience, all course requirements including one lab Opti512L can be completed by distance. A few visits to campus may be required for the report, thesis research and for the Final Oral Exam.  For more information about this option, please visit our Distance Classes web page.

 

Student Reference Manual for MS Program

The reference manual includes additional information, procedures, practices, and policies of both the College of Optical Sciences and the Graduate College.

 

Questions?

Please contact Gail Varin, Academic Advisor, at gail@optics.arizona.edu   Ms. Varin's telephone number is 520-626-0888. Or, for calls inside the U.S. only, call our toll-free number 1-888-285-3415.