Master programme in Photonics
2 years · 120 credits
The 21st century is the century of the photon and photonics is the science and technology of generating, controlling and detecting photons. Lasers and related technologies are today indispensable tools in very diverse fields of science, manufacturing and medical applications. Light-emitting diodes replace our traditional lighting and contribute to lowering global power energy consumption.
Photonic technology, that is optical fibers and integrated photonic devices, is the backbone of global communication and information exchange, with transformational impact on today’s global society. Laser-based imaging, diagnostics and treatment methods revolutionise the life-science sector. The Photonics programme at Lund University aims at educating talented students in the science and technology that lies behind the photonics revolution. You will obtain in-depth understanding of optics and laser technology as well as practical experience in optical design. You will experience working in modern optics and laser laboratories and gain detailed knowledge of important photonics applications (for example. communication or medical optics). The education programme is coupled to world-leading research activities in optics, lasers and their applications, performed at the Lund Laser Centre. You will obtain universal skills preparing you for excelling both in industrial or academic future careers.
Programme structure
The Master programme in Photonics divides into four branches, whereas the optics and lasers branch is compulsory and stretches with four courses (30 credits) in total over the first year of the program. Thus, all students will share the same underlying knowledge, which can be applied freely to the elective courses in the other branches in order build an individual profile, according to interests and background. The individual choices (60 credits) will be coordinated with the programme director and can vary largely, from very applied education in optical communication or bio-photonics to quite fundamental courses in atomic physics or quantum optics, just determined by your curiosity. Many of the courses include laboratory exercises, which are coupled to actual ongoing research. The Master programme in Photonics is concluded with a Master degree project (30 credits), where the student will be part of a research group and carry out an independent project. The Master degree project may also be performed in collaboration with industry.
Career prospects
The employment opportunities in photonics are excellent. The photonics market features stable growth much beyond the global GDP growth. Applications of photonics include light sensing, telecommunication, information processing, illumination, metrology, spectroscopy, medicine, laser material processing, automotive robotics and defence. While the photonics industry is truly global, a number of photonics related companies (e.g. Axis Communications, NKT Photonics, Veoneer, Ericsson) exist in Lund and the greater Öresund region and two international research facilities create additional opportunities for photonics engineers – MAX IV, a synchrotron radiation laboratory that opened in Lund in June 2016, and ESS, the European Spallation Source that is currently under construction.
How to apply
Master programme coordinator
Photonics
Cord Arnold
Cord [dot] Arnold [at] fysik [dot] lth [dot] se (Cord[dot]Arnold[at]fysik[dot]lth[dot]se)
International master coordinator
Cecilia Bruhn
msc [dot] photonics [at] lth [dot] lu [dot] se (msc[dot]photonics[at]lth[dot]lu[dot]se)