Beginning this Fall, UCF will be one of only five colleges in the nation to offer students undergraduate science degrees in Photonics Science and Engineering, according to the University of Central Florida.
The new degree program is a joint initiative between the UCF College of Optics and Photonics and the College of Engineering and Computer Science. The program is designed to help students prepare for work in specialized field ares that involve optics, photonics and electrical engineering.
According to UCF, “the new bachelor of science degree in Photonics Science and Engineering will enable graduates to work for employers that create photonic or photonic-enabled products for applications in manufacturing, solar energy, smart lighting, medical diagnostics and therapeutics, telecommunications and computer technologies.”
UCF is the only college in the state of Florida to offer the the degree program.
“Optics is a venerable subject that has its roots in physics and astronomy, involving instruments such as telescopes and microscopes,” Bahaa Saleh, dean of CREOL, told UCF. “But photonics has emerged more recently when lasers, opto-electronics and optical fibers became available.”
