The request to revise the Ph.D. and M.S. in Optical Science and Engineering
Date: March 11, 2016
To: College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
From: Office of Academic Affairs
Approved On: February 18, 2016
Approved by: Graduate Council
Implementation Date: Summer 2016
Note: Deletions are strikethroughs. Insertions are underlined.
Catalog Copy
Ph.D. in Optical Science and Engineering
Programs of Study
The M.S. and Ph.D. programs in Optical Science and Engineering is interdisciplinary, involving primarily five science and engineering departments and two centers (Departments of Physics & Optical Science, Chemistry, Mathematics & Statistics, Electrical & Computer Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering & Engineering Science; the Center for Optoelectronics & Optical Communications; and the Center for Precision Metrology). The program is administered through the Department of Physics and Optical Science. The purpose of the program is to educate scientists and engineers who will develop the next generation of optical technology. The program emphasizes basic and applied interdisciplinary education and research in the following specialties of optics:
· Micro-optics and nanophotonics
· Fiber and integrated optics
· Optoelectronic materials and devices
· Biomedical optics
· Optical interferometry and metrology
· Optical fabrication
· Nanoscale imaging and spectroscopy
· Adaptive optics
· Optical communication
· Novel light-matter interactions
· Quantum optics
· Optical sensors and measurements
A complete description of the research activity within the Optical Science and Engineering program can be accessed online.
Documents to be Submitted for M.S or Ph.D. Admission
· UNC Charlotte online application for graduate admission.
· Official GRE scores.
· Official TOEFL or IELTS score from international applicants whose native language is not English, unless the previous college degree was from a country where English is
the official language.
· Unofficial transcripts from all colleges and universities attended should be uploaded to the application. (Applicants offered admission will be required to submit official transcripts.)
· A minimum of three letters of reference.
· A Statement of Purpose essay detailing the applicant’s motivation and career goals.
Additional Admission Requirements
All applicants seeking admission into the Optical Science and Engineering Ph.D. program must fulfill the university’s general requirements for graduate admission at the Ph.D. level. Additional requirements for admission into the program are:
· A baccalaureate or master’s degree in Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Engineering,
Optics, or a related field with a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 overall and 3.2 (A
= 4.0) in the major. In the case a candidate presents a master’s degree at application, a minimum graduate GPA of 3.2 (A = 4.0) on all graduate work is required.
· A minimum combined score of 1100 on the verbal and quantitative portions of the GRE General Test (tests taken prior to August 1, 2011). A minimum combined score of 301 on the verbal and quantitative portions of the GRE revised General Test (tests taken on or after August 1, 2011).
· Positive letters of recommendation.
· Students may be required to take undergraduate courses determined by the Interdisciplinary Optics Program Committee on an individual basis. Such courses will be specified at the time of admission into the program.
Degree Requirements
The degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Optical Science and Engineering is awarded for completion of scholarly research that advances the knowledge base in the field and is demonstrated by a successful dissertation defense. Additionally, recipients of this degree should demonstrate mastery of relevant subject matter and a potential for success in future research and teaching.
The minimum requirement for the Ph.D. degree in Optical Science and Engineering is 72 credit hours beyond the baccalaureate degree.
Each candidate for the Ph.D. degree in Optical Science and Engineering must complete the following:
· Present evidence of competency in the core curriculum by successfully completing 18 of 21 credit hours of core courses with a grade of B or above in each course
· Complete a minimum of 6 credit hours of elective courses having an OPTI prefix in addition to the core curriculum
· Complete 1 credit hour of OPTI 8610 Seminar during the fall of the first academic year in the program
· Complete 1 credit hour of OPTI 8611 Graduate Colloquium during the spring of the first academic year in the program and complete 1 credit hour of OPTI 8611 Graduate Colloquium each subsequent academic year in the program
· Complete a minimum of 24 credit hours of OPTI 8991 Dissertation Research
· The remaining credit hours may be dissertation research credits, elective courses coursework credits or a combination.
· Successfully complete the written and oral qualifying examination
· Select a dissertation advisor and form an advisory committee
· Prepare a plan of study detailing how you intend to satisfy the 72 credit hour requirement
· Successfully submit a Ph.D. research proposal
· Successfully defend the Ph.D. dissertation
Electives must be approved by the academic advisor and may include courses having a prefix of OPTI, PHYS, ECGR, MEGR, and NANO. Other courses may be considered. Ph.D. students should enroll in 8000-level courses when possible.
A student in the Ph.D. program must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in all coursework attempted for the degree. An accumulation of two C grades will result in suspension from the program. A grade of U earned in any course will result in suspension from the
program. An accumulation of three C grades or two U grades will result in termination from the program.
Core Curriculum
All graduates of the program must demonstrate competency in the core curriculum. Students may do so by completing 18 of the 21 available credit hours of core courses with a grade of B or above in each course. The course makeup of the 18 credits must be approved by the academic advisor or program director. Competency is typically demonstrated by the end of the 3rd semester in the program. With program director approval, students may demonstrate competency by passing a core competency exam. Credit hours that would have been earned if the student had taken the course may be replaced by dissertation research or an approved elective.
Core Courses
Fall
OPTI 8101 Mathematical Methods of Optical Science and Engineering (3)
OPTI 8102 Principles of Geometrical Optics (3) OPTI 8102L Geometrical Optics Lab (1)
OPTI 8105 Optical Properties of Materials (3)
Spring
OPTI 8103 Light Sources and Detectors (3)
OPTI 8104 Electromagnetic Waves (3) OPTI 8106 Principles of Physical Optics (3) OPTI 8106L Physical Optics Lab (2)
Responsible Conduct of Research
UNC Charlotte is committed to ensuring that doctoral students understand their obligations as researchers. All first year doctoral students in science, math, engineering or technology are required to enroll in GRAD 8002 – Responsible Conduct of Research. This two credit course prepares students for a range of research related issues. Class times to be announced.
Qualifying Exam
Ph.D. students will participate in a written and oral qualifying examination administered by the optics faculty no later than the semester following the successful demonstration of competency in the core curriculum. If a student fails the qualifying examination, it may be retaken once. If a student fails the exam a second time, the student’s enrollment in the Ph.D. program will be terminated.
Dissertation Advisor and Advisory Committee
Each student in the program must have a dissertation advisor and an advisory committee. The student should select the advisor before the end of the second year of residency. The student and advisor determine the committee by agreement. The advisor serves as chair of the committee and must be a member of the Optics Faculty and a regular member of the Graduate Faculty at UNC Charlotte. The Dean of the Graduate School will appoint a committee member to serve as the Graduate Faculty Representative. The committee must have at least 4 members, one of whom is the chair and one of whom is the Graduate Faculty Representative. All members of the committee must be members of the Graduate Faculty and a majority must be members of the
Optics Faculty. Composition of the advisory committee must be approved by the Optics Program
Director and the Dean of the Graduate School.
Plan of Study
All students should prepare a plan of study before the end of their fourth semester following admission to the program. The plan of study shows in detail how the student intends to meet the degree requirements. The plan of study must be approved by the advisory committee and the optics program director.
Research Proposal
After successful demonstration of competency in the core curriculum and approval of the plan of study, the student will prepare a written research proposal and present an oral defense of the proposal to their advisory committee. This should be completed within three years following admission to the program. The research proposal, also called the dissertation topic proposal, must be approved by the advisory committee. The research proposal demonstrates the student’s knowledge of the relevant literature and the specific research problems and methods of study that, if successfully completed, will lead to an acceptable dissertation.
Admission to Candidacy
A student formally advances to candidacy and is considered a PhD candidate after successful demonstration of competency in the core curriculum, passing the qualifying exam, appointment of a dissertation advisor, formation of an advisory committee, completion of the plan of study, and approval of the research proposal. These steps to candidacy should be completed within three years following admission to the program.
Dissertation
Each student will complete a minimum of 24 credit hours of dissertation research. The student must submit a written dissertation for final review to the advisory committee three weeks before the defense date. The student must defend the dissertation before the advisory committee at a presentation which is open to the university community. Upon approval of the written dissertation and oral presentation by the advisory committee, the student has successfully completed the dissertation requirement. The dissertation must be written using a format acceptable to the Graduate School.
Residency Requirement
The student must satisfy the residence requirement for the program by completing 20 credit hours of continuous enrollment in coursework/dissertation credit. Residence is considered continuous if the student is enrolled in one or more courses in successive semesters until 20 credit hours are earned.
Transfer Credit Accepted
Up to 30 credit hours of approved coursework may be transferred from other accredited master’s and/or doctoral programs. Only courses in which the student earned a grade of B or above (or its equivalent) can be transferred. No more than 6 credit hours of approved coursework taken as a post-baccalaureate student may be applied toward the degree. Credit for dissertation research cannot be transferred.
Assistantships
Support for beginning graduate students is usually a teaching assistantship. Continuing students are usually supported by research assistantships.
Application for Degree
Students should submit an Application for Degree at the beginning of the term in which they anticipate defending their dissertation. Adherence to Graduate School deadlines is expected. Degree requirements are completed when students successfully defend their dissertation and file the final copy of the dissertation in the Graduate School.
M.S. in Optical Science and Engineering
Programs of Study
The M.S. and Ph.D. programs in Optical Science and Engineering is interdisciplinary, involving primarily five science and engineering departments and two centers (Departments of Physics & Optical Science, Chemistry, Mathematics & Statistics, Electrical & Computer Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering & Engineering Science; the Center for Optoelectronics & Optical Communications; and the Center for Precision Metrology). The program is administered through the Department of Physics and Optical Science. The purpose of the program is to
educate scientists and engineers who will develop the next generation of optical technology. The program emphasizes basic and applied interdisciplinary education and research in the following specialties of optics:
· Micro-optics and nanophotonics
· Fiber and integrated optics
· Optoelectronic materials and devices
· Biomedical optics
· Optical interferometry and metrology
· Optical fabrication
· Nanoscale imaging and spectroscopy
· Adaptive optics
· Optical communication
· Novel light-matter interactions
· Quantum optics
· Optical sensors and measurements
A complete description of the research activity within the Optical Science and Engineering program can be accessed online.
Documents to be Submitted for M.S or Ph.D. Admission
· UNC Charlotte online application for graduate admission.
· Official GRE scores.
· Official TOEFL or IELTS score from international applicants whose native language is not English, unless the previous college degree was from a country where English is
the official language.
· Unofficial transcripts from all colleges and universities attended should be uploaded to the application. (Applicants offered admission will be required to submit official transcripts.)
· A minimum of three letters of reference.
· A Statement of Purpose essay detailing the applicant’s motivation and career goals.
Additional Admission Requirements
All applicants seeking admission into the M.S. in Optical Science and Engineering program must
fulfill the University’s general requirements for graduate admission at the Master’s
level. Additional requirements for admission into the program are:
· A baccalaureate or master’s degree in Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Engineering,
Optics, Computer Science, or a related field with a minimum undergraduate GPA of
3.0 overall and 3.0 (A = 4.0) in the major.
· A minimum combined score of 1000 on the verbal and quantitative portions of the GRE General Test (tests taken prior to August 1, 2011). A minimum combined score of 293 on the verbal and quantitative portions of the GRE revised General Test (tests taken on or after August 1, 2011).
· Positive letters of recommendation.
· Students may be required to take undergraduate courses determined by the Optics Program Committee on an individual basis. Such courses will be specified at the time of admission into the program.
Degree Requirements for M.S. With Non-Thesis Option
The Master of Science degree with non-thesis option in Optical Science and Engineering is awarded for completion of formal coursework and demonstration of competency in the core curriculum.
The minimum requirement for the M.S. degree with non-thesis option is 32 credit hours beyond the baccalaureate degree.
Each candidate for the M.S. degree with non-thesis option must complete the following:
· Present evidence of competency in the core curriculum by successfully completing 15 of 21 credit hours of core courses with a grade of B or above in each course
· Complete a minimum of 15 credit hours of elective courses in addition to the core curriculum
· Complete 1 credit hour of OPTI 6610 Seminar during the fall of the first academic year in the program
· Complete 1 credit hour of OPTI 6611 Graduate Colloquium during the spring of the first academic year in the program
· Prepare a plan of study detailing how you intend to satisfy the 32 credit hour requirement
Electives must be approved by the academic advisor optics program director and may include courses having a prefix of OPTI, PHYS, ECGR, MEGR, and NANO. Other courses may be considered. M.S. students should enroll in 6000-level courses when possible.
A student in the M.S. program must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in all coursework attempted for the degree. An accumulation of two C grades will result in suspension from the program. A grade of U earned in any course will result in suspension from the
program. An accumulation of three C grades or two U grades will result in termination from the program.
Degree Requirements for M.S. With Thesis Option
The Master of Science degree with thesis option in Optical Science and Engineering is awarded for completion of scholarly research that advances the knowledge base in the field and is demonstrated by a successful thesis defense.
The minimum requirement for the M.S. degree with thesis option is 32 credit hours beyond the baccalaureate degree.
Each candidate for the M.S. degree with thesis option must complete the following:
· Present evidence of competency in the core curriculum by successfully completing 15 of 21 credit hours of core courses with a grade of B or above in each course
· Complete a minimum of 6 credit hours of elective courses in addition to the core curriculum
· Complete 1 credit hour of OPTI 6610 Seminar during the fall of the first academic year in the program
· Complete 1 credit hour of OPTI 6611 Graduate Colloquium during the spring of the first academic year in the program
· Complete a minimum of 9 credit hours of OPTI 6991 Thesis Research
· Select a thesis advisor and form an advisory committee
· Prepare a plan of study detailing how you intend to satisfy the 32 credit hour requirement
· Successfully submit an M.S. research proposal
· Successfully defend the M.S. thesis
Electives must be approved by the academic advisor optics program director and may include courses having a prefix of OPTI, PHYS, ECGR, MEGR, and NANO. Other courses may be considered. M.S. students should enroll in 6000-level courses when possible.
A student in the M.S. program must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in all coursework attempted for the degree. An accumulation of two C grades will result in suspension from the program. A grade of U earned in any course will result in suspension from the program. An accumulation of three C grades or two U grades will result in termination from the program.
Core Curriculum
All graduates of the program must demonstrate competency in the core curriculum. Students may do so by completing 15 of the 21 available credit hours of core courses with a grade of B or above in each course. The course makeup of the 15 credits must be approved by the academic advisor or program director. Competency is typically demonstrated by the end of the 3rd semester in the program. With program director approval, students may demonstrate competency by passing a core competency exam. Credit hours that would have been earned if the student had taken the course may be replaced by approved credits.
Core Courses
Fall
OPTI 6101 Mathematical Methods of Optical Science and Engineering (3)
OPTI 6102 Principles of Geometrical Optics (3) OPTI 6102L Geometrical Optics Lab (1)
OPTI 6105 Optical Properties of Materials (3)
Spring
OPTI 6103 Light Sources and Detectors (3)
OPTI 6104 Electromagnetic Waves (3) OPTI 6106 Principles of Physical Optics (3) OPTI 6106L Physical Optics Lab (2)
Thesis Advisor and Advisory Committee
Each student in a program of study with the thesis option must have a thesis advisor and an advisory committee. The student should select the advisor before the end of the first year of residency. The student and advisor determine the advisory committee by agreement. The advisor serves as chair of the committee and must be a member of the Optics Faculty and a regular member of the Graduate Faculty at UNC Charlotte. The advisory committee must have at least 3 members, one of whom is the chair. All members of the committee must be members of the Graduate Faculty and a majority must be members of the Optics Faculty. Composition of the advisory committee must be approved by the optics program director.
Plan of Study
After successful demonstration of competency in the core curriculum, students should prepare a plan of study which shows in detail how the student will meet the degree requirements. The plan of study must be approved by the optics program director.
Research Proposal
After successful demonstration of competency in the core curriculum, a student in a program of study that includes the thesis option will prepare a written research proposal. This should be completed within two years following admission to the program. The research proposal, also called the thesis topic proposal, must be approved by the advisory committee. The research proposal demonstrates the student’s knowledge of the relevant literature and the specific research problems and methods of study that, if successfully completed, will lead to an acceptable thesis.
Qualifier and Admission to Candidacy
An M.S. student files for admission to candidacy no later than the beginning of the semester in which they expect to complete all degree requirements and graduate. The candidacy application lists the selection of coursework offered for the degree, including transferred, completed, and courses in progress. The program director approves the candidacy form which must be received in the Graduate School by the eighth instructional day of the semester.
Thesis
Each student in a program of study that includes a thesis option will complete a minimum of 9 credit hours of thesis research. The student must submit a written thesis for final review to the advisory committee three weeks before the defense date. The student must defend the thesis before the advisory committee at a presentation which is open to the university community. Upon approval of the written thesis and oral presentation by the advisory committee, the student has successfully completed the thesis requirement. The thesis must be written using a format acceptable to the Graduate School.
Residency Requirement
The student must satisfy the residence requirement for the program by completing 12 credit hours of continuous enrollment in coursework/thesis credit. Residence is considered continuous if the student is enrolled in one or more courses in successive semesters until 12 credit hours are earned.
Transfer Credit Accepted
Up to 6 credit hours of approved coursework may be transferred from other accredited master’s and/or doctoral programs. Only courses in which the student earned a grade of B or above (or its equivalent) can be transferred. Credit for thesis research cannot be transferred.
Assistantships
Support for beginning graduate students is usually a teaching assistantship. Continuing students are often supported by research assistantships.
Application for Degree
Students should submit an Application for Degree at the beginning of the term in which they anticipate graduating. Adherence to Graduate School deadlines is expected.