Standard study plan

The Master of Science In Photonics Engineering programme is a 2-year interuniversity English taught master programme organised jointly by Vrije Universiteit Brussel and Ghent University.*

The programme offers a fully residential on-campus track and a semi-online track. In the residential on-campus track, students spend both master year 1 and master year 2 on-campus. In master year 1, students take core photonics courses in semester 1 & 2 at VUB or UGent, supplemented by a number of advanced photonics electives.

In master year 2 students can design their own programme combining:
- Advanced photonics courses at VUB, UGent or partner universities
- Multidisciplinary modules at VUB, UGent or partner universities
- Strong international components for the master dissertation or research exchange,
- Opportunities for (international) internships at research institutes or industry.

For their second year, students can continue their studies at VUB or UGent or they can go for an Erasmus Exchange at one of our partner institutions for a semester or a full your year to take courses and/or write their master thesis.

VUB and UGent work closely with top partner universities worldwide. Students can design their personal exchange programme aligned with their focus and interests.

In the online track, students follow master year 1 fully online. For master year 2 they come to VUB or UGent.

The world is at your feet

When you study photonics at VUB, in the beating heart of Europe, you will not just join a team of international students and researchers.

You will be trained by professors and professionals with an impressive track record in optics and photonics. The B-PHOT research group has over 30 years of experience in photonics research and its applications. A team of 60 researchers will submerge you in the fascinating world of light and show you how Photonics affects all fields of endeavor: internet, smartphone, road traffic, aviation, food safety, disease diagnosis, ... .

You will also have the opportunity to study courses and/or do your master dissertation at one of our preferred partner universities, get real-life work experience by doing an international internship in a research institute or photonics company, attend conferences and visit major photonics companies.

Study credits

ECTS (European Credit Transfer System): 1 credit represents 25-30 hours of study activity

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes describe the intended knowledge and understanding, skills and attitudes that you must master after completing your studies. Do you want to know more about the specific learning outcomes of this programme? Click here for more information.

Next to the residential programme The Master of Science in Photonics Engineering also offers a semi-online track*:
- master year 1 (semester 1/2)  online
- master year 2 (semester 3/4) on-campus (Brussels or Ghent)

The application process remains the same: go to the Application page, submit your file and mention you are interested in the online track! If you have any questions about the programme, the different options, don’t hesitate to contact us!

International Mobility

Going abroad may be a life-changing experience. The chance to spend time in different cities inside and outside of Europe brings students in touch with different cultures, different languages and a wide variety of workplace environments.

The Msc in Photonics Engineering gives you the opportunity to implement a strong international component in your programme. In master year two you can choose to [1] follow courses or do your [2] master dissertation at one of our preferred partner universities. Alternatively, you can do an [3] international internship of 10-12 weeks.

At VUB the B-PHOT Student Chapter works closely with B-PHOT Brussels Photonics research group for events where students, professors and alumni mix and mingle. SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics, is a not-for-profit educational society organized to advance emerging light-based technologies. B-PHOT Student Chapter has the largest student members in Europe organizing events and supporting actively in outreach from B-PHOT such as the yearly Science Show attracting over 1000 students, which was also performed for the first UNESCO International Day of Light. 

Several events are organised making it easy to become part of the photonics community: 

• Light Nights: mixing professional flavor with a touch of social networking, this event brings together master students, professors, researchers and alumni in an informal way
• Photonics Event: connecting companies, students and researchers. Innovative companies specialized in photonics meet up with students and researchers, through workshops and hands-on experiments.
• Photonics Summer Symposium:  at the end of each academic year, this 2-day event in June welcomes all master students. Students of the second year present their master thesis for a jury of experts and for all master students. International speakers join for inspiring lectures and there are also social activities such as a BBQ, quiz, …

What about after-student life? Job time!

The Master of Science in Photonics Engineering has all the right ingredients to prepare you for a bright future. We are proud to say that all our graduates find a relevant job within a few months timeframe at most, some in their own country and some building an international career. 100% employability is what we go for.

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. Next to an inspiring job in the industry, you might also have an interest in a research career at an academic research group and become a professor yourself.

Have a look at SPIE career center, where you can find an overview of available jobs, employer type, different domains and functions. But first... graduate! 

Application info

Once you have decided the Master of Science in Photonics Engineering is the ultimate programme for you, it is certainly important to follow the next steps for application.