Current Montana State University undergraduate students can simultaneously work toward their bachelor's degree and an accelerated version of the Master of Science in Optics and Photonics. 

  • Students typically apply in Fall semester of their junior year (with at least 83 credits earned or in progress)
  • Eligibility: STEM students with at least 3.25 cumulative grade-point average 
  • Once approved, undergraduate students can reserve up to 15 credits toward their graduate degree while completing their bachelor's degree. Once they complete their undergraduate requirements, they receive that degree and immediately move into graduate student status. 

This accelerated master's degree allows undergraduate students to make simultaneous progress toward bachelor's and master's degrees to prepare for high-demand jobs in laser engineering, remote sensing, and more. In addition to the Optical Technology Center founded in 1995, MSU has a culture of interdisciplinary research and a history of partnership with Bozeman's thriving optics and photonics industry. 

This is an interdisciplinary degree managed by the Optics and Photonics Degree Program Committee on behalf of the Departments of Physics, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Chemistry and Biochemistry. Students apply directly to the Optics and Photonics Master's Program and are admitted through one of the participating departments, chosen by the applicant based on their areas and department affiliation of faculty working in those areas.

Applicants interested in pursuing the MS in Optics & Photonics enroute to a PhD should visit the PhD options page.

Applicants are encouraged to contact faculty to discuss research and funding opportunities before submitting their applications.  For information on research opportunities in optics and photonics, visit the Optical Technology Center faculty webpage and the following research web pages for participating departments:

http://ece.montana.edu/research/

http://www.physics.montana.edu/research/index.html

https://chemistry.montana.edu/directory/faculty.html 

 

The following are the instructions for applying to the Accelerated Master’s of Optics and Photonics program:

Step 1: Complete the Planning Tool

Step 2: Financial Aid

  • Financial aid can only be used for the degree the student is seeking.
  • Due to many subtleties, students are requested to talk with the Office of Financial Aid Services.
  • If there are questions on Financial Aid, please reach out directly through their website or via email: Financial Aid. (This information/statements approved by the Office of Financial Aid Services, December 2020)

Step 3:  Apply to The Graduate School

  • After all parties have signed the Planning Tool, apply to The Graduate School for the Master’s in Optics and Photonics degree in accordance with the deadlines.
  • Email optics@montana.edu to let them know you are submitting your Graduate School application. They will request that the Graduate School open the term after you finish your undergraduate degree to accept applications.
  • Select the term after you finish your undergraduate degree for admission.
  • The graduate application will provide the mechanism for taking graduate-level courses since the application system (CollegeNet) connects to other university systems.
  • Once the graduate application is approved and processed, you will receive an offer letter from the Graduate School.

Step 4: Reserve Courses (and Registration Information)

  • Courses you are earning towards your Master’s degree need to be reserved.
  • Request that your advisor place a note in DegreeWorks by choosing the “Accelerated student - Approved Courses” from the pre-defined list. Then list the department codes and course numbers for the current semester. This note must be completed each semester for the classes you want to reserve. For example, “Accelerated student - Approved Courses: EELE 581.”
  • Using the note in DegreeWorks, the Registrar’s Office will register all accelerated students for classes at one time during the last week of priority registration.
  • If you want to reserve credits before applying to the Accelerated program, then submit the Petition to Reserve/Register for Credits form.

The Master of Science in Optics and Photonics can be earned with a thesis or project option: 

For additional information, please contact: 
Michelle Leonti, Administration Manager, michelle.leonti@montana.edu 
Prof. Joe Shaw, Director, Optical Technology Center, joseph.shaw@montana.edu