M.S. Program

After successfully demonstrating competency in the core curriculum, students should prepare a plan of study that shows in detail how the student will meet the degree requirements.  The Optics Program Director must approve the plan of study.

Elective courses must be approved by the academic advisor and may include courses having a prefix f OPTI, PHYS, ECGR, MEGR, and NANO.  Other courses may be considered as well.  M.S. students should enroll in 6000-level courses when possible.

To be taken during the Fall semester of the first academic year in the program:

• OPTI 6610 – Seminar (1)

To be taken during the Spring semester of the first academic year in the program:

• OPTI 6611 – Graduate Colloquium (1)

Each student in a program of study with the non-thesis option will participate in the written and oral comprehensive examination administered by the optics faculty no later than the semester following the successful demonstration of competency in the core curriculum.

After successfully demonstrating competency in the core curriculum, students should prepare a plan of study that shows in detail how the student will meet the degree requirements.  The Optics Program Director must approve the plan of study.

Elective courses must be approved by the academic advisor and may include courses having a prefix f OPTI, PHYS, ECGR, MEGR, and NANO.  Other courses may be considered as well.  M.S. students should enroll in 6000-level courses when possible.

To be taken during the Fall semester of the first academic year in the program:

• OPTI 6610 – Seminar (1)

To be taken during the Spring semester of the first academic year in the program:

• OPTI 6611 – Graduate Colloquium (1)

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 program director serves as the academic advisor for each student in a program of study with the thesis option until the student selects a thesis advisor.  The student selects the thesis advisor by submitting a Thesis Advisor Form.  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 advisory 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.

Thesis 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.

Thesis Research

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.

• OPTI 6991 – Thesis Research (1 to 3)