MRes Photonics

Gain a solid grounding in photonics and prepare for further research training

Photonics is an exciting area of physics, which enables developments in fields as diverse as biomedical imaging and high power fibre lasers.

The Department of Physics has a long and successful research record in imaging and photonics.

This 12-month MRes, built on our renowned MSc in Optics and Photonics, usually forms the first year of the four-year MRes+PhD research training programme in the Photonics group.

Some funded studentships for the combined MRes and PhD programme are available to Home/EU students.

The MRes course runs from October to September each year.

It is aimed at students who wish to develop their research interests and skills in photonics. It will:

give you the experience of undertaking a major, individual project and recording the results in a full scientific report and presentation

train you in appropriate research methods

develop your written and oral communication skills for both specialised and non-specialised audiences

equip you for further academic study at doctoral level in photonics, and in subjects where photonics is an important enabling science

The taught element in the first term will improve your knowledge of photonics through lectures and a substantial taught laboratory element, which reinforces the practical skills demanded by further research. These elements of the course are shared with the MSc in Optics and Photonics offered by the Department.

From the second term onwards a significant research project is undertaken as a more thorough preparation for students starting their PhD studies. In addition, there is an opportunity to take optional modules in the second term from the MSc in Optics and Photonics, where it is considered relevant to your research project.

Written examinations are held in January and April/May. The laboratory work is continually assessed during the course. The final project is assessed by oral presentations and a dissertation submitted in September.