Is Photonics Engineering for you?
Want to know if you are suited to the Master of Science in Photonics Engineering? See the information and activities below to find out.
What does this programme involve?
Choosing where and what to study is one of the most important decisions you will make in your life. Many things will influence your final choice: the quality of education, future career prospects, living cost, and student life. Before you make your final decision, you should consider your current passions as well as your future ambitions.
If science and engineering are your passions and becoming a leading scientist in optics and photonics in academia and/or industry is your future ambition, then look no further. The Master of Science in Photonics Engineering will offer you 100% employability in one of the most exciting, innovative, high-tech and future-proof fields of science and engineering.
Who better to tell you what this programme is like than the students who've participated?
- Anissa Sefsaf, Belgium | Alumnus
If you’re interested in electromagnetic waves, the Maxwell equations and quantum physics and you have always wondered how these scientific concepts are important in our daily lives, I strongly suggest to sign up for the Master of Science in Photonics Engineering at VUB. Engineering Bachelor studies have provided me with valuable baggage of scientific and mathematical knowledge to understand the most intricate concepts of this world. On top of the theoretical and practical knowledge, as engineers, we learn to understand and see the world differently. The Master if Science in Photonics Engineering makes use of the concepts learned in the Bachelor to implement them on technology applications. In addition, I participated in an exchange abroad that opened my mind to other cultures and how they do research in the photonics field. This programme has challenged me to use theoretical knowledge into real-life technology applications such as lasers, optical modules, detectors to data communication networks. Thanks to the experience I have acquired I could pursue a career working on 5G projects.
- Mamand Abdullah, Syria | Student
This programme has a positive impact on the world and is helping me to bring the best within me. The quality of education provided by the university enables students to acquire skillset and knowledge that shapes them as potential candidates in the professional field. The programme is fully taught in English and the subjects offered in the programme are specifically in line with my professional goals. The faculty is world-class, and the student community is diverse and vibrant. Thanks to Vrije University Brussel – Brussel Photonics team for giving me the opportunity to be a part of one of the top master’s degrees in Europe.
- Libin George Matthew, India | Alumnus
A gateway to the world of photonics. Fascinated by many inventions and discoveries which changed human lives, I took up the most basic and fundamental science: Physics. Of all streams of physics, my interests have been streamed on to Photonics which involves the proper use of light as a tool for improving the quality of our lives. The continuous developing nature and extensive scope of future research activities brought my attention towards attaining a specialized degree in photonics. After quite an amount of research on the internet and from personal testimonials, I came to know that the joint master degree in photonics is one of the excellent programmes for photonics in Europe. After the application process and interview, I got selected and I chose to enrol in Vrije Universiteit Brussel. I arrived in Brussels in September 2020.
Check out all student and alumni stories!
Why study at the VUB?
Studying at VUB gives you more than a diploma. You learn to view the world with an open mind and without prejudice. You hone your critical thinking, and you learn to express your opinion. You commit not just to study, but to participate in meaningful social projects that make the world a better place. In short, this is where you shape your identity. Who you are today and want to be tomorrow.
Spread the study load
Create your own studypath
Within the VUB, we want to maximize our commitment to personal development and give as many students as possible the opportunity to continue their studies and develop themselves. Depending on your personal situation, it may be more difficult to devote full time to your studies. For example, you combine your studies with a job, you do top-level sports, ...
At VUB you study at your own pace. With a flexible study pathway you make room for your personal situation (elite sports, dyslexia, disability, etc.). More information?
Study and examination flexibility
Reflex status
Do you have a physical disability, learning disability or chronic illness, or are you starting a business or finding it harder to study because of your personal situation? If so, you qualify for Reflex Status.
With this you can ask for a flexible approach to your studies and exams, to maximise your chances of success. You may need access to course materials, for example, or more time to sit an exam, a translator or interpreter, staggered examinations, and so on.
Elite sports and studying
Elite sports and study
Keen to combine your elite sporting career with a programme at VUB? It makes sense, as it strengthens your position in the jobs market after your sporting career ends.
Our Elite Sports & Study department helps you work out a personal study pathway and guides you through to the end.
Studying with a disability
Studying with a functional impairment
Do you have a disability (for example, a learning disability, chronic medical condition, psychiatric or sensory disability)? If so, you qualify for a flexible approach to your studies and exams through Reflex Status, to maximise your chances of success. You may need access to course materials, for example, or more time to sit an exam, a translator or interpreter, staggered examinations, and so on.
Find out more about Reflex Status
For extra support there are other student services to draw on at VUB. For example, a wheelchair-adapted room, study guidance and a personal study-pathway, mental healthcare, medical care, etc.
Study Guidance
Study Guidance
An experienced team of student psychologists, student counsellors and study-pathway supervisors are there to give you personal study advice, guidance and training. At every phase in your study career.
- Individual - Advice on your choice of programme, stress and anxiety training, help with exam planning, help for students with dyslexia...
- Group (workshops, courses) - Choosing a subject for your bachelor's or master's thesis, learning to present, dealing with stress and anxiety...
- Tools - An example of good weekly planning, tips and tricks for a good study method, a step plan to help you choose the right programme...
Combining your studies with a job
The Master in Photonics Engineering is a daytime only programme. Therefore, there is no option to combine this study with a fulltime job.
Studying abroad
Going abroad may be a life-changing experience and exposes you to different cultures, languages and and a wide variety of workplace experiences. In addition, international experience is becoming increasingly important in our current global society. It helps you stand out in the job market, both in industry and in academia. Employers explicitly emphasise the importance of international experience. As an ambitious university, it is our responsibility to respond to this call.
This master's programme gives students the opportunity to implement an international component in their curriculum through an Erasmus+ Exchange (1 sem or a full year) at a partner institute. The semester/year exchange can be funded by the Erasmus+ Exchange programme of the European Union