Faculteit Ingenieurswetenschappen

Admission Requirements

Enrolling for this study plan is possible after having obtained one of the following degrees:

Academic Bachelor's programme ingenieurswetenschappen: elektrotechniek
Academic Bachelor's programme ingenieurswetenschappen: toegepaste natuurkunde
Master's programme Ingenieurswetenschappen: materiaalkunde
Master's programme Textile Engineering
Master's programme Water Resources Engineering
Master's programme bio-ingenieurswetenschappen: biosysteemtechniek
Master's programme bio-ingenieurswetenschappen: bos- en natuurbeheer
Master's programme bio-ingenieurswetenschappen: cel- en genbiotechnologie
Master's programme bio-ingenieurswetenschappen: chemie en bioprocestechnologie
Master's programme bio-ingenieurswetenschappen: katalytische technologie
Master's programme bio-ingenieurswetenschappen: land- en waterbeheer
Master's programme bio-ingenieurswetenschappen: landbeheer
Master's programme bio-ingenieurswetenschappen: landbouwkunde
Master's programme bio-ingenieurswetenschappen: levensmiddelenwetenschappen en voeding
Master's programme bio-ingenieurswetenschappen: milieutechnologie
Master's programme fysica
Master's programme fysica en de sterrenkunde
Master's programme ingenieurswetenschappen: bedrijfskundige systeemtechnieken en operationeel onderzoek
Master's programme ingenieurswetenschappen: biomedische ingenieurstechnieken
Master's programme ingenieurswetenschappen: biomedische technologie
Master's programme ingenieurswetenschappen: bouwkunde
Master's programme ingenieurswetenschappen: chemie en materialen
Master's programme ingenieurswetenschappen: chemische technologie
Master's programme ingenieurswetenschappen: computerwetenschappen
Master's programme ingenieurswetenschappen: elektronica en informatietechnologie
Master's programme ingenieurswetenschappen: elektrotechniek
Master's programme ingenieurswetenschappen: energie
Master's programme ingenieurswetenschappen: geotechniek en mijnbouwkunde
Master's programme ingenieurswetenschappen: materiaalkunde
Master's programme ingenieurswetenschappen: toegepaste computerwetenschappen
Master's programme ingenieurswetenschappen: toegepaste natuurkunde
Master's programme ingenieurswetenschappen: verkeer, logistiek en intelligente transportsystemen
Master's programme ingenieurswetenschappen: werktuigkunde
Master's programme ingenieurswetenschappen: werktuigkunde-elektrotechniek
Master's programme ingenieurswetenschappen: wiskundige ingenieurstechnieken
Advanced Master's programme Nanophysics
Advanced Master's programme Nuclear Engineering

You may also be asked to provide additional documents so we may evaluate your application.

Aanbevelingsbrief 1 / Letter of recommendation 1
Aanbevelingsbrief 2 / Letter of recommendation 2
Motivatiebrief / Letter of motivation
Puntenlijst / Transcript of records

Enrolling for this plan is also possible having completed the Preparatory Programme Master of Science in Photonics Engineering.

Overview of the study plan

The model learning track of the Master of Science in Photonics Engineering consists of 120 ECTS.

Two tracks are offered:
a full on-campus track (MA1 and MA2 on campus)
an online/digital track (MA1 online/digital, MA2 on-campus)

The on-campus track consists of:
1. In the first year of the model learning track:
- 52 ECTS of Compulsory General Courses
- 8 ECTS of Advanced Photonics Electives

2. In the second year of the model learning track:
- 4 ECTS of Compulsory General Courses
- 8 ECTS of Advanced Photonics Electives (or only 4 ECTS if the student is enrolled for the 'Long Internship in Photonics' (10 ECTS) or for the 'Short Internship in Photonics' (5 ECTS))
- 18 ECTS of Multidisciplinary Engineering Electives (or only 12 ECTS if the student is enrolled for the 'Long Internship in Photonics' (10 ECTS) or only 17 ECTS if the student is enrolled for the 'Short Internship in Photonics' (5 ECTS))
- a Master Thesis Project (30 ECTS)

International mobility is not mandatory, yet still promoted. It can be realized through:
- a Long Internship (10 ECTS) or a Short Internship (5 ECTS) done abroad;
- a master thesis carried out abroad;
- Erasmus+ exchange courses abroad, possibly combined with the master thesis;
- Internationalization@home: strong international component in master thesis, course Recent Trends in Photonics, possible other UGent/VUB courses with strong international component.

In total, this academic plan comprises 120 ECTS credits.


Common Compulsory Courses MA Photonics Engineering

This module includes the compulsory courses of the model learning track.

Compulsory core courses 1st year of the full-time model learning track

These compulsory core courses have to be successfully accomplished in the 1st year of the model learning track.

From the courses listed below, students must obtain 52 ECTS credits.

3ECTS credits - Business Management and Entrepreneurship
4ECTS credits - Lasers
6ECTS credits - Optical Materials
4ECTS credits - Photonics
4ECTS credits - Mathematics in Photonics
6ECTS credits - Laboratories in Photonics Research
3ECTS credits - Business Aspects of Technology: Micro-electronics and Photonics
6ECTS credits - Optical Communication Systems
6ECTS credits - Sensors, Actuators and Electronic Microsystems
4ECTS credits - Physics of Semiconductor Technologies and Devices
6ECTS credits - Microphotonics

Compulsory core courses 2nd year of the full-time model learning track.

This compulsory core course has to be succesfully accomplished in the 2nd year of the standard learning track.

From the courses listed below, students must obtain 4 ECTS credits.

4ECTS credits - Recent trends in Photonics

Back to top


Optional Internships

Students can select one of the optional internships as part of their electives.

Students can select a long (10 ECTS, min. 10 weeks) or a short (5 ECTS, min. 5 weeks) internship, during the summer holidays between year 1 and year 2 of the master programme (= semester 1 version of the Internships) or during the summer holidays at the end of year 2 of the master programme (= semester 2 version of the Internships).

Students can spend the internship in a company or research institute inside or outside Belgium.

Students enrolled for the Long Internship have to take only 12 ECTS of Advanced Photonics Electives (instead of 16 ECTS) and only 12 ECTS of Multidisciplinary Engineering Electives (instead of 18 ECTS). Student enrolled for the Short Internship have to take 12 ECTS of Advanced Photonics Electives (instead of 16 ECTS) and only 17 ECTS of Multidisciplinary Engineering Electives (instead of 18 ECTS).

10ECTS credits - Long Internship in Photonics
5ECTS credits - Short Internship in Photonics

Back to top


Advanced Photonics Electives

This module includes the Advanced Photonics Electives offered by the program. Students have to accomplish at least 12 and up to 16 ECTS of these courses in accordance with the conditions mentioned below.

To complete this module, students must obtain 16 ECTS credits.

From the courses listed below, students must obtain 12 ECTS credits.

4ECTS credits - Introduction to Quantum Physics for Electrical Engineering
4ECTS credits - Micro- and nanophotonic semiconductor devices
4ECTS credits - Optical Sensors
4ECTS credits - Photovoltaic Energy Conversion
4ECTS credits - Quantum optics
4ECTS credits - Photonic Integrated Circuits
4ECTS credits - Lighting Technology
6ECTS credits - Research in Photonics
4ECTS credits - Machine Learning in Photonics
4ECTS credits - Technological processes for photonics and electronics: Laboratory
4ECTS credits - Biophotonics
4ECTS credits - Display Technology
4ECTS credits - High Speed Photonic Components
4ECTS credits - Non-linear optics
4ECTS credits - Optical Spectroscopy of Materials
4ECTS credits - Design of Refractive and Diffractive Optical Imaging Systems
4ECTS credits - Optical Design of Non-Imaging Systems with Ray-tracing software

Back to top


Multidisciplinary Engineering Electives

This module contains a number of submodules with multidisciplinary engineering electives.

Students must select at least 18 ECTS of multidisciplinary engineering electives from one of the modules below, except if they also enroll for the 'Long Internship in Photonics' (10 ECTS) or the 'Short Internship in Photonics' (5 ECTS), in which case they have to choose only 12 ECTS, respectively 17 ECTS of multidisciplinary electives from one of these modules.
- Module Modeling, Measuring and Control Systems
- Module Electronics and Information Technology
- Module Physics and Materials
- Module Life Sciences
- Module Business Engineering

Other courses can be taken when sufficiently motivated and subject to approval by the Curriculum Council.

Module Modeling, Measuring and Control Systems

To select at least 18 ECTS OR 12 ECTS + 'Long Internship in Photonics' OR 17 ECTS + 'Short Internship in Photonics'.

From the courses listed below, students must obtain 12 ECTS credits.

4ECTS credits - Optimization-based Control Design
3ECTS credits - Model-Based and Data Driven Fault Detection and Isolation
3ECTS credits - Selected Topics in Nonlinear System Identification
4ECTS credits - Identification of Dynamical Systems
6ECTS credits - High-frequency Electronics and Antennas
4ECTS credits - Advanced Measurement and Data Driven Modeling

Module Electronics and Information Technology

To select at least 18 ECTS OR 12 ECTS + 'Long Internship in Photonics' OR 17 ECTS + 'Short Internship in Photonics'.

From the courses listed below, students must obtain 12 ECTS credits.

5ECTS credits - Machine Learning and Big Data Processing
4ECTS credits - Computer Vision
4ECTS credits - Digital Communications
4ECTS credits - Wireless Communication Channels
4ECTS credits - Mobile and Wireless Networks
3ECTS credits - Image and Video Technology
6ECTS credits - Voice, Image, Coding, Media and Systems

Module Physics and Materials

To select at least 18 ECTS OR 12 ECTS + 'Long Internship in Photonics' OR 17 ECTS + 'Short Internship in Photonics'.

From the courses listed below, students must obtain 12 ECTS credits.

6ECTS credits - Computational Physics
6ECTS credits - Quantum Field Theory
6ECTS credits - General Relativity
6ECTS credits - Physics and Chemistry of Nanostructures

Module Life Sciences

To select at least 18 ECTS OR 12 ECTS + 'Long Internship in Photonics' OR 17 ECTS + 'Short Internship in Photonics'.

From the courses listed below, students must obtain 12 ECTS credits.

6ECTS credits - Modelling of Physiological Systems
6ECTS credits - From Genome to Organism
3ECTS credits - Quantitative Cell Biology
6ECTS credits - Biomechanics
6ECTS credits - Medical Imaging

Module Business Engineering

To select at least 18 ECTS OR 12 ECTS + 'Long Internship in Photonics' OR 17 ECTS + 'Short Internship in Photonics'.

From the courses listed below, students must obtain 12 ECTS credits.

5ECTS credits - Innovation Strategy
6ECTS credits - Marketing
3ECTS credits - Technological Business Development Project - EUTOPIA Learning Unit
6ECTS credits - Technological Business Development Project - EUTOPIA Learning Unit
5ECTS credits - IP Management and Technology Transfer (Chaire Solvay)
6ECTS credits - Supply Chain Management

Back to top


Master Thesis Project - 2nd year of the model learning track

In the 2nd year of the model learning track, students must successfully accomplish a Master Thesis Project. During the Master Thesis Project, the students are embedded in a research environment and are exposed to its culture and its attitudes.
The Master Thesis Project can be taken at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Universiteit Ghent or a partner institute abroad.

From the courses listed below, students must obtain 30 ECTS credits.

30ECTS credits - Master Thesis Project

Back to top