Minor Requirements

Optical sciences and technologies have great importance in a range of fields and applications. A stronger grasp of the field is a desirable option, particularly for majors in other science and engineering disciplines.

Required Courses

Students minoring in optics must earn a C or better in five optics courses, one of which must be laboratory-based.

Complete both required optics courses:

  • OPT 241: Geometrical Optics
  • OPT 261: Interference and Diffraction

Choose one of following optics labs:

  • OPT 201: Geometrical Optics Lab
  • OPT 202: Physical Optics Lab
  • OPT 203: Instrumentation Lab
  • OPT 204: Sources & Detectors Lab
  • Independent research for credit*

Complete two 200-level, four-credit optics (with the exception of OPT 287).

Note: Most 200-level optics classes have pre-requisites in math and/or physics that must also be satisfied, unless permission of the instructor is obtained.

*Paid internships do not qualify as independent research.

How to Declare an Optics Minor 

Students interested in declaring a minor in optics should meet with a faculty member of the Institute of Optics to plan a focused program of study.

The following faculty members are authorized to approve proposed minor course plans:

Govind AgrawalGoergen 515gpa@optics.rochester.edu 
Julie Bentley Goergen 507 bentley@optics.rochester.edu 
Andrew Berger Goergen 405 ajberger@optics.rochester.edu 
Tom Brown Goergen 516 thomas.brown@rochester.edu

Students with general questions about minoring in optics may contact the optics program manager at dustin.newman@rochester.edu