Photonics Program

This program is offered to those individuals interested and qualified to enter the Photonics, Optics and Lasers industry. 

Program Summary:

• 24 hours of online training (6 courses) and on-site 12 hours Hands on lab work with lasers (1 course).
• Participants will receive a Photonics certificate of completion once all 7 courses are completed.
• Participants can sign up for any individual course and will receive a certificate of completion for that course only.
• In order to attend the 12 hour hands-on lab, participants must complete all six online courses.

The program includes posting current resumes on a UCF website accessible to companies seeking to interview program graduates. UCF will assist with connecting program graduates with employers however; UCF cannot guarantee job placement as those decisions will be made by the employers based on the individual credentials, resume and individual interviews.

Typical Starting Salary: $36,000- low $50’s, based upon company, past work history and student’s educational background.

• Most recognized employers of photonics technicians include Northrup Grumman, Harris, Lockheed and others in the Photonics Cluster
• Graduates may be hired in full-time positions, internships or on a contract basis

Requirements: Participants are required to have completed a high school degree or equivalency diploma in order to participate in the program, with key competencies in mathematics and general science subjects.

Knowledge of math concepts required as a part of admission.  Tutorials for math competencies are as follows:

The basic math tutorial consists of 12 exercises that cover the following material:

1. Whole Numbers
2. Fractions
3. Decimals
4. Percents
5. Negative Numbers
6. Averages
7. Ratios and Proportions
8. Powers and Roots
9. Algebraic Operations
10. Equations and Inequalities
11. Geometry - Plane
12. Solid Geometry

 Answer Key for Basic Math Tutorial

What is Photonics?
Photonics is the science and technology of generating, controlling, and detecting photons, or particles of light.  From cell phones to laser eye surgery, discoveries in the field of photonics have significantly impacted nearly every aspect of our daily lives.  Photonics is an enabling technology for almost every industry, including energy, lighting, healthcare, robotics, biometric security, semiconductor manufacturing, next-generation displays, communications and astronomy.
A survey conducted by the Florida Photonics Cluster of its 20 member companies in August 2008 and updated in May 2009 indicated an immediate need of over 30 new photonics technicians and over 40 more in the following 12 months.   In Florida, there are two Associate Degree programs for technicians that offer a photonics specialization within their AS-EE degree program.  One is at Valencia Community College (http://www.valenciacc.edu/asdegrees/engineering/eet.cfm) and one is at Indian River State College (http://faculty.irsc.edu/dept/advancedtechnology/ee/robotics.htm).

Future Need for Photonics Technicians
The current size and projected future growth of the photonics industry and its enabling impact on nearly every market that is key to the future economy of Florida – from energy to medicine to communications to aerospace – makes it essential that Florida maintain and grow its technological and business leadership in this field.
The size of the global laser market alone is forecast by the publication Laser Focus World to exceed $6.3B in 2009.  The current economic impact of the photonics industry in Florida is significant*:
• 271+ photonics companies, with over 27,000 jobs impact on Florida’s employment
• $130 million annually in photonics-specific procurement
• $3.6 billion impact on Florida’s Gross State Product
• $7.2 billion impact on Florida’s annual sales activity (economic output)

Approximately 25% of the 270+ photonics companies in Florida employ photonics technicians.  According to a survey reported in the 2008 Report on Florida’s Photonics Cluster*, “Responding companies expected to increase their existing photonics workforce roughly 10% in 2009, with a slightly greater demand for certificate and technician-level workers over workers with higher degrees. This trend was projected to continue over the next 36 months, with the photonics workforce expected to grow by roughly 9% per year and the greatest need demand being shown for technicians.”

*INNOVATION INSIGHT  “2009 Report On Florida’s Photonics Cluster”, January 2009

Program Partners:
- SPIE
- OP-TEC
- Wekiva High School
- Northrop Grumman Laser Systems
- Florida Photonics Cluster

Course Outlines

Course 1 - Introduction to Photonics:  Course fee: $600.  This course introduces each of the following basic areas of optics, from an engineering point of view: geometrical optics, image quality, flux transfer, sources, detectors, and lasers. Basic calculations and concepts are emphasized. 

Course 2 - Geometrical Optics:  Course fee: $125.  This course covers the geometrical design of optical systems.  The course begins with basic light propagation concepts, optical design goals and parameters, and ends with an example optical design using commercial raytrace software.

Course 3 - Wave Optics:  Course fee: $175.  This course will introduce students to the field of Physical Optics.  Students will learn about the wave properties of light in different media.  Wave or Physical optics is a branch of optics which studies interference, diffraction, polarization, and other phenomena for which the paraxial approximation used in geometrical optics is not valid.

Course 4 - Laser Systems:  Course fee: $300.  This course will introduce students to laser systems.  The course will begin with the theory of lasers and progress to the analysis of standard laser systems.

Course 5 - Optical Detection:  Course fee: $125.  This course will introduce students to the detection of light.  The course will cover single detectors, array detectors and other means of detecting light.  In addition, photometry, color science, and detecting color imagery is covered.

Course 6 - Fiber Optics:  Course fee: $175.  This course will introduce students to the use of light for communication.  The course will begin with the basics of fiber optic construction.  Sources and detectors for fiber communication are covered.  The course ends with details on how fibers are connected and spliced.

Course 7- Hands on Laboratory:  Course fee: $600.  Participants must complete all 6 online classes before taking the hands-on lab at Wekiva High School. The purpose of this course is to familiarize students with the tools they are likely to be exposed to and learn how to manipulate some of the equipment available while reinforcing safety skills.  The Photonics Certificate will be issued after all six online courses and hands-on lab are completed.

Please click here for complete descriptions for all courses.

Access Your Course

Photonics Payment Plan

UCF Continuing Education offers payment plans in which course fees can be paid in installments prior to the start of the program.  Click on the payment plan below to download the form to pay in three installments.


Click here to download the payment plan form.


Participants must also register for the courses to reserve a course seat.

Please send completed payment plan forms by fax to 407-882-0244. 

For questions regarding payment plans, please contact Kim Malac at Kimberly.Malac@ucf.edu or 407-882-0251.