Undergraduate optical engineering at the University of Arizona

Planning for the undergraduate Optical Engineering program at the University of Arizona, which leads to the B.S. Degree in Optical Engineering, was begun in the mid 1980's - primarily in response to a cry from industry that there was a national shortage of individuals with formal training in optics at the baccalaureate level. The curriculum for the new degree was modeled after that of the Institute of Optics at the University of Rochester to some extent, but was given somewhat more of an electrical engineering flavor. In addition to the usual doses of mathematics, chemistry, physics and social sciences found in standard engineering programs, the University of Arizona program requires 22 units (semester credit hours) of electrical engineering, 30 units of optical engineering and 12 units of senior-level technical electives, for a total of 128 units. The program has grown at a moderate rate since it was given official status in 1989, and 72 students were enrolled as Optical Engineering majors during the spring semester 1995; the maximum enrolment of 100 will be likely be reached sometime before the year 2000. A total of 35 individuals have new received the B.S. Degree in Optical Engineering at the University of Arizona. The philosophy and curriculum of this program is described in some detail.