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Studies & Degrees in Laser Technology

Laser technology is the practical side of photonics, which the European Commission defines as the science and technology of light: generating, guiding, manipulating, amplifying and detecting it. Lasers sit next to optical fibres, cameras, screens and lighting among the everyday examples of photonics, and the Commission counts photonics among Europe's key enabling technologies.

A student of laser technology learns how lasers and optical systems are built, aligned, tested and repaired. The base is electronics, because a laser system is driven and controlled by electronic circuits, together with mathematics, physics and optics. O*NET, the occupational database of the US Department of Labor, describes the work of photonics technicians as building, installing, testing or maintaining optical or fibre optic equipment such as lasers, lenses or mirrors, using spectrometers, interferometers and related instruments.

Qualifications and levels

Laser technology is taught at two quite different levels. Short technical programmes train technicians, while lasers as a research and design topic belong to university degrees in physics, optics, photonics or electrical engineering.

  • Technical certificates and associate degrees. In the United States these are offered by colleges of technology and community colleges. Idaho State University, for example, lists an Advanced Technical Certificate in Laser/Electro-Optics Technology of 1.5 years and 58 credits. Most of the courses are electronics (DC and AC circuits, analogue and digital control devices, calculus for electronics), followed by laser systems and optics theory and a laser laboratory. The certificate is part of the university's Robotics and Communications Systems Engineering Technology programme, which runs from 1.5 to 3 years depending on the award.
  • Bachelor's degree. Few bachelor's degrees carry the word "laser" in the title. Students who aim at design or research usually take physics, optics or electronic engineering and choose optics and laser subjects within it. In Spain a bachelor's degree (grado) has 240 ECTS credits.
  • Master's degree. Specialisation in lasers and photonics normally comes at this level. Official master's degrees in Spain have 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits. At TU Wien in Vienna, the master's programme in Technical Physics lasts 4 semesters, has 120 ECTS credits including a master's thesis of 30 ECTS, and is taught in English; its specialisations include applied physics and atomic and subatomic physics.

The level decides the kind of work. In an O*NET survey of the education required for new photonics technicians, 41% of respondents said an associate's or other two-year degree, 27% a high school diploma and 14% a bachelor's degree. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics likewise notes that electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians typically need an associate's degree.

Where to study

The directory lists 5 schools for this subject: 2 in the United States, and one each in Spain, Austria and Iraq. In the United States these are Idaho State University in Pocatello and Delaware Technical & Community College. In Europe they are the Universidade de Santiago de Compostela in Galicia and TU Wien (Vienna University of Technology), and in Iraq the University of Thi-Qar in Nasiriyah.

Technician programmes in the United States are taught in English and are practical, with a large share of laboratory hours. In Europe the route goes through a physics or engineering degree. Teaching is in the national language at bachelor's level in most countries, while master's programmes are more often in English, as at TU Wien. Before enrolling, students should check how much laboratory time with real laser systems a programme includes, and whether it trains technicians or prepares for further study.

Careers

Technicians work under job titles such as laser technician, fibre optics technician, optics technician and photonics laboratory technician. According to O*NET, typical tasks are adjusting and maintaining lasers and measuring equipment, recording test data, keeping clean room standards and assisting scientists or engineers with experiments. Graduates of university degrees work in the design of optical systems and in research.

Employers are found wherever light is used as a tool. The European Commission names optical data communications, imaging, lighting and displays, manufacturing, life sciences, health care, and security and safety. For the United States, O*NET reports average projected growth (3% to 4%) between 2025 and 2035 for the occupational group that includes photonics technicians.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a university degree to work with lasers?

Not for technician jobs. In O*NET's survey, 41% of respondents said a two-year degree was required for new photonics technicians and 27% a high school diploma. Design and research posts usually require a bachelor's or master's degree in physics, optics or engineering.

How long does a laser technology programme take?

A technical certificate can take 1.5 years, as at Idaho State University. A bachelor's degree in Spain has 240 ECTS credits, and a master's degree has 60 to 120 ECTS credits; the master's programme in Technical Physics at TU Wien lasts 4 semesters.

Which subjects are most important?

Electronics, mathematics and physics. The Idaho State University certificate, for example, consists mainly of electronics courses, with laser systems and optics in the final part.