I have bee so lucky that my job allows me to can carry on the work that I did when I was a ph.d. student at the University – actually there is a 100% overlap between my ph.d. project and my present tasks. I develop lasers by means of optical fibres. Until now lasers have been used within telecommunication but today there is a lot of focus on alternative applications of lasers e.g. for  the manufacturing of new light sources. Today, therefore, there is a great demand of Masters who have insights into optics and electronics – they possess a knowledge which is very wanted in the business world. Thomas Vestergaard Andersen, Development Engineer, NKT Research & Innovation

Competence profile

With a Master’s degree in optics and electronics, you have the following competences:

• You have general knowledge of optics and electronics and detailed knowledge of key disciplines, methodologies, theories and concepts within engineering applications of optics and electronics.
• You can independently plan, manage and implement projects and apply the results in scientifically relevant decision processes.
• You can assess the applicability and appropriateness of theoretical, experimental and practical methodologies for the analysis and solution of scientific questions and issues.
• You can structure your own competence development independently and critically.
• You are able to systematically and critically familiarise yourself with new subject areas.
• You can communicate academic questions and issues to both a scientific and a general audience.
• You can collaborate constructively on an engineering basis to solve subject-related issues.

Job profile

The University of Aarhus educates engineers for the regional, national and international job markets. Graduates from the Department of Physics and Astronomy find work in a wide range of fields and institutions. Most jobs, however, are within research, administration and consultancy, as well as teaching and communication in the private or public sectors.

Optics and electronics engineers find work in a wide range of fields from basic engineering or science research in joint projects involving research institutes, ATS (approved technological service) institutes and the industrial sector to research and development projects in the industry, as well as jobs as production engineers. Many optics and electronics engineers also work as consultants at ATS institutes or patent agencies.

If you have a burning desire to communicate about optics and electronics, you can teach at training colleges and different forms of adult education. The degree does not directly target jobs at upper secondary school, but if you wish to become an upper secondary school teacher, you can obtain the necessary teaching competences by choosing the right optional subjects.

Finally, some optics and electronics engineers work with communication of knowledge within the media and publishing worlds and in the banking and finance sectors. An optics and electronics degree is the key to many different types of jobs throughout society.

For more information about job opportunities, go to:
phys.au.dk/studier/job/ and nat.au.dk/erhverv.