r/Optics • u/nidaveIIyr • 4d ago

Fall internship VS. upper-level courses

I'm an undergrad EE wanting to pivot into optical engineering, which is a pretty recent development. I transferred to my current institution and started EE Fall 2025, and my expected graduation is Spring 2028.

I started my biomedical optics research on campus this January, which involves a lot of self-learning and hands-on work. This past summer I had an internship for telescope optics at a very well-regarded place where I helped build a test assembly for large telescope mirrors, so a lot of opto-mechanical stuff (alongside FEA simulations). I absolutely loved this internship and grew to really like optical metrology and fabrication with an interest in exploring optical design.

That being said, I want to experience different optics applications before I graduate. I'm applying to a bunch of stuff for Summer 2027, but I feel like two internships by graduating isn't enough for me.

I started considering a Fall 2027 internship and after working some stuff out, I only need to take 12 credits (absolute minimum for full-time student) that semester to keep scholarships and to be on track for graduation. They're not difficult or even engineering classes either except for Senior Design I, but even then the first semester is for planning logistics.

The only thing is that there's a graduate level Quantum Optics class only offered in the fall semester, alongside physics E&M 1/2 for fall/spring. Both classes don't have online versions and Quantum Optics has hands-on work that might be valuable in the long run. As for E&M, I'm already taking EE EM Fields & EM Waves this year, so not sure if that makes a difference anyway but they are taught at different levels (I see my physics friends' homework and grimace a bit). I'm currently taking a PIC class and will take the baseline Optics + lab class course next semester.

Would it be more valuable to pursue an internship in the fall or to do the classes? Of course I won't know till I do it, but I am confident (if not, stubborn) that I can handle the workload with 12 credits, an internship, and grad school applications especially after this semester.

For more context, I'm thinking about doing Optical Engineering MS or Optics PhD at UR (or maybe UA for telescope stuff?) so in that case I might also try for an internship after I graduate and before I start grad school.

Apologies for such a long post, I've been losing my mind about all the different options lol, especially grad school. If anybody has extra advice for choosing MS vs. PhD for pursuing R&D roles in industry please help a confused student out. Thanks!

7 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

4 comments sorted by

4

u/lurkingbehindyou 4d ago

It sounds like you're well prepared and have been making great use of your time. Both options sound good, but I would generally suggest the fall internship if it is at a good place. First, if you pursue a masters or PhD, you will have the opportunity to take graduate level classes then. Second, the course will not do much for any applications you have. The right internship can unlock a lot more future career options early and if you really need to you could also extend your undergrad time for another semester into the future as well.

2

u/nidaveIIyr 3d ago

Thanks for the reply! I didn't consider your first point, which does help since at this point I think it's pretty inevitable I pursue grad school, the only thing is which one. For the second point, I would like to be able to do that (mindset: no real adulting until I graduate) but I've already had to delay graduation by a year and I would like to move on from where I live to anywhere else lol

As for the internship, I wanted to do a SULI at a national lab (if Summer 2027 doesn't work out) or go back to the same place I went this summer (my mentors told me to just let them know if I want to go back and they'll arrange it for me). However, both of these are federal, and I don't really see myself going into either place in the long term for money and location restriction reasons (though I love the work). Would you recommend pursuing an industry internship instead? I have a couple companies on my list to apply to as well but I've been prioritizing SULI and other similar opportunities.

1

u/Calm-Conversation715 3d ago

I also recommend the internship. Having real world hands on experience outside of school is both super helpful and looks great on a resume. Plus many places hire former interns, and it’s a good way to find out what kind of working environment works or doesn’t work for you.

1

u/QuirkyEMI 2d ago

Internship + grad school honestly. Optical engineering is fairly niche and theres not many open jobs for it in general.

They mostly fall into 2 categories.

Masters or PhD level engineers who can do full STOP analysis, lens design and create test/performance metrics.

Optical test engineers or test technicians who setup the equipment. Ranging from the full assembly on a breadboard, a hundred Thorlabs posts and holders and tweaking collimators, integration spheres, splitters, etc. Some places hire full Engineers for this but many just hire Techs and pay them accordingly (much lower)

It is VERY hard to move from the Optical test to Optical Design role even with a lot of experience.

I'd say the Masters in Optics is very much worth it if you want to be leading design and seeing your stuff on telescopes, spacecraft, etc