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To become an optical engineer, one needs a high school diploma and a bachelor’s degree in optical engineering, electrical engineering, or physics. A master’s or doctoral degree can provide more job opportunities and higher salaries. Science and math classes in high school can prepare for this career. Internships and cooperative studies can provide practical skills.
An optical engineer uses his knowledge of the properties of light to design and plan a variety of optical technologies, processes, and products. If you want to become an optical engineer, you will usually need to finish high school to do so. You can then move on to college to earn a bachelor’s degree in optical engineering if you want to pursue this career path. While you can become an optical engineer after earning a bachelor’s degree, consider earning a master’s or doctoral degree as well. Having an advanced degree can help you gain access to more jobs, higher salaries, and opportunities for advancement.
In most cases, you will need to earn a high school diploma as your first step towards becoming an optical engineer. You can prepare for higher education by taking advanced science and math classes while in high school. Science classes, such as physics and chemistry, for example, can help you prepare for this job. Mathematics classes such as trigonometry, algebra and calculus can provide a solid mathematical foundation that can be useful when completing college courses later on. Instead of earning a high school diploma, however, you can earn a general educational development (GED) diploma in preparation for this career.
Once in college, it would be ideal for you to obtain a bachelor’s degree in optical engineering. Some colleges do not offer this specific degree, however. For this reason, you may need to earn a bachelor’s degree in a related field. For example, you can become an optical engineer after earning a degree in electrical engineering or even physics. In that case, however, it is good to look for a specialization in optics to prepare for this career.
In most cases, you can finish college and become an optical engineer in about four years. If you choose to continue earning a master’s degree, however, you may need a few more years to study. Obtaining a doctorate can also add three to five years to your studies.
Some colleges include internships or cooperative studies as part of their engineering programs. These programs can help you gain not only knowledge but practical skills that you can use when securing a job. Regardless of whether or not you participate in such a program, you can find graduate work opportunities in a variety of industries, including those involving cable television, telephone communications, and computer technology.
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