Electronic Engineering with Photonics

Electronic engineering with photonics is a specialism that adds the science and technology of light to a foundation in electronic engineering. Photonics is concerned with the generation, detection, and manipulation of light, and its applications span a remarkable range of technologies: from the optical fibres that carry internet data around the world at the speed of light, to laser-based precision tools in surgery and manufacturing, to LiDAR systems in autonomous vehicles, to the quantum photonic computing platforms that may define the next generation of information processing. Photonics is a field of rapid innovation, and photonics engineers are at the centre of some of the most consequential technological developments of our time.

At the University of Southampton, this four-year full-time programme combines electronic engineering education with specialist content in photonics and optoelectronics. Southampton has particular strength in photonics research and is internationally recognised in this area, which means you learn from researchers who are actively advancing the field. The programme is accredited, which provides the pathway towards professional registration as a Chartered Engineer.

You will study electronic circuit design, semiconductor devices, signal processing, electromagnetics, and the physics and engineering of photonic systems and devices. The combination of classical electronic engineering foundations and photonics specialism gives you a distinctive and highly valued technical profile.

You will develop rigorous analytical and design skills, practical laboratory competence, and the ability to engage with complex technical systems at the frontier of what is currently possible.

Graduates from electronic engineering with photonics programmes pursue careers in telecommunications, defence, aerospace, medical devices, semiconductor manufacturing, and photonic technology companies. The field is genuinely at the forefront of multiple major technology waves. Postgraduate study or direct entry to research roles is a natural path for many graduates.