Lighting M.S.

The School of Architecture, in association with the Lighting Research Center, offers a 48-credit, two-year curriculum leading to the Master of Science in Lighting degree. This program is based in the internationally renowned Lighting Research Center (LRC), the world’s largest university-based research facility dedicated to lighting.

The Master of Science in Lighting is the premier master’s level graduate degree offered in the field of lighting. This multidisciplinary degree allows students to work closely with faculty at the LRC to study the various disciplines involved in lighting research and design. The two-year program allows for a comprehensive, “hands-on” study of lighting which culminates in a thesis project in the second year during which each student studies a particular area of interest in-depth directly with a faculty adviser.

The M.S. in Lighting is geared toward students who wish to gain a broad education in lighting research and applications while working closely with LRC faculty. Students will participate in a variety of research and design projects over the two years of the program. Students completing the M.S. in Lighting degree can go on to careers in the lighting industry, or can continue on to further study in the Ph.D. in Architectural Sciences with a Concentration in Lighting, or Ph.D. degree options offered by other schools at Rensselaer, to prepare for university and/or advanced research careers.

The curriculum is normally completed in four semesters. Facilities and equipment specific to this program include the Lighting Research Center laboratories, various other Rensselaer laboratories, field study facilities, optical tools, the Laboratory for Human-Environment Interaction Research, the School of Architecture Workshop, and Rensselaer’s Libraries and Information Services.