The UA College of Optical Sciences is an internationally pre-eminent program in education, research and outreach in all aspects of the science and application of light. Graduates of the Master of Science in Optical Sciences work in hardware design, medical and biomedical technology, lasers and electro-optical systems, fiber optics and communications, measurements, manufacturing and consumer technology. They work for large corporations, small businesses, government agencies, universities, hospitals and research centers. Many even work for themselves, having started successful companies or gone into consulting. There is no core curriculum for the master's in Optical Sciences degree, and students are allowed considerable freedom in planning their study programs. The student may limit coursework to a single area if desired; the core courses for the Ph.D. in Optical Sciences may also form the nucleus of a master's program, but there is no requirement to take any of them. Students may choose between a thesis option and a non-thesis option for the M.S. in Optical Sciences. This program is also available in a Part-Time option.