Master of Science in Architectural Science with Concentration in Lighting (STEM) Global University Systems (GUS) - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, USA

The concentration in lighting within the Master of Science in Architectural Sciences allows students from a variety of disciplines to pursue a multidisciplinary graduate degree related to lighting practice. Geared toward the needs of professionals either currently working or wishing to pursue careers in the lighting industry or design fields, this one-year, 30-credit-hour degree exposes students to a wide range of topics within lighting including the physics of light, lighting technology, human factors, design, and application. Students concentrate their research or design work in a particular area of interest by pursuing a master’s project. Course content and curriculum in the lighting concentration is continually updated to include the latest advances in lighting research, technology, and design to assure that students receive a “cutting-edge” lighting education.

The M.S. in Architectural Sciences with a concentration in lighting is housed within the Lighting Research Center (LRC), university-based research and education institution dedicated to lighting, which includes an expert faculty and staff of lighting researchers and designers. The concentration in lighting includes 24 credits of formal course work and a 6-credit master’s project taken over two semesters.

Outcomes of the Graduate Curriculum

Students who successfully complete this program will be able to:

• Compare and analyze various lighting technologies and select lighting systems and products that best meet the objectives of a project.
• Define the functions of the human visual system, evaluate the visual requirements of a task, and specify the lighting needed to meet these requirements.
• Determine the impacts of various lighting characteristics (e.g., spectrum, timing, duration, amount) on the human circadian system.
• Assess, measure, and predict various photometric quantities including illuminance, luminance, luminous flux, and intensity.
• Analyze the needs of a lighting application, synthesize and be able to communicate a design intent, and design lighting appropriate for a particular objective, location, and culture.