赫瑞瓦特大学和圣安德鲁斯大学的物理系中的光子学研究小组在国际上享有盛誉，并且与世界各地的工业和大学团体有着许多联系。主要活动围绕光电，激光开发，半导体物理，材料技术，超快现象，现代光学和仪器仪表。这种专业知识被带入了我们一年制硕士课程的教学中。理学硕士课程以前称为“光电子和激光设备”，现已得到更新和增强，以认识到英国和全球光子学行业的爆炸性增长，这是由于在全球范围内扩大对电信光学的利用而引起的。
The photonics research groups in the physics departments of Heriot-Watt and St. Andrews Universities are internationally renowned, and have many links with industrial and university groups around the world. Major activities are based around optoelectronics, laser development, semiconductor physics, materials technology, ultra-fast phenomena, modern optics, and instrumentation. This expertise is brought to the teaching of our one-year taught MSc course. Previously called Optoelectronic and Laser Devices, this MSc course has been updated and enhanced, recognising the explosive growth of the UK and global photonics industry, fostered by the world-wide expansion in the exploitation of optical in telecommunications. Students spend one semester at each university, and then undertake a three-month research project, normally in a UK company. Companies participating in recent years include Bookham Technologies, BAE Systems, Edinburgh Sensors, Cambridge Display Technology, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Indigo Photonics, Intense Photonics, Kamelian, Nortel, Renishaw, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Thales, Sharp and QinetiQ.