- At OSU, two academic departments (Physics, and Electrical and Computer Engineering) currently participate in the "Photonics" degree programs. Appropriate degree programs are offered both at the PhD and MS levels.
- Applicants are considered by one of the two departments. Thus, an applicant must clearly declare which department (one or the other, not both) (s)he wishes to consider as his "home" department. If accepted, the student would be attached to that same department.