Introduction
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Overview
Colour has been an intense topic of interest for thousands of years. Mathematicians, philosophers, physicists, physiologists, poets, and other disciplines have all contributed to our understanding of colour. RIT’s colour science PhD program allows you to contribute to knowledge creation and practical application of colour science. You will conduct extensive research that encompasses diverse fields and multiple disciplines of science. The program is designed for students whose undergraduate degrees are in physics, biology, chemistry, mathematics, computer science, engineering, neuroscience, experimental psychology, imaging, or any applied discipline pertaining to the quantitative description of colour.
As a generalization, colour science can be defined as the quantification of our perception of colour. Its mastery requires a multidisciplinary educational approach encompassing physics, chemistry, physiology, statistics, computer science, neuroscience, and psychology. Colour science is used in the design and control of most man-made coloured materials including textiles, coatings, and polymers and to specify such diverse materials as soil and wine. It is used extensively in colour reproduction including digital photography, desktop and projection display, and printing. Colour science is ubiquitous.
Colour science research at RIT encompasses such diverse fields as medical data visualization, computer graphics and animation, art conservation, spectral and spatial measurements of materials, colour printing, digital photography, motion picture and television, and modelling of our perceptions for use in defining colour quality. RIT has a long history of research and scholarship in colour science dating back half a century.
The program is designed for students whose undergraduate degrees are in physics, biology, chemistry, mathematics, computer science, engineering, neuroscience, experimental psychology, imaging, or any applied discipline pertaining to the quantitative description of colour, for example, textiles, graphic arts, animation, material science, and polymer science. All students must earn 60 credit hours as graduate student. For full-time students, entering with a baccalaureate degree, the program requires about four years of study at the graduate level.
The curriculum is a combination of required courses in colour science, elective courses appropriate for the candidate’s background and interests, a research project during the second year of study, and a research dissertation. Students must pass a qualifying examination during their second year of study and a candidacy examination at least one year prior to completing their dissertation. Candidates who wish to enter the program, but lack adequate preparation, might be required to complete undergraduate foundation courses in mathematics, statistics, computer science, and general science before matriculating with graduate status.
