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Optics and photonics education prepares students for careers in specialized fields, not only through theoretical knowledge, but also by developing practical skills and problem-solving abilities. Laboratory-based learning is widely accepted as a crucial component of physics and engineering education. However, is a year of labs effective as the first introduction to the field as done at the Laser Research Institute, Stellenbosch University? Students are introduced to optics and photonics through experimental laboratory work for a year before starting with the theory modules, covering optics, nonlinear optics, quantum optics, lasers, and spectroscopy. This paper demonstrates the use of an analytical instrument based on the Specialization dimension of Legitimation Code Theory1 . This instrument distinguishes different epistemic insights required of practitioners in a specialized field including principle-based knowledge (purist insight), practices legitimized by accepted procedures (doctrinal insight), the ability to think out of the procedural box to envision different possible approaches to a specialized problem (situational insight). The ability to transition in an appropriate way between insights has been shown to be crucial for problem solving in engineering. We use it to analyze our undergraduate program focusing on the role of labs. Results show that labs can give students practice in moving between purist, doctrinal and situational insights, thus preparing them for their capstone projects and future postgraduate or working environments. Feedback from recent graduates evaluates the efficacy. The analytical instrument has potential for application in optics and photonics curriculum design to prepare students for the diverse challenges in their future careers.
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