Education

Inspire, Develop, and Support the Next Generation of DE Professionals

Professional Development Short Courses

Professional Development Short Courses provide up‑to‑date insights into the development and operational application of Directed Energy (DE) technologies for national defense and civil use. All courses are taught by subject matter experts and cover topics relevant to the DE community. Participants can expect courses that provide clear, structured overviews or deeper technical insights depending on the subject, offering practical knowledge, foundational concepts, and applied understanding tailored to a range of experience levels. Whether building foundational understanding or refining specialized expertise, attendees gain practical, integrated insights that support growth at every level within the directed energy community.

For past short courses offered, view individual events on the EVENTS OVERVIEW & CALENDAR. Upcoming courses will be offered at the 2026 SYSTEMS SYMPOSIUM

DEPS offers both half‑day and full‑day Professional Development Short Courses, typically held in conjunction with DEPS conferences and symposiums. Our professional development short courses are designed to support a wide spectrum of participants—from students and newcomers seeking an accessible introduction to directed energy concepts, to working professionals, technical staff, and program managers looking for deeper, more advanced material. All course offerings include an intended audience - while several courses assume an undergraduate background in science or engineering, others are open to all and require no prior technical experience.

Half‑day course attendees receive 4 hours of instruction, and full‑day receive 8 hours. Morning courses (0800-1200) include a light breakfast, afternoon courses (1300-1700) include a box lunch, and full-day courses (0800-1700) include both breakfast and lunch. Participants earn Continuous Learning Point (CLP) credits upon successful completion of each short course. All courses include:

  • In-person instruction by a subject matter expert
  • Printed materials
  • Onsite DEPS support

DEPS also offers traveling Short Courses (restrictions apply) with course materials that are tailored to your group’s needs. Please contact the EDUCATION PROGRAM COORDINATOR for details on a course tailored to your group’s needs.

Top Rated Courses

Introduction to High Energy Laser Systems

Introduction to HEL Systems explores the fundamentals of HEL weapons and their associated technologies by interweaving technical requirements, history, and accomplishments. Attributes of HEL weapons, laser-material interaction, lethality, potential weapon applications, system requirements, laser power scaling, propagation, and beam control are covered.

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Introduction to High Power Microwave Systems

Introduction to HPM Systems offers a foundational understanding of RF Directed Energy weapons including basic terms and concepts, power systems needed to drive HPM devices, HPM sources, narrowband and wideband antennas, and the design and fabrication of HPM systems.

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Atmospheric Laser Propagation

Atmospheric Laser Propagation addresses how atmospheric conditions affect directed‑energy weapon performance. It introduces and demonstrates LEEDR for generating atmospheric profiles and HELEEOS for applying those effects through high‑fidelity high‑energy‑laser propagation modeling.

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Introduction to Counter DEW (CDEW)

Introduction to Counter DEW covers fundamental concepts of counter‑directed‑energy weapons, focusing on unclassified technical aspects of protecting systems from HEL and HPM threats. It reviews historical approaches, examines current challenges, and outlines future research to give attendees a foundational understanding of counter‑DEW technologies and solutions.

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Additional Offerings

Introduction to Beam Control
Essential beam-control training spanning optics, controls, and adaptive systems MORE
Directed Energy Systems Engineering
Core concepts of systems engineering for emerging directed energy weapon systems MORE
T&E Fundamentals of HPM
Principles for evaluating and measuring HPM weapon performance MORE
T&E Fundamentals of HEL
Key aspects of HEL system testing, instrumentation needs, and safety considerations MORE
DE Warfighter
Foundations of HEL/HPM weapon concepts for nontechnical, mission‑focused audiences MORE
DE Bioeffects
Overview of biological impacts of laser and RF directed‑energy exposure MORE
HPM DE Weapons and Their Effects
Fundamentals of HPM weapon types, system effects, coupling, and defenses MORE