Astronomy

Core Curriculum Courses

• AST 6215 – Stars and the Galaxy
• AST 6245 – Stellar Atmospheres & Radiative Processes
• AST 6309 – Extragalactic Astronomy & Cosmology
• AST 6336 – Astrophysics of the Interstellar Medium
• AST 6725 – Fundamentals of Observational Astronomy

Offered Graduate Courses and Electives

• AST 6112 – Astrophysics of Planetary Systems (3)
  Systematic examination of formation and current state of planetary systems.

• AST 6215 – Stars and the Galaxy (3)
  Theoretical approach to the study of stellar structure.

• AST 6245 – Stellar Atmospheres & Radiative Processes (3)
  Radiative transfer, spectral line formation and broadening, and other topics applicable to stellar atmospheres and photoionized nebulae.

• AST 6309 – Extragalactic Astronomy & Cosmology (3)
  Observations and interpretations of the kinematics, dynamics, and structure of the Milky Way Galaxy, extragalactic objects, and galaxy clusters.

• AST 6336 – Astrophysics of the Interstellar Medium (3)
  Complex interplay of physical processes that determine the structure of the interstellar medium in our galaxy; emphasis is placed upon a comparison of observational data with theoretical prediction.

• AST 6415 – Observational Cosmology (3)
  Basic science and observations that underlie modern cosmology.

• AST 6416 – Physical Cosmology (3)
  Introduction to the observational background and to the theory of cosmology.

• AST 6725C – Fundamentals of Observational Astronomy (3)
  Overview of techniques associated with observational astronomy.

• AST 6905 – Individual Work  (1-6, max: 12)
  Supervised study or research in areas not covered by other courses.

• AST 6910 – Supervised Research  (1-5, max:5) S/U

• AST 6925 – Departmental Colloquium (1)
  Coreq: AST 6935, 6936. Intended for first-year graduate students. Presentation of topics by visiting and local researchers. S/U.

• AST 6935 – Frontiers in Astronomy  (1, max:6)
  Coreq: AST 6925, 6936. Recent developments in theoretical and observational astronomy and astrophysics. S/U.

• AST 6936 – Journal Club (1)
  Coreq: AST 6925, 6935. Intended for first-year graduate students. Discussion of journal articles. S/U.

• AST 6971 – Research for Master’s Thesis  (1-15) S/U.

• AST 7930 – Special Topics in Astronomy  (2-4, max: 12)
  Assigned reading, programs, seminar, or lecture series in a new field of advanced astronomy.
  • Active Galaxies
  • Astronomical Instrumentation
  • Extrasolar Planets
  • High Energy Astrophysics
  • Black Holes & Neutron Stars
  • Star Formation
  • Stellar Populations
  • Machine Learning in Astronomy

• AST 7979 – Advanced Research (1-12)
  Research for doctoral students before admission to candidacy. Designed for students with a master’s degree in the field of study or for students who have been accepted for a doctoral program. Not appropriate for students who have been admitted to candidacy. S/U.

• AST 7980 – Research for Doctoral Dissertation  (1-15) S/U.