Undergraduate Academics
Astronomy & Astrophysics Major
Related links:
These materials are intended to supplement the information contained in the Bulletin of the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts.
- Why Astronomy
- On concentrating in Astronomy
- Student Astronomical Society
- Concentration Courses
- Honors Courses
- Physics Co-concentration
Why Astronomy?
Astronomy Today
New technologies, both on the ground and in space, make astronomy one of the most exciting of the scientific fields. The old image of an astronomer squinting through a telescope with notebook in hand has been replaced by researchers who employ the very latest in electronic imaging devices, giant arrays of radio antennas spread over entire continents, space observatories and complex space probes. Now, we study astronomical objects not just with visible light, but with radio waves, infrared light, X-ray, and gamma-ray light. These new astronomical windows have led to such discoveries as spinning neutron stars (pulsars), quasars in the centers of galaxies, remnant radiation from the Big Bang, the gravitational lensing of objects, and the enigmatic gamma-ray bursters. The wealth of discoveries and the related vigorous research activities are the reasons that many believe that the field of astronomy is now in its "Golden Age"
What Do I Do With A Concentration In Astronomy and Astrophysics?
We developed the curriculum with the dual goals of:
preparing students for the leading graduate schools in astronomy and astrophysics
teaching a variety of scientific and technical skills that permit students to obtain a rewarding job in the private sector
Many of our concentrators continue their study of the field in graduate school. For this reason, several parts of the curriculum are designed to prepare the student for an advanced degree. Graduate programs usually pay for the student's tuition as well as for a stipend to cover living expenses. Following a graduate degree (usually a PhD), employment in the field is found in national labs, such as Kitt Peak National Observatory or Space Telescope Science Institute, in colleges and universities, or at planetariums.
An education in astronomy and astrophysics provides a student with considerable knowledge and skills that can be carried outside of the field. Students have used this background to obtain jobs in computer programming, business consulting, the industrial space program, information processing, or patent law, which require a technical background. Also, teachers who are educated in the physical sciences are sought after since they are in short supply in high schools around the country.
The American Astronomical Society has resources and a more thorough discussion of some of the above items, ranging from preparing for a career in astronomy, to an analysis of where the jobs are. Take a look at http://aas.org/education/careers.php. There is also some good information scattered in their FAQ page, http://aas.org/education/students.php#careers
On Concentrating in Astronomy...
How Do I Declare A Concentration or a Minor?
If you are considering a concentration in Astronomy and Astrophysics or would like to know more about it, consult the concentration advisor:
Professor Ted Bergin
Room 933
Dennison Building
764-3440 or 764-3454
e-mail: ebergin@umich.edu
The concentration advisor will discuss the program with you, answer questions, and set up a tentative concentration plan that is suited to your particular interests. This will ensure that you fulfill all necessary requirements for the degree, but you may modify it at a later time if your interests change. You might find it helpful to consult with the concentration advisor before pre-registration each semester.
At the time you decide to declare a concentration or minor, you should fill out a "LSA Concentration/Minor Declaration Form". The concentration advisor has them, or they can be found at: http://www.lsa.umich.edu/UofM/Content/lsa/document/DeclarationForm.pdf
In your next to last semester, you and your concentration advisor should review that you have all the necessary required courses. You should apply for an academic audit before registering for your final semester. Information on graduation procedures and instructions for applying for an audit are at http://www.lsa.umich.edu/students/gradprocedures
Most of the information about graduation can be found at the LS&A site: http://lsa.umich.edu/students/gradprocedures
The Newnan Academic Advising Center is in 1255 Angell Hall, phone number, 764-0332. For more information, see: http://lsa.umich.edu/advising
Research Opportunities
There are a variety of summer programs for undergraduates (e.g., you must not have a diploma during the summer that you participate) at sites around the country. Generally, they pay a modest monthly salary and transportation to and from home. You work with a professional astronomer at a particular institution on a research project (like our Astronomy 399). There are typically ten institutions that offer the program, such as the national ground-based observatories (optical and radio), some universities (e.g., Cornell), and a few other "national labs" (e.g., the Space Telescope Science Institute). These are competitive programs, but you stand the best chance to get into them in the summer between the Junior and Senior years (you can also do it before your Junior year and can do it more than once). Applications are usually due by January or February.
A listing of the National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Education for Undergraduates (REU) can be found at http://aas.org/education/reu.php
These are not the only source of summer opportunities outside the University. NASA also has a variety of programs and a more complete listing is usually kept up by the American Astronomical Society at http://aas.org/career/summer.php.
Student Astronomical Society
This is the student club with about a dozen members. They use a room on the 10th floor of Dennison for studying, research, and meetings. They hold public nights at the on-campus telescopes, among other activities and they have been very important in forming a peer group of undergraduate concentrators. Their web site is http://www.astro.lsa.umich.edu/sas/
Astronomy Courses
Courses In Astronomy
Complete descriptions of all the courses can be found on the Course Descriptions page.
As a department, we offer a series of courses that provide insight into the variety of astrophysical phenomena.
At the introductory level, we offer Astronomy 201 for those with some math or science background. This is a small class with about 20 students, which aside from the lectures, offers the student the opportunity to use telescopes. For students without a mathematical or science orientation (or for those students who cannot fit Astronomy 201 into their schedule), several other introductory courses are given: Astronomy 101 (The Solar System and the Search for Life Beyond Earth) and Astronomy 102 (Stars, Galaxies, and the Universe; these classes are about 150 students in size), Astronomy 104 (Alien Skies: A Tour Through the Universe), Astronomy 105 (The Cosmos Through the Constellations), Astronomy 106 (Aliens), Astronomy 115 (Introductory Astrobiology), Astronomy 120 (Frontiers of Astronomy; 1st Year Seminar), Astronomy 127 (Naked Eye Astronomy; 1 credit mini-course), and Astronomy 142 (From the Big Bang to the Milky Way).
Beyond the introductory courses, several mid-level courses provide more depth: Astronomy 205 (Exploring the X-ray Universe), Astronomy 210 (Eyes of Magellan), Astronomy 220 (New Discoveries in Astronomy), Astronomy/History 300 (The Beginning and The End: A History of Cosmology), Astronomy/History 301 (Discovery of the Universe), and Astronomy 361 (Astronomical Techniques.) A more in-depth look at astronomy and astrophysics is provided by our topical courses on Stellar Astrophysics (Ast 402), Galaxies and Cosmology (Ast 404), High Energy Astrophysics (Ast 405), and Interstellar Medium (Ast 403). All of these courses are small in size (less than 15) and students receive considerable personalized attention from the professor. These courses are accessible once General Physics I-III and Analytic Geometry and Calculus I-III have been taken, typically by the end of the Sophomore year.
Concentration Courses in Astronomy & Astrophysics (Division 326; Concentration Code 460)
| Prerequisites to concentration: same as for either Physics concentration | |||
| Math 115 | Calculus I | 4 | FWSpS |
| Math 116 | Calculus II. | 4 | FWSpS |
| Math 215 | Calculus III. | 4 | FWSpS |
| Math 216 | Introduction to Differential Equations | 4 | FWSpS |
| Physics 140/141 | General Physics I.; Elementary Lab. I. | 5 | FW |
| Physics 240/241 | General Physics II.; Elementary Lab. II. | 5 | FW |
| Physics 340/341 | Waves, Heat, and Light | 4 | FW |
| Requirements for the Concentration: | |||
| Astr 201 | Introduction to Astrophysics | 4 | FW |
| Astr 361 | Astronomical Techniques | 4 | W |
| Astr 399 | Introduction to Research | 1-3 | FWSpS |
| Astr 402 | Stellar Astrophysics | 3 | F |
| Astr 404 | Galaxies and Cosmology | 3 | W |
| Astr 429 | Senior Seminar (satisfies the Sr. writing requirement) | 2 | F |
| (the courses below are also required for a Physics degree) | |||
| Physics 390 | Introduction to Modern Physics | 3 | FW |
| Physics 401 | Intermediate Mechanics | 3 | FW |
| Physics 405 | Intermediate Electricity and Magnetism | 3 | FW |
| Physics 453 | Quantum Mechanics | 3 | FW |
| One of the following math courses (Physics 351 is preferred) | |||
| Physics 351 (formerly 451) |
Methods of Theoretical Physics | 3 | F |
| Math 454 | Boundary Value Problems for Partial Diff. Eq. | 3 | FW |
| Math 450 | Advanced Mathematics For Engineers I. | 4 | FWSpS |
| One of the following electives. Students may substitute a graduate astronomy class for an elective. | |||
| Astr 401 | Solar System Astrophysics( not usually offered) | 3 | W/alt |
| Astr 403 | Interstellar Medium | 3 | F/alt |
| Astr 405 | High Energy Astrophysics | 3 | F/alt |
| Astr 406 | Computational Astrophysics(not usually offered) | 3 | W/alt |
Introduction to Research (Ast 399) is generally taken in the Junior or Senior year, and students are assigned to instructors on the basis of interests and background to participating staff members. The number of credits is worked out between the staff member and student.
Honors Concentration
Students who are interested in scholarly research in astronomy and have a cumulative GPA above 3.5 are encouraged to consider honors concentration. Students with a lower GPA may be admitted to the program at the discretion of the concentration advisor. The program requires writing a senior honors thesis based on research done in collaboration with a faculty member. Interested students should consult the concentration advisor by the beginning of the junior year. Students participating in the Honors Science Program may elect College Honors 291 and 292 through the Department of Astronomy during the sophomore year.
Concentration Advisor: Professor Ted Bergin, Room 933, Dennison Building, phone 764-3454; e-mail ebergin@umich.edu
Additional Courses. Some optional but useful courses for those going onto graduate school are listed below. The single most important physics course is Physics 406, which should be taken if you plan to attend graduate school. Also essential is knowing a computer language, of which the most commonly used in the field are FORTRAN and C. This university features C++, of which C is a subset, so this is a good choice of a course. Another option is teaching yourself a language on a PC/Mac with one of the great packages, such as Borland's or Microsoft's version of C or C++ (many people teach themselves computer programming).
| Physics 406 |
Statistical and Thermal Physics | 3 | FW |
| also, see the Physics listing for other valuable 400 level courses | |||
| Computer courses |
|||
| Comp Sci 183 | Elementary Programming Concepts (C++) | 4 | FW |
| Comp Sci 283 | Programming and Computer Systems (after 183) | 4 | FW |
| In the Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Space Sciences (Eng. School): | |||
| AOSS 202 | The Atmosphere | 3 | |
| AOSS 204 | Introduction to Planetary and Space Sciences | 3 | |
| AOSS 480 | The Planets: Composition, Structure, and Evolution | 3 | |
Physics Co-Concentration
Courses needed for the General Physics (B.S. or A.B.) Concentration from the Dept. of Physics.
A. Prerequisites to Physics concentration (same as above)
| Math 115 | Analytic Geometry and Calculus I. | 4 | FWSpS |
| Math 116 | Analytic Geometry and Calculus II. | 4 | FWSpS |
| Math 215 | Analytic Geometry and Calculus III. | 4 | FWSpS |
| Math 216 | Introduction to Differential Equations | 4 | FWSpS |
| Physics 140/141 | General Physics I.; Elementary Lab. I. | 5 | FWSpS |
| Physics 240/241 | General Physics II.; Elementary Lab. II. | 5 | FWSpS |
| Physics 340/341 | Waves, Heat, and Light | 4 | FW |
| or the equivalent Honors sequence (201/141, 260/241, 360/341) | |||
B. Core courses (must take all)
| Physics 351 | Methods of Theoretical Physics (or equivalent) | 3 | F |
| Physics 390 | Introduction to Modern Physics | 3 | FW |
| Physics 401 | Intermediate Mechanics | 3 | FW |
| Physics 405 | Intermediate Electricity and Magnetism | 3 | FW |
| Physics 406 | Statistical and Thermal Physics | 3 | FW |
| Physics 453 | Quantum Mechanics | 3 | FW |
C. Advanced Physics Courses: 6 credits from the following (check schedule)
| Physics 402 | Light | 3 | |
| Physics 411 | Intro. to Computational Physics | 3 | |
| Physics 413 | Physics of Complexities | 3 | |
| Physics 419 | Energy Demand | 3 | |
| Physics 435 | Gravitational Physics | 3 | W |
| Physics 452 | Methods of Theoretical Physics | 3 | W |
| Physics 457 | Subatomic Physics | 3 | |
| Physics 460 | Atomic Physics | 3 | |
| Physics 463 | Intro. to Solid State Physics | 3 | |
| Physics 489 | Physics of Music |
Note that this degree requires 6 credits from a cognate department, automatically satisfied if you are doing a concentration in Astronomy and Astrophysics.
Courses needed for the Physics (B.S.) Concentration offered by the Dept. of Physics.Same as for the General Physics, except that you cannot use Physics 489, or Physics 419, but you can take
| Physics 417 | Dynamical Processes in Biophysics | 3 | |
| Physics 455 | Electronic Devices and Circuits | 3 |
Also, you must take the following:
| Physics 465 (you can probably substitute Ast 429 for it, but check first) |
Senior Seminar | 3 | F |
| Physics 441 | Advanced Laboratory I | 4 | F |
| Physics 442 | Advanced Laboratory I | 4 | W |
There is also an Honors Concentration, which is similar to the above program.
A description of the classes are given at http://lsa.umich.edu/physics/academics/undergraduateprogram/courses.
The general Physics web site is http://lsa.umich.edu/physics/.
The Physics Concentration Advisors are posted in the Physics Student Services Office, 2061 Randall Lab. The general departmental number for Physics is 764-4437.
