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Astronomy & Astrophysics
201 Interdisciplinary Sciences Building (ISB)
Santa Cruz, CA 95064
Phone: (831) 459-2844
Fax: (831) 459-5265
Email: dept@astro.ucsc.edu
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Graduate instruction is built upon a two-year cycle of 13, one-quarter courses in astronomy and physics that are required of all students.

Six courses are specifically required:

Astonomy 202, Electromagnetism and Plasma Physics
Astonomy 204A, Physics of Astrophysics I
Astonomy 204B, Physics of Astrophysics II
Astonomy 205, Introduction to Astronomical Research
Astonomy 220A, Stella Structure and Evolution
Astonomy 240A, Galactic and Extragalactic Stellar Systems

Seven courses are chosen from the list of electives given below.

Students must meet at least quarterly with an assigned adviser.

Each student must also be a teaching assistant for at least one quarter.

By the end of their second year, students must complete one quarter of independent study with a faculty member and give a department talk on that work. Also toward the end of their second year, students must pass a written examination based on course material, relevant physics, and general astronomical knowledge.

After passing a board review based on the above-mentioned requirements and a qualifying exam based on a proposed thesis topic (expected to be taken before the end of the third year), students pursue independent research leading to the doctoral dissertation. Upon completion of the Ph.D. dissertation, students must pass an oral dissertation defense.

Students are encouraged to engage in research projects under the supervision of the faculty during the early part of their graduate career. Exceptions are rare and are granted on a case-by-case basis to individual students.

Electives may be drawn from this list:

Galaxies and Cosmology (at least two):

Astonomy 214, Structure Formation in the Universe
Astonomy 224, Origin and Evolution of the Universe
Astonomy 230, Low-Density Astrophysics
Astonomy 233, Physical Cosmology
Astonomy 240B, Galactic and Extragalactic Stellar Systems
Astonomy 240C, Galactic and Extragalactic Stellar Systems
Astonomy 253, Stellar Dynamics

Stars and Planets (at least two):

Astonomy 212, Dynamical Astronomy
Astonomy 220B, Star and Planet Formation
Astonomy 220C, Advanced Stages of Stellar Evolution and Nucleosynthesis
Astonomy 222, Planetary Science
Astonomy 225, Physics of Compact Objects
Astonomy 237, Accretion of Early and Late Stages of Stellar Evolution

Other:

Astonomy 207, Future Directions/Future Missions
Astonomy 226, General Relativity
Astonomy 231, Astrophysical Gas Dynamics
Astonomy 235, Numerical Techniques
Astonomy 257, Modern Observational Techniques
Astonomy 260, Instrumentation for Astronomy
Astonomy 275, Radio Astronomy
Astonomy 289C, Adaptive Optics and Its Applications
Earth Sciences 275, Magnetohydrodynamics
Education 286, Research and Practice in Science Training for Research
Engineering 206, Bayesian Statistics
Physics 210, Classical Mechanics
Physics 215, Introduction to Non-Relativistic Quantum Mechanics
Physics 216, Advanced Topics in Non-Relativistic Quantum Mechanics
Physics 217, Quantum Field Theory I
Physics 218, Quantum Field Theory II

(September 2007)