Dec 11, 2024  
2009-2011 Graduate Catalog 
    
2009-2011 Graduate Catalog ARCHIVED CATALOG: CONTENT MAY NOT BE CURRENT. USE THE DROP DOWN ABOVE TO ACCESS THE CURRENT CATALOG.

Astronomy Ph.D.


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Admission Requirements

Applicants must have an undergraduate degree or a Masters degree in Physics, Astronomy or related area. Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 2.75 for all undergraduate work or a minimum 3.00 GPA for the last two years of undergraduate work. In addition, applicants seeking direct admission to the doctoral program without a previously earned Master of Science degree must have a score in the 65th percentile or above on the Advanced Physics portion of the GRE before admission and have a minimum GPA of 3.00 for all undergraduate work or an overall 3.25 GPA for the last two years of undergraduate work. Applicants with a Master’s degree must have an overall 3.00 GPA in their Master’s program and at least 15 credit hours of graduate-level course work in physics or astronomy with a grade of B or better. A student entering with a Master’s degree will be required to complete at least 30 additional credits, including dissertation credits, beyond the Masters.

Degree Requirements


A total of 60 graduate credits past the bachelor’s level is required, including the following:

1. A Minimum


A minimum of 36 graduate level semester credits in astronomy or related fields (excluding doctoral dissertation and graduate seminar), which must include the following core courses:

2. Six Credits


3. A Minimum


4. Satisfactory Performance


On an astronomy qualifying examination on graduate astronomy knowledge. This requirement must be fulfilled by the second year in the program.

5. A Dissertation


Of high quality consisting of significant original research.

6. Satisfactory Performance


On a final examination which will consist of an oral defense of the dissertation.

Notes


A student who enters the doctoral program with a Master’s degree must satisfy all of the above requirements numbered 1-6. The exact number of graduate semester credit hours past the Master’s level will depend upon the quality of the student’s preparation and the rate of progress during research. All courses used to satisfy the course work requirements (listed as 1. above) must have the approval of the Department. The number of graduate credits beyond the Master’s level must be at least 30; typically it will be more.

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