Majoring Options

The Astrophysics Major

The Astrophysics major will be elected by students who plan graduate study in astronomy, astrophysics, or a closely related field, and also can be elected by those interested in a wide variety of careers. This major emphasizes the description of the universe and its constituents in terms of physical processes. More

The Astronomy Major

The Astronomy major is designed for students with an interest in learning about many aspects of modern astronomy, but who might not have planned to undertake the more physics-intensive. The Astronomy major is particularly suitable for students who seek a coherent course of study in astronomy, but who do not intend to pursue it in graduate school. It is also appropriate as a second major for students majoring in another field. The Astronomy major emphasizes understanding the observed properties of the physical systems that comprise the known universe, from the Sun and solar system, to the evolution of stars and star clusters, to the Milky Way Galaxy, to external galaxies and clusters of galaxies. More