Campuses:
Twin Cities campus
This is archival data. This system was retired as of August 21, 2023 and the information on this page has not been updated since then. For current information, visit catalogs.umn.edu.
|
Twin Cities Campus
Astrophysics B.S.Astrop.Astrophysics, Minnesota Institute for
College of Science and Engineering
The astrophysics program enables students to tackle complex and ill-defined problems within the physical sciences. The program prepares students for careers in professional astronomy, computational astrophysics, secondary education in the physical sciences, ROTC programs in the Air Force or Navy, data analysis, or laboratory science.
Program Delivery
This program is available:
Admission Requirements
Students must complete
8 courses
before admission to the program.
Freshman and transfer students are usually admitted to pre-major status
before admission to this major.
For information about University of Minnesota admission requirements, visit the
Office of Admissions
website.
Required prerequisites
Mathematics Core
Required prerequisites
Physics Core
PHYS 1301W - Introductory Physics for Science and Engineering I
[PHYS, WI]
(4.0 cr)
or
PHYS 1401V - Honors Physics I
[PHYS, WI]
(4.0 cr)
PHYS 1302W - Introductory Physics for Science and Engineering II
[PHYS, WI]
(4.0 cr)
or
PHYS 1402V - Honors Physics II
[PHYS, WI]
(4.0 cr)
General Requirements
All students in baccalaureate degree programs are required to complete general University and college requirements including writing and liberal education courses. For more information about University-wide requirements, see the
liberal education requirements.
Required courses for the major, minor or certificate in which a student receives a D grade (with or without plus or minus) do not count toward the major, minor or certificate (including transfer courses).
Program Requirements
Students interested in astrophysics are encouraged to take AST 1011H.
Astrophysics Core
PHYS 2201 - Introductory Thermodynamics and Statistical Physics
(4.0 cr)
PHYS 2601 - Quantum Physics
(4.0 cr)
AST 2001 - Fundamental Astrophysics
(4.0 cr)
AST 4994W - Directed Research
[WI]
(2.0-5.0 cr)
PHYS 2605 {Inactive}
(3.0 cr)
PHYS 4001 - Analytical Mechanics
(4.0 cr)
PHYS 4002 - Electricity and Magnetism
(4.0 cr)
Take 2 or more course(s) from the following:
·
AST 4xxx
·
AST 5xxx
MATH 2283 {Inactive}
(3.0 cr)
or
MATH 3xxx
or
MATH 4xxx
Astrophysics Focus
Data Analysis Specialist
This emphasis prepares students for careers in corporate and government labs and research divisions. Examples are programming, image processing, laboratory instrumentation, and general data analysis. Suggested courses are listed below.
Take 16 or more credit(s) from the following:
·
AST 5201 - Methods of Experimental Astrophysics
(4.0 cr)
·
CSCI 1113 - Introduction to C/C++ Programming for Scientists and Engineers
(4.0 cr)
·
EE 3005 - Fundamentals of Electrical Engineering
(4.0 cr)
·
PHYS 4051 - Methods of Experimental Physics I
(5.0 cr)
·
PHYS 4052W - Methods of Experimental Physics II
[WI]
(5.0 cr)
-OR-
Professional Astronomer
This emphasis prepares students for graduate school in astronomy. The program is similar to doing a double major in astrophysics and physics. The program emphasizes observational astronomy.
16 credits of AST, MATH, CHEM, PHYS, GEO, EE, or CSCI (3xxx, 4xxx, 5xxx)
Suggested courses are listed below.
Take 16 or more credit(s) from the following:
·
PHYS 4101 - Quantum Mechanics
(4.0 cr)
·
PHYS 4201 - Statistical and Thermal Physics
(3.0 cr)
·
Take 0 or more course(s) from the following:
·
AST 4xxx
·
AST 5xxx
·
Take 0 or more credit(s) from the following:
·
CHEM 3xxx
·
CHEM 4xxx
·
CHEM 5xxx
·
Take 0 or more course(s) from the following:
·
CSCI 3xxx
·
CSCI 4xxx
·
CSCI 5xxx
·
Take 0 or more course(s) from the following:
·
EE 3xxx
·
EE 4xxx
·
EE 5xxx
·
Take 0 or more course(s) from the following:
·
GEO 3xxx
·
GEO 4xxx
·
GEO 5xxx
·
Take 0 or more course(s) from the following:
·
MATH 3xxx
·
MATH 4xxx
·
MATH 5xxx
·
Take 0 or more course(s) from the following:
·
PHYS 3xxx
·
PHYS 4xxx
·
PHYS 5xxx
-OR-
Secondary Education
This emphasis prepares students for entry to a master's program in secondary science education. In addition to the courses listed below, students must complete 100 hours of in-class experience across at least two semesters.
PSY 1001 - Introduction to Psychology
[SOCS]
(4.0 cr)
HSCI 1814 - Revolutions in Science: The Babylonians to Newton
[HIS, GP]
(3.0-4.0 cr)
or
HSCI 4121W - History of 20th-Century Physics
[WI]
(3.0 cr)
PHIL 1005 - Scientific Reasoning
(4.0 cr)
or
PHIL 3601W - Scientific Thought
[WI]
(4.0 cr)
AST 5201 - Methods of Experimental Astrophysics
(4.0 cr)
or
Physics Research
This course pair replaces AST 4994 in the student's program.
PHYS 4051 - Methods of Experimental Physics I
(5.0 cr)
PHYS 4052W - Methods of Experimental Physics II
[WI]
(5.0 cr)
-OR-
Technical Electives
Select 16 credits in consultation with your adviser.
Program Sub-plans
A sub-plan is not required for this program.
Honors UHP
This is an honors sub-plan.
Students admitted to the University Honors Program (UHP) must fulfill UHP requirements, in addition to degree program requirements. Honors courses used to fulfill degree program requirements will also fulfill UHP requirements.
Current departmental honors course offerings are listed at: http://www.honors.umn.edu/academics/curriculum/dept_courses_current.html.
Honors students complete an honors thesis project in the final year, most often in conjunction with an honors thesis course, or with an honors directed studies, or honors directed research course. Students select honors courses and plan for a thesis project in consultation with their UHP adviser and their departmental faculty adviser.
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
