Campuses:
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Twin Cities Campus
Astrophysics B.A.Astrophysics, Minnesota Institute for
College of Liberal Arts
The program in astrophysics develops the skills necessary to tackle complex and ill-defined problems within the physical sciences and prepares students for careers in several broad areas. The program is aimed primarily for students interested in secondary education in the physical sciences, science policy, and science and technical writing. The program can also prepare students for graduate study in astrophysics.
Program Delivery
This program is available:
Admission Requirements
Students must complete
7 courses
before admission to the program.
Note: the following courses do not factor into the overall credit total for the major.
For information about University of Minnesota admission requirements, visit the
Office of Admissions
website.
Required prerequisites
Mathematics
Complete one pair of courses from the following sequence.
or
Calculus Sequence II
MATH 1371 - CSE Calculus I
[MATH]
(4.0 cr)
MATH 1372 - CSE Calculus II
(4.0 cr)
or
Calculus Honors Sequence
MATH 1571H - Honors Calculus I
[MATH]
(4.0 cr)
MATH 1572H - Honors Calculus II
(4.0 cr)
Complete one pair of courses from the following sequence.
Linear Algebra & Multivariable Calculus Sequence I
MATH 2243 - Linear Algebra and Differential Equations
(4.0 cr)
MATH 2263 - Multivariable Calculus
(4.0 cr)
or
Linear Algebra & Multivariable Calculus Sequence II
MATH 2373 - CSE Linear Algebra and Differential Equations
(4.0 cr)
MATH 2374 - CSE Multivariable Calculus and Vector Analysis
(4.0 cr)
or
Linear Algebra & Multivariable Calculus Honors Sequence
MATH 2573H - Honors Calculus III
(4.0 cr)
MATH 2574H - Honors Calculus IV
(4.0 cr)
Required prerequisites
Preparatory Physics
Complete three courses from either physics sequence.
Physics Sequence
PHYS 1301W - Introductory Physics for Science and Engineering I
[PHYS, WI]
(4.0 cr)
PHYS 1302W - Introductory Physics for Science and Engineering II
[PHYS, WI]
(4.0 cr)
PHYS 2503 - Physics III: Intro to Waves, Optics, and Special Relativity
(4.0 cr)
or
Physics Honors Sequence
PHYS 1401V - Honors Physics I
[PHYS, WI]
(4.0 cr)
PHYS 1402V - Honors Physics II
[PHYS, WI]
(4.0 cr)
PHYS 2403H {Inactive}
(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 are required to complete 4 semester(s) of
any second language.
with a grade of C-, or better, or S, or demonstrate proficiency in the language(s) as defined by the department
or college.
AST 1011H is recommended but not required. The number of credits in the major varies by area of interest, but requires at least 15 credits of AST courses.
Students may earn no more than one undergraduate degree from the Astrophysics program: a B.A. or a B.S. or a minor.
Beginning fall 2012, all incoming CLA freshmen must complete the appropriate First Year Experience course sequence. Specific information about this collegiate requirement can be found at: http://class.umn.edu/degree_requirements/index.html
Major Courses
Each of the different areas of interest has the same core math, physics, and astrophysics requirements. Curriculum details for the different areas--secondary education, science writing, science policy, and scientist--are developed by the student in consultation with an adviser.
Astrophysics Requirement
AST 2001 - Fundamental Astrophysics
(4.0 cr)
AST 4001 - Astrophysics I
(4.0 cr)
AST 4002 - Astrophysics II
(4.0 cr)
Physics Requirement
PHYS 2201 - Introductory Thermodynamics and Statistical Physics
(4.0 cr)
PHYS 2601 - Quantum Physics
(4.0 cr)
PHYS 2605 {Inactive}
(3.0 cr)
PHYS 4001 - Analytical Mechanics
(4.0 cr)
PHYS 4002 - Electricity and Magnetism
(4.0 cr)
Mathematics Requirement
Take a minimum of four credits.
MATH 3283W - Sequences, Series, and Foundations: Writing Intensive
[WI]
(4.0 cr)
or
MATH 4xxx
or
MATH 5xxx
Technical Electives
Take 12 or more credit(s) from the following:
·
AST 4xxx
·
AST 5xxx
Senior Project
This requirement can be met with directed research in astrophysics or a project tailored to the specific area of interest.
AST 4994W - Directed Research
[WI]
(2.0-5.0 cr)
Upper-division Writing Intensive within the major
Students are required to take one upper-division Writing Intensive course within the major. If that requirement has not been satisfied within the core major requirements, students must choose one course from the following list. Some of these courses may also fulfill other major requirements.
Take 0 - 1 course(s) from the following:
·
AST 4994W - Directed Research
[WI]
(2.0-5.0 cr)
·
MATH 3283W - Sequences, Series, and Foundations: Writing Intensive
[WI]
(4.0 cr)
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Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | Math 1271/Math 1381/Math 1571/ |
Typically offered: | Every Fall, Spring & Summer |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | Math 1272/Math 1282/Math 1372/ |
Typically offered: | Every Fall, Spring & Summer |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | Math 1271/Math 1381/Math 1571/ |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | Math 1272/Math 1282/Math 1372/ |
Typically offered: | Every Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | Math 1271/Math 1381/Math 1571/ |
Grading Basis: | A-F only |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | Math 1272/Math 1282/Math 1372/ |
Grading Basis: | A-F only |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | Math 2243/Math 2373/Math 2574H |
Typically offered: | Every Fall, Spring & Summer |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | Math 2263/Math 2374/Math 2573H |
Typically offered: | Every Fall, Spring & Summer |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | Math 2243/Math 2373/Math 2574H |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | Math 2263/Math 2374/Math 2573H |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | Math 2263/Math 2374/Math 2573H |
Grading Basis: | A-F only |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | Math 2243/Math 2373/Math 2574H |
Grading Basis: | A-F only |
Typically offered: | Every Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | Phys 1201W/1301W/1401V/1501V |
Typically offered: | Every Fall, Spring & Summer |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | Phys 1202W/1302W/1402V/1502V |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | Phys 2303/2403H/2503/2503H |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | Phys 1201W/1301W/1401V/1501V |
Grading Basis: | A-F only |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | Phys 1202W/1302W/1402V/1502V |
Grading Basis: | A-F only |
Typically offered: | Every Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Grading Basis: | A-F or Aud |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Grading Basis: | A-F or Aud |
Typically offered: | Every Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | Math 2283/3283W |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 2.0 -5.0 [max 5.0] |
Grading Basis: | A-F only |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 2.0 -5.0 [max 5.0] |
Grading Basis: | A-F only |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | Math 2283/3283W |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |