Academic Programs Catalog

College of Natural Science

Department of Physics and Astronomy

Undergraduate Programs
Astrophysics

The Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Astrophysics is designed to provide an extensive background in both physics and astrophysics; a student who graduates with this degree may apply for admission to graduate study in either astronomy or physics.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Science Degree in Astrophysics

  1. The University requirements for bachelor's degrees as described in the Undergraduate Education section of this catalog; 120 credits, including general elective credits, are required for the Bachelor of Science degree in Astrophysics.

    The University's Tier II writing requirement for the Astrophysics major is met by completing 4 credits of Astronomy and Astrophysics 410.  That course is referenced in item 3. b. (1) below.

    Students who are enrolled in the College of Natural Science may complete the alternative track to Integrative Studies in Biological and Physical Sciences that is described in item 1. under the heading Graduation Requirements in the College statement.  Certain courses referenced in requirement 3. below may be used to satisfy the alternative track.
  2. The requirements of the College of Natural Science for the Bachelor of Science degree.

    The credits earned in certain courses referenced in requirement 3. below may be counted toward College requirements as appropriate.
  3. The following requirements for the major:
    a. The following courses outside the Department of Physics and Astronomy (33 to 39 credits):
    (1) One of the following courses (3 to 5 credits):
    BS 161 Cell and Molecular Biology  3
    BS 162 Organismal and Population Biology 3
    BS 181H Honors Cell and Molecular Biology 3
    BS 182H Honors Organismal and Population Biology 3
    ENT 205 Pests, Society and Environment 3
    IBIO 150 Integrating Biology: from DNA to Populations 3
    LB 144 Biology I: Organismal Biology  4
    LB 145 Biology II: Cellular and Molecular Biology  5
    MMG 141 Introductory Human Genetics  3
    MMG  201 Fundamentals of Microbiology 3
    PLB 105 Plant Biology 3
    PSL 250 Introductory Physiology 4
    (2) One of the following groups of courses (8 to 10 credits):
    (a) CEM  141 General Chemistry  4
       CEM  142 General and Inorganic Chemistry  3
       CEM  161 Chemistry Laboratory I  1
    (b)  CEM  151 General and Descriptive Chemistry  4
       CEM  152 Principles of Chemistry  3
       CEM  161 Chemistry Laboratory I  1
    (c)  CEM  181H  Honors Chemistry I  4
       CEM  182H  Honors Chemistry II  4
       CEM  185H  Honors Chemistry Laboratory I  2
    (d)  LB  171 Principles of Chemistry I  4
       LB  171L  Introductory Chemistry Laboratory I  1
       LB  172 Principles of Chemistry II  3
    (3) One of the following groups of Mathematics courses (12 to 14 credits):
    (a)  MTH  132 Calculus I  3
       MTH  133 Calculus II  4
       MTH  234 Multivariable Calculus  4
      MTH  235 Differential Equations  3
    (b)  MTH  152H  Honors Calculus I  3
       MTH  153H  Honors Calculus II  4
       MTH  254H  Honors Multivariable Calculus  4
       MTH  235 Differential Equations  3
       or    
      MTH  340 Ordinary Differential Equations I  3
    (c)  LB  118 Calculus I  4
       LB  119 Calculus II  4
       LB 220 Calculus III 4
       MTH  235 Differential Equations  3
          or    
      MTH  340 Ordinary Differential Equations I  3
    (4) The following course (4 credits): 
    CMSE  201 Introduction to Computational Modeling  4
    b.    The following courses in the Department of Physics and Astronomy
    (1) All of the following Astronomy courses (16 credits):
    AST  207 The Science of Astronomy  3
    AST  208 Planets and Telescopes  3
    AST  304 Stars  3
    AST  308 Galaxies and Cosmology  3
    AST  410 Senior Thesis  4
    Students must enroll for a total of 4 credits of AST 410. This is normally split over two semesters.
    (2) One of the following groups of Physics courses (8 to 10 credits):
    (a)  PHY  183 Physics for Scientists and Engineers I  4
       PHY  184 Physics for Scientists and Engineers II  4
       PHY  191 Physics Laboratory for Scientists, I  1
       PHY  192 Physics Laboratory for Scientists, II  1
    (b)  PHY  193H  Honors Physics I- Mechanics  4
       PHY  294H  Honors Physics II - Electromagnetism  4
       PHY  191 Physics Lab for Scientists I  1
       PHY  192 Physics Lab for Scientists II  1
    (c) LB  273 Physics I 4
    LB  274 Physics II 4
    (3) All of the following courses (15 credits):
    PHY  215 Thermodynamics and Modern Physics  3
    PHY  321 Classical Mechanics I  3
    PHY  410 Thermal and Statistical Physics  3
    PHY  471 Quantum Physics I  3
    PHY  481 Electricity and Magnetism I  3