Majoring in Astronomy

If you are interested in majoring in Astronomy-Physics (or Astronomy) please contact the Director of the Astronomy Undergraduate program as soon as possible as first-year course choices are important for the Astronomy-Physics major in particular. Please direct all undergraduate inquiries to the Director of Undergraduate studies at astro-ugradadv@virginia.edu.

Although the study of astronomy has ancient roots, it is now one of the most rapidly developing and exciting subjects in modern science. Astronomy is the study of the Universe and its contents: planets, stars, black holes, galaxies, and quasars. Each of these is a fascinating topic in its own right. But perhaps the greatest achievement of modern astronomy has been to gather them all into a rich and coherent picture, one which depicts the origin and evolution of all things from the Big Bang to the development of living organisms.

Recent advances in astronomy have derived from new technologies that have yielded instruments of unprecedented power: telescopes with 10-meter mirrors, orbiting satellite observatories for all parts of the electromagnetic spectrum, deep space missions to sample planetary atmospheres and surfaces, and huge laboratories for detection of elusive cosmic neutrinos and gravity waves.

The excitement and accessibility of astronomy are featured in frequent press coverage of major new discoveries, including in recent years the discovery of planets orbiting other stars, a comet crashing into Jupiter, the discovery of very young galaxies in the distant universe, the detection of gravitational waves from merging black holes, the possibility of life on Mars, the threat of asteroid collisions with the Earth, and the detection of primordial ripples in the cosmic background radiation. Astronomy draws from, and contributes to, many other subjects: primarily physics but also geology, atmospheric and environmental science, biology, and even philosophy.

The two Astronomy majors programs offer students the opportunity to explore these frontier discoveries while simultaneously developing fundamental analytical and quantitative skills useful in many different careers. A total of thirty five Astronomy courses are open to majors. The BA Astronomy major offers a concentration on science in the context of a liberal arts degree for students who do not intend to pursue graduate training in astronomy or physics. It is often part of a double major. The BS Astronomy-Physics major provides more rigorous preparation for graduate work in astronomy, physics, computer science, or related fields.

Note: The information contained on this website is for informational purposes only. The Undergraduate Record and Graduate Record represent the official repository for academic program requirements.

Faculty

Students

Special Resources and Student Research

Course titles in Astronomy

Course No.	Titles	Credit Hours	Times Offered*	Semester
Undergraduate
ASTR 1210	Introduction to the Sky and the Solar System	3	S
ASTR 1220	Introduction to Stars, Galaxies, and the Universe	3	S
ASTR 1230	Introduction to Astronomical Observation	3	S
ASTR 1250	Alien Worlds	3	IR
ASTR 1260	Threats from Outer Space	3	IR
ASTR 1270	Unsolved Mysteries in the Universe	3	Y	Spring
ASTR 1280	The Origins of (Almost) Everything	3	Y	Spring
ASTR 1290	Black Holes	3	Y	Fall
ASTR 1610	Introduction to Astronomical Research	1	Y	Spring
ASTR 2110	Introduction to Astrophysics I	3	Y	Fall
ASTR 2120	Introduction to Astrophysics II	3	Y	Spring
ASTR 3130	Observational Astronomy	4	Y	Spring
ASTR 3140	Introduction to Observational Radio Astronomy	4	Y	Spring
ASTR 3150	The Interstellar Medium: From Hydrogen to Humans	3	Y	Fall
ASTR 3410	Archaeo-Astronomy	3	Y	Fall
ASTR 3420	Life Beyond the Earth	3	Y	Spring
ASTR 3450	Mission to Mars	3	Y	Spring
ASTR 3460	Development of Modern Astronomy	3	IR
ASTR 3470	Science and Controversy in Astronomy	3	Y	Fall
ASTR 3480	Introduction to Cosmology	3	Y	Spring
ASTR 3880	Planetary Astronomy	3	Y	Spring
ASTR 4140	Research Methods in Astrophysics	3	Y	Spring
ASTR 4810	Astrophysics	3	Y	Fall
ASTR 4993	Tutorial	3	S
ASTR 4998	Senior Thesis	3	S
Graduate
ASTR 5010	Astrophysical Processes	3	O	Fall
ASTR 5110	Astronomical Techniques	3	O	Fall
ASTR 5340	Introductory Radio Astronomy	3	E	Fall
ASTR 5350	Radio Astronomy Instrumentation	3	SI	Spring
ASTR 5420	The Interstellar Medium	3	E	Spring
ASTR 5430	Stellar Astrophysics	3	O	Fall
ASTR 5440	Stellar Astrophysics II	3	IR	Spring
ASTR 5450	High Energy Astrophysics	3	E	Fall
ASTR 5460	Binary Stars	3	SI
ASTR 5480	Evolution of the Universe	3	O	Spring
ASTR 5500, 5510	Topical Seminar	3	IR
ASTR 5610	Galactic Structure and Stellar Populations	3	E	Spring
ASTR 5630	Extragalactic Astronomy I	3	O	Spring
ASTR 5640	Extragalactic Astronomy II	3	IR	Fall
ASTR 5800	Introductory Astrochemistry	3	Y	Fall

*Code:

S - every semester (Fall, Spring)
Y - every year (one semester)
O - every other year with Fall semester in odd year
E - every other year with Fall semester in even year
SI - offered upon sufficient student interest
IR - offered irregularly

Requirements for the Astronomy Major

FAQs for the Astronomy Major

Last Updated August 15 2022

Current Director of the Undergraduate Program (DUP) and Astronomy-Physics BS majors advisor in the Astronomy Department:
Michael Skrutskie (mfs4n@virginia.edu; Fall 2022 Semester),
Steven Majewski (srm4n@virginia.edu; Spring 2023 Semester )
Current Director of the Undergraduate Program (DUP) in the Physics Department:
Cass Sackett (cas8m@virginia.edu)
Current Astronomy BA majors advisor:
Shane Davis (swd8g@virginia.edu)

If you have any questions, please email the Astronomy BA majors advisor or set up a time to meet.

Be aware that there are two astronomy related majors, with different emphasis: Astronomy BA and Astronomy-Physics BS. This document assumes you are pursuing the astronomy BA major. More information about the two majors can be found on our department website under Academics->Undergraduate. We have tried to organize the following as a FAQ for convenience.

What is the purpose of having two different astronomy majors?

The majors are meant to cater to different career aspirations and student circumstances. Although there are jobs within the astronomy field that do not require going to graduate school, many professional astronomers have a PhD degree in astronomy, physics, or a related field. This includes university faculty, but also scientists and staff at national labs and observatory facilities. Hence, deciding whether you want to go to graduate school is an important choice since completing graduate school can open up more career opportunities within astronomy. Astronomy graduate programs generally have many more applications than they have slots for incoming students so admission tends to be highly competitive.

The Astronomy-Physics major is designed to prepare students for graduate studies in physics and astronomy. Many astronomy PhD programs are joint between astronomy and physics or have astronomy as a subset of the physics program. Even separate astronomy programs like ours at UVA usually expect admitted students to have a solid undergraduate preparation in physics and the corequisite mathematics. Some (but not all) programs have the Physics GRE exam as a requirement of their application process. The Astronomy-Physics major course requirements reflect these expectations.

What is the purpose of the Astronomy BA major?

Not all careers in astronomy require a PhD. For example, an Astronomy major may be more appropriate for students who want to pursue careers in education, communications, journalism, or aerospace, among others. Astronomy is also sometimes a major for students on a pre-health track. For these reasons it is designed with fewer course requirement to make it easier to pursue as a double major.

Another motivation for the major is that the heavy course requirements for the Astronomy-Physics program can make it a challenge to complete for students who decide to pursue the major at a later stage of college or after transferring to UVA. The fewer number of course requirements allows students interested in graduate school to still take many of the physics and mathematics courses required by the Astronomy-Physics major, but without the pressure to fulfill all of the requirements.

Finally, with the evolution of astronomy as a field, there are more interdisciplinary tracks available than in the past. Although most astronomers still need a significant physics preparation, there are increasing opportunities for astrobiology and astrochemistry, and there have long been connections to geology/geophysics in the form of planetary sciences that focus on planets and other objects in our solar system. If you are interested in these areas, you may want to pair an astronomy major with a biology, chemistry, or environmental sciences degree. This may be more tractable with the Astronomy major with its fewer overall course requirements.

If your goal is to complete the Astronomy BA major as preparation for graduate school in Astronomy or any of these related fields, please make that clear to your advisor so they can advise you accordingly. If you think the Astronomy-Physics program is better suited to your goals, you should discuss declaring that major with the Astronomy BS majors advisor listed above.

The Astronomy BA seems right for me. How do I apply?

If you are not yet ready to fill out the form and just have questions, contact the Astronomy BA major advisor listed above via email. The key step in declaring the major is to fill out the declaration of major form that can found here: https://college.as.virginia.edu/forms.

A description of the requirements for the major can be found here: https://astronomy.as.virginia.edu/undergraduate-studies/major#requirements-for-the-astronomy-major

For the form itself, you can list the majors advisor as the departmental contact. It often works best if you meet with the majors advisor to discuss filling out the form together.

How should I choose the 3000+ level elective courses?

This depends on your goals for the major. Our elective 3000 level courses are mostly intended to be open to non-science majors who are interested in astronomy and require relatively few mathematical prerequisites (with some exceptions). Hence, these courses are meant to offer an introduction to specialized areas of study within astronomy, but often without requiring significant prior course preparation.

This means that not all of these courses are ideal for graduate school preparation. If your primary goal is to pursue graduate study in astronomy, you may want to look more closely at the 4000 level course options (e.g., ASTR 4810 Astrophysics, ASTR 4993 Tutorial, ASTR 4140 Research Methods in Astrophysics) for courses that are more focused on graduate school preparation. Note, however, that this means that many of these courses have more significant course prerequisites in math and physics.

If you are not planning on attending graduate school, you should simply choose the courses that are of most interest to you and work within your schedule. Please keep in mind that most courses are taught only in the spring or fall, and that these courses may not always be offered due to faculty leave or other circumstances making an instructor unavailable.

How does the department communicate information to astronomy majors?

The department sends important communications via email to the astro-ugrads email list. This is an opt-in list, but all majors are expected to subscribe. To subscribe to the list, go to the UVA sympa website and log in with netbadge. The website link is here: https://lists.virginia.edu/sympa. You can search for “astro-ugrads” and subscribe to the list. Note that you will likely need to be logged in for the list to show up in your search results. If you have challenges subscribing to the list, email the majors advisor.

What activities does the department do to support and mentor undergraduate majors?

There are many activities, opportunities, and social events available to majors. These are too many to easily list here and the details vary from year to year. Hence, it is important to sign up for the astro-ugrads email list above, since this the best way to learn about events and opportunities within the department. There is also an undergraduate astronomy club: https://atuva.student.virginia.edu/organization/astroclub. Many undergraduates participate in outreach programs, such as observatory public nights. Undergraduates are also welcome to participate in departmental DEI activities, and may serve on the DEI committee.

The graduate students in the department run several programs that may be of interest. They oversee a mentoring program that pairs undergraduates with graduate student mentors. This is particularly aimed at students who are interested in applying to graduate school. There is also an annual research symposium that allows undergraduates to present the research that they have participated in. In recent semesters, there have also been mentoring pods that group together department members at a variety of career stages.

How should I pursue undergraduate research and what opportunities are available?

Pursuing a significant vaiety of research opportunities is an important part of preparation for graduate school and a good way to get a deeper understanding of astronomy as a field even if you do not plan to attend graduate school. At least one semester of supervised research is necessary to complete the Senior Thesis requirement.

There are numerous opportunities for undergraduate research. Undergraduate research is most often performed for course credit (ASTR 4993 Tutorial; ASTR 4998 Senior Thesis) or paid summer research. Many faculty and staff within the department supervise research, but there are also local opportunities to do research with astronomers and scientists at the nearby National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO).

A list of local research project opportunities is maintained here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/10_BDbgVemU01NuH5YuNsZ3pQkYO5S1TJ9ar1WY0L4-I/edit#gid=193942068. Note that this is not a comprehensive list of available projects and there are many more faculty and staff who are willing to supervise research who are not listed here.

What steps do I need to take for the Senior Thesis course (ASTR 4998)?

The first step is to identify a list of potential research supervisors. This is often, but not exclusively, departmental faculty. In addition to faculty, anyone listed on the departmental website as research staff, research associates, or visiting faculty is a potential thesis supervisor. Most of our visiting faculty are astronomers at the NRAO. Some faculty in related departments (e.g., Environmental Science, Physics) have supervised senior thesis projects in the past if they work on astronomy related research. The ASTR 1610 Intro to Astronomical Research course is a one-credit course that is highly recommended for introducing students to the range of research undertaken in the department. The department Research webpage -- https://astronomy.as.virginia.edu/research -- is another starting point for finding potential research supervisors in a research area of interest to you. From there you may find more detailed information linked to a researcher’s homepage in the department People listing: https://astronomy.as.virginia.edu/people/all .

Once you have identified a prospective advisor, it is important to email them or talk to them to confirm that they are able to supervise a thesis. Potential supervisors must be contacted before enrolling in the course and starting at least a few weeks before the enrollment period for the semester you plan to take the course is recommended. Be sure to make clear whether you intend to take one semester or two semesters of ASTR 4998.

Students should not be intimidated to take the initiative of contacting potential research advisors by email or in person. Researchers are not only generally open to being contacted, but faculty fully expect to receive such inquiries, because advising students is a normal part of faculty life. That said, not every faculty member may be able to take on new advisees in a particular semester, and so it is worthwhile to reach out to several potential advisors. If your first-choice supervisor is not available, you should not be discouraged as there are many people to choose from. If you are still unsure of who might be an option or otherwise have difficulties finding a supervisor, please get in touch with the majors advisor.

Once a professor has agreed to supervise you, you can enroll in the course via SIS. If you do not see the supervisor listed as an option, email Prof. Murphy (emm8x@virginia.edu) and he will add the supervisor. Enrollment must then be approved. Since SIS may not notify the supervisor of your request to enroll, you will need to email them to let them know they need to approve the enrollment. If the supervisor is unsure of how to do this, direct them to the majors advisor for instructions.

How does the Senior Thesis course (ASTR 4998) work?

The details of the course are dependent on the supervisor and different supervisors have different approaches and expectations. These expectations should be discussed with the supervisor as early as possible, ideally before the course even begins. Typically, students meet with their supervisor at least once per week, although this may depend on the structure of the supervisor’s research group and some students may also work closely with graduate students or postdoctoral researchers.

Each student will be expected to complete a senior thesis by end of the semester (or the end of the second semester, if two semesters of ASTR 4998 are taken). Again, the requirements and expectations should be discussed with the supervisor. The completed thesis must be submitted to the majors advisor and uploaded to the library website before graduation. Instructions for this are spelled out here https://static.lib.virginia.edu/uvalibappfiles/2021-06/Optional_Student_Deposit_2021.pdf and a reminder is usually sent out near the end of the spring semester. Students completing the thesis in the fall should discuss the protocol with the majors advisor.

The assigning of a grade is the responsibility of the supervisor, who is the instructor for the course and who assesses the student based on the criteria established at the beginning of the semester. The senior thesis may be taken for two semesters, but only one final document needs to be produced and submitted.

Examples of previous senior theses can be found by search the Library’s LIBRA database for astronomy thesis projects. Recent ones can be found here: https://search.lib.virginia.edu/search?mode=advanced&pool=uva_library&q=keyword%3A%20%7Bastronomy%7D&sort=SortDatePublished_desc&filter=%7B%22FilterResourceType%22%3A%5B%22Theses%22%5D,%22FilterDigitalCollection%22%3A%5B%22Libra%20ETD%20Repository%22%5D,%22FilterDepartment%22%3A%5B%22Department%20of%20Astronomy%22,%22Astronomy%22%5D%7D

Additional information about the Senior Thesis can be found here: https://astronomy.as.virginia.edu/undergraduate-studies/major#senior-theses-astr-4998-information

How does the tutorial course (ASTR 4993) work?

Tutorial functions exactly as the senior thesis described above, with the exception that there is no requirement for a thesis to be produced and submitted to the library. The tutorial supervisor may, however, request a write up of research as part of the tutorial. These expectations should be discussed at the start of the course. As with senior thesis, the tutorial may be taken for credit for up to two semesters. The supervisors for the two semesters may differ.

I have an issue with transfer credit, SIS not showing requirements completed, or I am hoping to substitute another course for one of the Astronomy major requirements. What do I do?

All of these and related issues should be brought up with the majors advisor as early as possible. In some cases, it is possible to grant exceptions in SIS for issues that might arise. It is, however, important to be aware that the granting of such exceptions are subject to Astronomy Department policies and College of Arts and Sciences rules.

I have a question not covered here. What do I do?

Promptly email the majors advisor if you have any questions or concerns. Don’t wait! The earlier issues or questions are addressed, the easier it is to modify plans and make adjustments.

Requirements for the Astronomy-Physics Major

The Bachelor of Science degree in Astronomy-Physics is a program offered jointly by the Astronomy and Physics Departments. This major prepares the student for graduate study in astronomy, physics, computer science, and related fields. The curriculum is listed in the tabulation below. A senior thesis is required.

Prospective Astronomy-Physics Majors are strongly urged to consult with the Director of the Undergraduate Program in Astronomy during registration week of their first semester at the University. For Fall 2022, Mike Skrutskie (mfs4n@virginia.edu) will be acting director while Steven Majewski (srm4n@virginia.edu) is on sabbatical.

Required Courses for the Astronomy-Physics Major:

Arts & Sciences Area Requirements:

Students in the College of Arts and Sciences must complete the College General Education Requirements or the traditional College Competency and Area Requirements, unless they are an Echols Scholar or otherwise exempt.

Astronomy courses:

ASTR 2110, 2120 Introduction to Astrophysics
ASTR 3130 Observational Astronomy
ASTR 4993 Tutorial (no longer required for students entering Fall 2021)
ASTR 4998 Senior Thesis
Two ASTR 3xxx-5xxx electives (ASTR 4810 (Astrophysics) is highly encouraged as an elective choice for students with an interest in graduate school)
(ASTR 1610 recommended but not required)

Physics Courses:

For majors entering UVa Fall 2021

PHYS 1420 + 1429, 2410 + 2419 (PHYS 1425, 2415 is equivalent to PHYS 1420/2410 and has more scheduling options)
PHYS 2620, 2720, 3210, 3310, 3340 (or PHYS 3559 or MATH 4210), 3420, 3430, 3650
(PHYS 1660 recommended but not required)

Computing Course:

PHYS 2660 (In Fall 2022, PHYS 1559 is replacing PHYS 2660. In subsequent semesters, it will be PHYS 1655)

Mathmatics Courses:

MATH 1310,1320, 2310, 3250, 4220

A typical schedule for taking these courses for majors entering in Fall 2022 is shown below. This includes some of the College area requirements, but these are not required for the major.

Year	Fall Semester	Hours	Spring Semester	Hours
FIRST	PHYS 1660¹ - Practical Computing (recommended)	1	ASTR 1610¹ (recommended) Intro Astro Research	1
	MATH 1310 Calculus I	4	MATH 1320 Calculus II	4
	Literacies (including ENWR if required)	3	PHYS 1420 Intro Physics 1	3
	Literacies or Disciplines	3	PHYS 1429 Physics 1 Workshop	1
	Engagements	4	Literacies (including ENWR if required)	3
			Engagements	4
	Total	15	Total	16

SECOND	ASTR 2110 Introduction to Astrophysics I	3	ASTR 2120 Introduction to Astrophysics II	3
	MATH 2310 Calculus III	4	MATH 3250 Ordinary Differential Equations	4
	PHYS 2410 Intro Physics 2	3	PHYS 2620 Modern Physics	4
	PHYS 2419 Intro Physics 2 Workshop	1	PHYS 2720 Problem Solving	2
	PHYS 2660 Scientific Computing or PHYS 1655 Python for Scientists and Engineers	3	Literacies (World Languages) / Disciplines	3-4
	Total	14	Total	16-17

THIRD	MATH 4220 Partial Differential Equations	3	ASTR 3130 Observational Astro.	4
	PHYS 3210 Classical Mechanics	3	PHYS 3420 Electricity and Magnetism I	3
	PHYS 3650 Quantum Mechanics I	3	PHYS 3340(3559) Math for Physics	3
	Literacies (World Languages) / Disciplines X 2	6-7	Literacies (World Languages), Disciplines, and/or ASTR 4993 X 2	6-7
	Total	15-16	Total	16-17

FOURTH	ASTR 4810 Astrophysics	3	3000-5000 level ASTR	3
	(or 3000-5000 level ASTR)		ASTR 4998 Thesis	3
	PHYS 3310 Statistical Physics	3	Literacies (World Languages) / Disciplines X 3	9
	PHYS 3430 Electricity and Magnetism II	3
	Literacies (World Languages) / Disciplines X 2	6
	Total	15	Total	15

¹Note that ASTR 1610 and PHYS 1660 are not required but are recommended.

Many students find that taking courses in the summer session can help them catch up if they are behind in the major or open up more options during the fall and spring semesters. Currently the following are available in the summer session:

PHYS 1425 (Intro Physics 1 for Engineers - equivalent to 1420) + PHYS 1429 (Intro Physics 1 Workshop)
PHYS 2415 (Intro Physics 2 for Engineers - equivalent to 2410) + PHYS 2419 (Intro Physics 2 Workshop)
PHYS 2620 (Modern Physics)
MATH 1310 (Calculus I) - also APMA 1090 in Engineering which is equivalent
MATH 1320 (Calculus II) - also APMA 1110 in Engineering
MATH 2310 (Calculus III) - also APMA 2120 in Engineering
APMA 2130 (Ordinary Differential Equations) - equivalent to MATH 3250

FAQs for Astronomy-Physics Major

Last Updated August 15, 2022

Current Director of the Undergraduate Program (DUP) and Astronomy-Physics BS majors advisor in the Astronomy Department:
Michael Skrutskie (mfs4n@virginia.edu; Fall 2022 Semester),
Steven Majewski (srm4n@virginia.edu; Spring 2023 Semester)
Current Director of the Undergraduate Program (DUP) in the Physics Department:
Cass Sackett (cas8m@virginia.edu)
Current Astronomy BA majors advisor:
Shane Davis (swd8g@virginia.edu)

Be aware that there are two astronomy related majors, with different emphasis: Astronomy BA and Astronomy-Physics BS. This document assumes you are pursuing the Astronomy-Physics BS major. More information about the two majors can be found on our department website under Academics -> Undergraduate. We have tried to organize the following as a FAQ for convenience.

If you have any additional questions about the Astronomy-Physics degree program not answered below, please email either of the DUPs listed above or set up a time to meet. The Astronomy Department DUP is the principal contact in our department for the Astronomy-Physics BS.

What is the purpose of having two different astronomy majors?

The two majors are meant to cater to different career aspirations and student circumstances. Although there are jobs within the astronomy field that do not require going to graduate school, most professional astronomers have a PhD degree in astronomy, physics, or a related field. This includes university faculty, but also scientists and staff at national labs and observatory facilities. Hence, deciding whether you want to go to graduate school is an important choice, because completing graduate school can open up more career opportunities within astronomy. Astronomy or astrophysics graduate programs generally have many more applications than they have slots for incoming students, so admission tends to be highly competitive.

What is the purpose of the Astronomy BA major?

Not all careers in astronomy require a PhD. For example, an Astronomy BA major may be more appropriate for students who want to pursue careers in education, communications, journalism, or aerospace, among others. The Astronomy BA major is also sometimes pursued by students on a pre-health track. For these reasons, it is designed with fewer course requirements to make it easier to pursue as a double major.

Another motivation for the major is that the heavy course requirements for the Astronomy-Physics program can make it a challenge to complete for students who decide to pursue the major at a later stage of college or after transferring to UVA. The fewer number of course requirements for the Astronomy BA allows students interested in graduate school to still take many of the physics and mathematics courses required by the Astronomy-Physics BS major, but without the pressure to fulfill all of the requirements (see below).

Finally, with the evolution of astronomy as a field, there are more interdisciplinary tracks available than in the past. Although most astronomers still need significant physics preparation, there are increasing opportunities for astrobiology and astrochemistry, and there have long been connections to geology/geophysics in the form of planetary sciences, which focus on planets and other objects in our solar system. If you are interested in these areas, you may want to pair an astronomy major with a biology, chemistry, or environmental sciences degree. This may be more tractable with the Astronomy major, with its fewer overall course requirements compared to the Astronomy-Physics major.

If your goal is to complete the Astronomy BA major as preparation for graduate school in Astronomy or any of these related fields, please make that clear to your advisor so they can advise you accordingly. If you think the Astronomy-Physics BS program is better suited to your goals, you should discuss declaring that major with the Astronomy-Physics BS majors advisors listed above.

Who administers the Astronomy-Physics B.S. program and who advises students in it?

The Astronomy-Physics BS is a joint degree offered by the Astronomy and Physics Departments. Thus, both departments have a vested interest in tracking students taking on this challenging degree, and students who are in this program are required to meet every semester with advisors from both departments.

The Astronomy Department DUP listed above serves as the Astronomy-Physics BS majors advisor from that department. On the other hand, there are multiple majors advisors in the Physics Department. After meeting with the Physics Department DUP to declare your major, you will be assigned one of the advisors in that department.

Your Physics Department advisor will be more adept at answering questions about the Physics course sequence and requirements, whereas your Astronomy Department advisor above will be more adept at answering the Astronomy course sequence and requirements.

When should I get started on the B.S. degree?

The Astronomy-Physics BS degree requirements and the “typical schedule” of courses students take are listed on this website: https://astronomy.as.virginia.edu/undergraduate-studies/major#AstroPhysMaj . As you will see there, the number of Physics, Math, and Astronomy Department courses required to complete the major is large and, because of pre-requisites, there are some strong constraints on the order in which courses are completed. Therefore, if you have a sense that you may be interested in the B.S. degree, you are urged to get started on the sequence with the lower division courses as soon as possible, even if you wait to declare the major.

Note that the lower division MATH and PHYS courses for both the Astronomy BA and Astronomy-Physics BS degrees have a strong, but not 100% overlap, which allows you to delay choosing between the two degrees until your second year. However, starting in the fall semester of the second year, the courses expected to be taken for the two degrees start to diverge, and you should pay special attention to keep the B.S. option tractable if you are still undecided (e.g., ASTR 2110 and 2120 can be used for either the B.A. or B.S. degree, but ASTR 1210 and 1220 cannot be used for the B.S. degree).

What if I’m interested in the B.S., but I’ve transferred into UVa or have decided to try the major later than usual?

As mentioned above, the heavy course requirements for the Astronomy-Physics BS program can make it a challenge to complete for students who decide to pursue the major at a later stage of college or after transferring to UVA. Students who get transfer or other credit for required lower division courses have a better chance of “catching up”. Sometimes it is possible to take summer courses, either at UVa or another university, to fill holes in a student’s background, though students are strongly advised to make sure that UVa will transfer the credit before proceeding (please check with your majors advisors!). But, more often than not, students who transfer or want to begin the program after their second year find that they simply cannot make enough time in their schedule to complete the required courses and/or make the pre-requisite sequence work, especially considering that many of the required courses are only offered once per academic year.

Students in this situation who are hoping to go to graduate school in astronomy or astrophysics should consider an “enhanced Astronomy BA” route. As mentioned above, the fewer number of course requirements for the Astronomy BA allows students makes it possible take many of the physics and mathematics courses required by the Astronomy-Physics BS major, but without the pressure to fulfill all of the requirements; nevertheless, students considering the “enhanced Astronomy BA” path should strive to take additional upper level MATH and PHYS courses and the more demanding versions of courses (e.g., for the 3000-level ASTR electives) whenever possible to best set themselves up for graduate studies. Make sure to make clear to the B.S. Astronomy-Physics majors advisor your intentions for graduate study, so that you can get the best advice regarding course selection.

The Astronomy-Physics BS seems right for me. How do I apply?

If you are not yet ready to declare the major and just have questions, contact either the Astronomy or Physics Department DUP listed above via email.

Declaring a major for a joint degree program is more complicated than for other majors, because paperwork filed with the College is coming from both departments, and unfortunately the registrar’s system is not well set-up for this situation. Therefore, presently, we have agreed on a specific sequence of steps for declaring the Astronomy-Physics BS major:

Make sure to look at the degree requirements and the “typical schedule” for the courses listed on this website, to see if you can complete them:
https://astronomy.as.virginia.edu/undergraduate-studies/major#AstroPhysMaj .
As a tool to help you check this, please fill out the google form found here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1iWzlClJItJevnxgj1mpoBeV24h7rZMboH-WKmjJmNe0/edit
This form will also be an aid to the majors advisors to check that you are on track to complete the degree, so make sure you do this before proceeding to the next step.
Once you have filled out the google form, send an email to the Astronomy Department DUP to set up an appointment to meet.
After meeting with the Astronomy Department DUP, meet with the Physics Department DUP, who will also help you with the key step of filling out the declaration of major form found here: https://college.as.virginia.edu/forms.
The Physics Department DUP will sign the form and send it back to the Astronomy Department DUP for signature. You will also be given a Physics Department advisor at this point (the Astronomy Department DUP also serves as the Astronomy Department advisor for the B.S. degree).

How should I choose the 3000+ level elective courses?

Students should be aware that most of the ASTR 3000-level courses are intended for non-science majors who are interested in astronomy and require relatively few mathematical prerequisites. Hence, these courses are typically meant to offer an introduction to specialized areas of study within astronomy, but often without requiring significant prior course preparation. One exception is the ASTR 3130 course, which is the required laboratory course for both the B.A. and B.S. degrees.

This means that the majority of the 3000-level courses are not ideal for graduate school preparation. If your primary goal is to pursue graduate study in astronomy, you may want to look more closely at the 4000 level course options (e.g., ASTR 4810 Astrophysics, ASTR 4993 Tutorial, ASTR 4140 Research Methods in Astrophysics) for courses that are more focused on graduate school preparation. Note, however, that this means that many of these courses have more significant course prerequisites in math and physics. Strong students might also consider a graduate (i.e., 5000-level) course, but you are strongly advised to discuss this with the Astronomy-Physics BS advisor first. Courses at the 3000+ level are typically only offered one semester per academic year, and occasionally may not be offered at all in a year due to faculty leave or other circumstances making an instructor unavailable.

What is the Distinguished Majors Program (DMP)?
Distinguished majors are recognized as students who have not only completed the B.S. degree requirements, but have gone beyond those requirements and done so at the highest levels of academic achievement. Among the extra course requirements for the DMP is a second semester of Senior Thesis and one extra upper level PHYS course (PHYS 3660 or a PHYS 5000+ level course). In addition, the elective ASTR courses must be at the 4000+ level (not counting ASTR 4993 or 4998). The PHYS 5000+ and ASTR 4000+ levels afford these students an opportunity to pursue specialties (e.g., in gravitation, optics, data-oriented studies, etc.). Finally, students must maintain a GPA of 3.4 or better. The final GPA will determine whether the student is conferred a degree with Distinction (GPA = 3.4-3.6), High Distinction (3.6-3.8), or Highest Distinction (3.8-4.0).
How does the department communicate information to astronomy majors?

What activities does the department do to support and mentor undergraduate majors?

There are many activities, opportunities, and social events available to majors. These are too many to easily list here and the details vary from year to year. Hence, it is important to sign up for the astro-ugrads email list above, since this is the best way to learn about events and opportunities within the department. There is also an undergraduate astronomy club: https://atuva.student.virginia.edu/organization/astroclub. Many undergraduates participate in outreach programs, such as observatory public nights and the Dark Skies, Bright Kids program. Undergraduates are also welcome to participate in departmental DEI activities, and may serve on the DEI committee.

How should I pursue undergraduate research and what opportunities are available?

Pursuing a significant variety of research opportunities is an important part of preparation for graduate school and a good way to get a deeper understanding of astronomy as a field even if you do not plan to pursue a research career. At least one semester of supervised research is necessary to complete the Senior Thesis requirement.

Many undergraduate students also apply to external research opportunities and summer internships, such as Research Experience for Undergraduate (REU) programs. Application deadlines for many of these programs begin in January and acceptance into these programs can be highly competitive. Most programs require a letter from a research supervisor or related reference. Hence, it is often useful to have local research experience before applying to these external programs. Students participating in REU programs have a chance to demonstrate their abilities to scientists outside of UVa, and strong reference letters from REU advisors are often well-regarded as more impartial, “external checks” of students by graduate program recruiters. If you are interested in such programs, you should ask your majors advisor about them – the earlier you start preparing, the better.

The National Science Foundation supports numerous REU programs and is a good place to start a search. A list of current NSF-supported REU programs can be found here: https://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/list_result.jsp?unitid=5045

NASA also has a broad program of “internships” available. The portal to these programs is here: https://intern.nasa.gov/#info-intern-0

What steps do I need to take for the Senior Thesis course (ASTR 4998)?

Students should not be intimidated to take the initiative of contacting potential research advisors by email or in person. Researchers are not only generally open to being contacted, but faculty fully expect to receive such inquiries, because advising students is a normal part of faculty life. That said, not every faculty member may be able to take on new advisees in a particular semester, and so it is worthwhile to reach out to several potential advisors. If your first-choice supervisor is not available, you should not be discouraged as there are many people to choose from. However, the sooner you work on contacting potential supervisors, the better will be your chance of getting your first choice. If you are still unsure of who might be an option or otherwise have difficulties finding a supervisor, please get in touch with the majors advisor.

How does the Senior Thesis course (ASTR 4998) work?

Additional information about the Senior Thesis can be found here: https://astronomy.as.virginia.edu/undergraduate-studies/major#senior-theses-astr-4998-information

How does the Tutorial (ASTR 4993) course work?

I have an issue with transfer credit, SIS not showing requirements completed, or I am hoping to substitute another course for one of the Astronomy major requirements. What do I do?

I have a question not covered here. What do I do?

Promptly email the majors advisor if you have any questions or concerns. Don’t wait! The earlier issues or questions are addressed, the easier it is to modify plans and make adjustments.

Requirements for the Distinguished Astronomy-Physics Major

Senior Theses (ASTR 4998) Information

The Senior Thesis (ASTR 4998) in Astronomy

Whether you plan a career as an astrophysicist, as a teacher, or a user of astronomical data and information, an understanding of how astronomical research is undertaken, assessed, and/or reported is a key aspect of your undergraduate training. The required ASTR 4998 Senior Thesis course is designed to give that real life experience, and is often considered the capstone of your degree in astronomy or astronomy-physics.

At least one semester of supervised research is necessary to complete the Senior Thesis requirement for either the BA Astronomy or the BS Astronomy-Physics degree. Two semesters of Senior Thesis are required for those intending to complete the Distinguished Majors Program.

The work undertaken as part of the Senior Thesis is expected to entail significant and original research. It is not unusual for some Senior Thesis work eventually to be published in peer-reviewed journals, which is an ideal, but not necessary outcome.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Senior Theses (ASTR 4998) in Astronomy

What steps do I need to take for the Senior Thesis course (ASTR 4998)?

The first step is to identify a list of potential research supervisors. This is often, but not exclusively, departmental faculty. In addition to faculty, anyone listed on the departmental website as research staff, research associates, or visiting faculty is a potential thesis supervisor. Most of our visiting faculty are astronomers at the NRAO. Some faculty in related departments (e.g. environmental sciences, physics) have supervised senior thesis projects in the past if they work on astronomy related research. The ASTR 1610 Intro to Astronomical Research course is a one-credit course that is highly recommended for introducing students to the range of research undertaken in the department. The department Research webpage -- https://astronomy.as.virginia.edu/research -- is another starting point for finding potential research supervisors in a research area of interest to you. From there you may find more detailed information linked to a researcher’s homepage in the department People listing: https://astronomy.as.virginia.edu/people/all .

Students should not be intimidated to take the initiative of contacting potential research advisors by email or in person. Researchers are not only generally open to being contacted, but faculty fully expect to receive such inquiries, because advising students is a normal part of faculty life. That said, not every faculty member may be able to take on new advisees in a particular semester, and so it is worthwhile to reach out to several potential advisors. If your first-choice supervisor is not available, you should not be discouraged as there are many people to choose from. However, the sooner you work on contacting potential supervisors, the better will be your chance of getting your first choice. If you are still unsure of who might be an option or otherwise have difficulties finding a supervisor, please get in touch with the majors advisor.

How does the Senior Thesis (ASTR 4998) course work?

Each student will be expected to complete a written senior thesis by end of the semester (or the end of the second semester, if two semesters of ASTR 4998 are taken). Again, the requirements and expectations should be discussed with the supervisor. The completed thesis must be submitted to the department administrator (Gabby Fuller, gfuller@virginia.edu) and uploaded to the library website before graduation. Instructions for this are spelled out here: https://static.lib.virginia.edu/uvalibappfiles/2021-06/Optional_Student_Deposit_2021.pdf. A reminder is usually sent out near the end of the spring semester. Students completing the thesis in the fall should discuss the protocol with the majors advisor.

The assignment of a grade is the responsibility of the supervisor, who is the instructor for the course and who assesses the student against the expectations and criteria established at the beginning of the semester. The senior thesis may be taken for two semesters, but only one final document needs to be produced and submitted (although a grade will be assigned for each semester).

What does a typical Senior Thesis look like?

Examples of previous Senior Theses can be found by search the Library’s LIBRA database for astronomy thesis projects. Recent ones can be found here: https://search.lib.virginia.edu/search?mode=advanced&pool=uva_library&q=keyword%3A%20%7Bastronomy%7D&sort=SortDatePublished_desc&filter=%7B%22FilterResourceType%22%3A%5B%22Theses%22%5D,%22FilterDigitalCollection%22%3A%5B%22Libra%20ETD%20Repository%22%5D,%22FilterDepartment%22%3A%5B%22Department%20of%20Astronomy%22,%22Astronomy%22%5D%7D

Note that this is a collection of all department theses, independent of the final, assigned grade that the students received.

Who gets copies of the Senior Thesis?

One copy of your completed thesis needs to be sent to your supervisor for grading, another copy needs to be deposited with the department for our records (sent to the department administrator, Gabby Fuller - gfuller@virginia.edu), and a third copy is stored permanently in the University of Virginia Library. You will be sent instructions from the Library on how to submit this publicly accessible copy, or see the link given above.

What is the deadline for the student submitting the Senior Thesis?

This should be agreed upon between the student and instructor. However, the last possible deadline is the last day of Final Exams for that semester, although this gives the instructor a minimal amount of time for evaluation of the Thesis. Therefore, it is much safer if the deadline is set earlier than this, at least for students who are planning to graduate this May.

What is the deadline for the instructor submitting the grade for ASTR 4998?

It is the second business day after the last final exam. Note that this is a HARD DEADLINE. If the student is a 4th year student, and the grade is NOT turned in by this date, THEY WILL NOT GRADUATE.

What are the requirements for the Senior Thesis?

The requirements for the Senior Thesis are intentionally vague, as we have a wide range of BA Astronomy and BS Astronomy-Physics majors with widely differing professional interests. For example, we have BA Astronomy majors who intend to teach science at the high school level. So, for them, the thesis might involve constructing a plan for a class, or writing a thesis compiling research on best practices for STEM education. For most of the BS Astronomy-Physics majors, it is a scientific research project that might result in a refereed scientific paper or a section of one, and may include an oral presentation or “defense” of the work, at the discretion of the supervisor.

The minimum requirements for the class are that:

The student meet with the instructor an average of at least once a week.
The student must complete a significant body of work, whose exact nature depends on the topic and the future plans of the student. The nature and extent of the required work should be agreed upon at the start of the semester by the student and instructor.
The student should treat ASTR 4998 as seriously as any other three-credit course, and spend as much time per week (about 10 hours) on the Senior Thesis research as is expected for a three-credit course, including contact hours, background reading, telescope observing or other lab work, and any other activities required for producing the thesis
If the student is in the final semester of their Senior Thesis, they must write a thesis whose format is appropriate to the work they have done. This might be a draft of a scientific paper, a paper based on a literature study of some area, or some other set of materials. If the primary output of the thesis work is in a non-textual digital form, the text of the thesis may be relatively short, but it should contain links to the digital results. The thesis will be submitted as a PDF file, and, accordingly:
1. The thesis should have a cover page giving the title, student’s name, instructor, date, "Department of Astronomy", "University of Virginia", and a statement of the form "This thesis is submitted in partial completion of the requirements of the (name of major).”, and date. The (name of major) is either “BA Astronomy Major” or “BS Astronomy-Physics Major”.
2. The thesis should have an Abstract on the second page giving a brief summary of the contents of the thesis and work done.
3. The body of the thesis may have whatever format is most appropriate for the work that was done. A reasonable length for a thesis that doesn’t have significant external digital content is around 20 pages. If the thesis is the draft of a scientific paper, it is both allowable and desirable if it is simply in the format for submission to the likely journal in which it would be published
4. The student must email the PDF file containing the full thesis to their instructor and to the Department Administrator (Gabby Fuller, gfuller@virginia.edu).
5. The PDF of the thesis must also be uploaded to the Libra system of the UVa library. There, it will live on and be publicly available forever. This means that the student can include the link to their thesis in applications for graduate school, fellowships, jobs, etc. Near the end of the semester, the student will receive an email from the Library explaining how to do the upload.
If the student is in the first semester of a two-semester senior thesis, they should write a report on the work accomplished thus far. This report should have a title and abstract. It should be submitted to the senior thesis supervisor.
At the end of the semester, the thesis supervisor is required to fill out an assessment form, which will be distributed to them. Students interested in seeing this grading rubric can see a version here.

On the first page of the form, the instructor gives the title of the thesis and the information about the student. There is a section for a description of the project, and the instructor’s evaluation of it. At most, one short paragraph each. The easiest thing to do is to use the abstract from the student’s thesis as the project description. At the bottom of the first page, you give the class grade.

There is a second page that is a table in which the thesis supervisor evaluates the student on a numerical scale (1-5) on various research skills. This info is compiled with the student names removed and sent to the State Council on Higher Education of Virginia, which requires that we evaluate the success of research classes. Some criteria in the evaluation may not apply, depending on the nature of the thesis; the supervisor can leave these categories blank or mark them “N/A”.

7) The thesis instructor must submit the grade in SIS (the Student Information System) adhering strictly to the deadlines above.

Can I have a non-UVa person be my Senior Thesis supervisor?

Formally, no, since only UVa faculty can be an instructor of record and assign a grade. However, it is sometimes the case that, for example, a student wishes to continue to work on a major project with a researcher from another institution after a summer internship. In such a case, the student needs to identify a UVa person qualified and willing to act as a co-supervisor of the work, and who will take responsibility to ensure that all Senior Thesis requirements are satisfied and assign a grade.

Can I have my summer internship or REU work count as my Senior Thesis?

Students cannot receive credit for paid research, e.g., from a summer internship or Research Experience for Undergraduates program. However, it is permissible to continue such research as part of a subsequent Senior Thesis (ASTR 4998) course. It is assumed that the work done during ASTR 4998 will be building on the previous, paid research.

Can my Senior Thesis be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal?

It is not unusual for some Senior Thesis work to eventually be published in peer-reviewed journals, which is an ideal, but not necessary outcome. That said, refereed publications in a students’ resume are often looked upon very favorably by graduate admissions committees. However, the peer-review process necessarily imposes a high bar on the quality and originality of the work, and therefore such substantial projects are often the product of students who have worked on the same research project for an extended period of time, potentially spanning one or more semesters of ASTR 4993, two semesters of ASTR 4998, and perhaps even additional summer internships with the supervisor. Moreover, special dedication on the behalf of both the student and their supervisor is generally required to see a research project through to journal publication.

Even if students do not achieve this ultimate goal with their research, it is often a good experience and a great way to get known in the astronomical community (and by graduate school admissions committees) to present your work as a poster or oral presentation at an astronomical conference. You should ask your supervisor about potential opportunities to do this.

What financial resources exist to support my research?

Students undertaking significant work like that undertaken for the Senior Thesis can often find financial support through various internal and external opportunities that is helpful to pay for travel (e.g., to observatories or labs to gather data, and for attending conferences to present the work) or to cover materials required for research. For example, the Virginia Space Grant Consortium ( https://vsgc.odu.edu) provides substantial undergraduate fellowships awards “to rising juniors and seniors who are enrolled full-time in a program of study in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) and have a specific faculty-mentored research project that has NASA or aerospace relevance.” In addition, the UVa Office of Undergraduate Research offers several grants for student research, outlined here: https://undergraduateresearch.virginia.edu/our-opportunities/grants.

Competing for these awards requires not only advanced planning, but sufficient in-depth knowledge about a project to write a competitive proposal. Thus, students already working on a research project or in a specific research area by or in their third year will have a decided advantage.

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