The UC Santa Cruz graduate program in astronomy and astrophysics is predominantly designed for Ph.D. students seeking a professional career in research and teaching, but with flexibility for students to prepare for careers outside of academia. In view of the thorough preparation in mathematics and physics required for graduate study, most entering astronomy graduate students major in physics or astrophysics as undergraduates.
The suggested minimum requirements for admission to graduate standing at UC Santa Cruz include the following undergraduate courses:
Basic physics.
Mechanics, wave motion, sound, light, electricity and magnetism, thermodynamics, atomic physics, and quantum mechanics.
Basic mathematics.
Calculus
MATH 19A | Calculus for Science, Engineering, and Mathematics | 5 |
MATH 19B | Calculus for Science, Engineering, and Mathematics | 5 |
MATH 23A | Vector Calculus | 5 |
MATH 23B | Vector Calculus | 5 |
And Statistics
Intermediate-level physics.
Intermediate-level mathematics.
The graduate curriculum consists of eight astronomy and astrophysics courses, including six required core courses and a choice of two elective courses. Students must additionally satisfy three equivalent educational requirements in the form of additional elective courses, research projects, independent study, or reading seminars. These requirements are detailed below.
Six courses are specifically required:
Electives
Choose two over the first two years
Equivalent Educational Requirements
Choose three over the first two years
Equivalent educational requirements (EER) may take one of several forms, and three pre-approved options are listed below. Other EERs may be approved by the department. Students must complete three EERs during their first two years.
EER Option 1: Additional Elective Courses (5 credit course = 1 EER)
PHYS 224
/ASTR 224
| Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology | 5 |
PHYS 226
/ASTR 226
| General Relativity | 5 |
EART 262 | Planetary Interiors | 5 |
EART 265 | Order of Magnitude Estimation | 5 |
EART 264 | Planetary Atmospheres | 5 |
AM 275
/EART 275
| Magnetohydrodynamics | 5 |
STAT 206 | Applied Bayesian Statistics | 5 |
AM 212A | Applied Partial Differential Equations | 5 |
AM 214 | Applied Dynamical Systems | 5 |
AM 217 | Introduction to Fluid Dynamics | 5 |
PHYS 210 | Classical Mechanics and Thermal Physics | 5 |
PHYS 215 | Introduction to Non-Relativistic Quantum Mechanics | 5 |
PHYS 216 | Advanced Topics in Non-Relativistic Quantum Mechanics | 5 |
PHYS 217 | Quantum Field Theory I | 5 |
PHYS 218 | Quantum Field Theory II | 5 |
EER Option 2: Parallel Research Project
One quarter equals one EER.
A parallel research project is scientific research conducted in parallel to a student’s thesis research, with faculty other than their primary adviser and in an area outside their primary research field. These projects will be designed to broaden the knowledge and skills of the student while increasing collaborative connections within the department, and may lead to publishable results. Each quarter students may choose from a department-provided list of faculty who have available research projects designed to be completed in approximately 10 weeks. The evaluation methodology of the course will be a review by the designated faculty member of the completed research project and a write-up of the results. This option may only be taken twice in satisfaction of EERs, and may only be taken once per quarter. This option may not be taken in the fall quarter of year one.
ASTR 294 | Pedagogy of Astrophysical Research | 5 |
EER Option 3: Reading Seminar
One quarter equals one EER.
A reading seminar is an independent study of the scientific literature or related subject matter, guided by a faculty member. Each quarter students may choose from a department-provided list of faculty who will supervise the seminar and select the course material. The goal is to broaden the knowledge of the students in a field where they do not plan to conduct active research, and a reading seminar in a student’s area of research will not qualify for an EER. Students will be required to meet with the faculty member over a 10-week period to discuss the papers. The evaluation methodology for the course will be an oral exam of the material, administered by the faculty member leading the seminar.
ASTR 294 | Pedagogy of Astrophysical Research | 5 |
Additional Selective Coursework
Students are encouraged to leverage their opportunities for taking additional courses during their P.h.D studies at UC Santa Cruz. If students desire to supplement the coursework required for the astronomy and astrophysics degree with additional domain classes in other departments or with classes likely to advance their career goals, they can take more courses throughout their graduate career. Students should consult with their Ph.D. advisor and the graduate advisor to identify appropriate additional courses.
Additional Degree Requirements
In addition to the curriculum described above, students must fulfill the following requirements:
Students must meet at least quarterly with an assigned adviser.
Each student must also be a teaching assistant for at least two quarters. See the teaching educational requirement.
By the time of the annual board review, which occurs in July at the end of their second academic year, students must:
- Complete one quarter of master's project research with a primary UC Santa Cruz advisor and give a department talk on that work.
- Maintain a 3.0 GPA average in the six required core courses, in which students must register for an assigned grade.
- Submit one lead-author paper to a refereed journal that is based on research conducted at UC Santa Cruz. By the time of the board review, second-year students are expected to either (1) have submitted a paper for publication to a refereed journal; or (2) submit to the board review a complete first draft of such a paper and a detailed plan for completion. If the student pursues option (2), they are expected to submit the paper for publication by the first day of the fall quarter, and provide the electronic submission acknowledgement for the paper to the chair of the graduate advising committee. If the student does not complete this requirement, they will meet with their adviser, the graduate advising committee chair, and the department chair before the first faculty meeting of the fall quarter, in order to discuss the status of the paper. The faculty at that meeting will then make a recommendation whether the student should be granted an extension to the next board review, and the full faculty will then vote on whether to grant an extension.
After passing the board review based on the above-mentioned requirements and the qualifying examination, students pursue independent research leading to the doctoral dissertation.