Assistant Professor: Edward C. Moran, Chair

Assistant Professor: Seth Redfield

Undergraduate Program

Departmental Advising Expert 2008–2009: William Herbst, Edward Moran

Department/Program Home Page

Introductory and general education courses. The Astronomy Department offers three general education courses (ASTR103, 105, and 107) intended for nonscience majors who want an introduction to various aspects of astronomy. These courses do not require calculus and are designed to meet the needs of students who will take only a few science courses during their time at Wesleyan. The standard introductory course for potential majors and other science-oriented students is ASTR155. It assumes a good high school preparation in physics and some knowledge of calculus. Potential majors with a good knowledge of astronomy may place out of this course by demonstrating proficiency in the material; anyone wishing to do so should speak with the instructor. ASTR211 is a sophomore-level course appropriate for interested nonmajors as well as a gateway course to the major.

Major requirements. The astronomy major is constructed to accommodate both students who are preparing for graduate school and those who are not. The basic requirement for the major is successful completion of the following courses: PHYS113, 116, 213, 214, and 215; MATH121, 122, and 221; and ASTR155, 211, 221, 222, 231, and 232. PHYS324 and MATH222 are strongly recommended but are not required. Additional upper-level physics courses are also recommended but are not required. Ability to program a computer in at least one of the widely used languages in the sciences, such as C, Fortran, or IDL, is also highly recommended. This does not necessarily mean that students should take a computer science course. Potential majors with graduate school aspirations should complete or place out of the basic physics and mathematics courses listed above, preferably by the end of their sophomore year, and should also take ASTR155 and ASTR211 during their first two years.

Since physics GRE scores are an important admission criterion at most astronomy graduate schools, those planning to go on for a PhD are advised to double major in physics. This can be accomplished by taking several of the following additional courses, normally in the junior and senior years: PHYS324, 313, 315, and 316. Check the published requirements for the physics major for more details and speak to your advisor.

Additional mathematics courses, such as MATH229, may also be chosen. Students considering graduate school are strongly urged to do a senior thesis project (ASTR409/410); honors in astronomy requires completion of a senior thesis.

All astronomy majors are to enroll each year in the 0.25-credit courses ASTR430 and ASTR431. These research-discussion courses provide a broad exposure and introduction to topics of current astronomical interest. Majors are also encouraged to serve as a teaching apprentice in a general education course at least once during their junior or senior years and to participate in the observing program with the 24-inch telescope of Van Vleck Observatory.

Graduate Program

The Department of Astronomy offers graduate work leading to the degree of master of arts. The small size of the department permits individualized instruction and a close working relationship between students and faculty. Students are expected to become involved in the research programs of the department early in their graduate careers. They also are expected to select courses offered in the areas of observational and theoretical astronomy and astrophysics; a graduate student normally takes at least one 500-level astronomy course each semester. Additional courses in physics and mathematics are recommended according to individual student needs. Two years are usually necessary to complete requirements for the MA degree. However, the department also offers a five-year combined BA plus MA program for Wesleyan students. Eligible astronomy majors who complete their undergraduate requirements in four years can enroll for a fifth year and obtain a master's degree upon successful completion of one year of graduate course work and a thesis. Primary research interests of the department are surveys for observational studies of young stars and protoplanetary disks, extragalactic emission-line objects, x-ray emission from galaxies and the x-ray background, and multiwavelength studies of actively star-forming galaxies and AGN.

Requirements for the Master's Degree

Courses. The student normally will enroll in at least one 500-level course in astronomy each semester and must complete ASTR521, 522, 531, and 532 (or their equivalents). These four courses make up the core of the astronomy curriculum and are similar in content to the 200-level courses of the same name but with some supplementary materials and special assignments. These supplements are designed especially for graduate students. A minimum of 10 credits, with grades of B- or better, is required for the MA degree. These may include two credits for research leading to the thesis, which is also required. The student may expect to take four to six courses in physics, mathematics or other sciences after consultation with the faculty of the department.

Admission to candidacy. To be admitted to candidacy, a student must take a written and oral qualifying examination demonstrating satisfactory understanding of several areas of astronomy, fundamental physics, and mathematics. This examination should be taken after the first year of study, although if circumstances warrant, it can be postponed until after the second year. If performance in this examination is not satisfactory, the student will either be asked not to continue or to repeat the examination. Students in the five-year MA program should take the qualifying exam at the end of their senior year or early in the fall semester.

Thesis and oral examination. Each candidate is required to write a thesis on a piece of original and publishable research carried out under the supervision of a faculty member. A thesis plan, stating the purpose and goals of the research, observational and other materials required, and uncertainties and difficulties that may be encountered, must be submitted to the department for approval after admission to candidacy. The thesis, in near-final form, must be submitted to the faculty at least one week prior to the scheduled oral examination. In this examination, the student must defend his or her work and must demonstrate a high level of understanding in the research area. The oral examination may touch on any aspect of the student's preparation. It is expected that the student will submit the results of his or her work to a research journal for publication.

General. The emphasis in the program is on research and scholarly achievement, but graduate students are expected to improve communication skills by classroom teaching, formal interaction with undergraduate students, and presenting talks to the observatory staff and to the community.

Last updated: March 28, 2008.

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