Astronomy & Astrophysics Major

The major in Astronomy and Astrophysics is a science- and physics-intensive path, intended for students who are planning on a graduate degree in Astronomy or a related field. The major builds on and enhances mathematical, quantitative and computational skills, emphasizes engagement in research, and provides a solid foundation to help students mount competitive applications for the country’s top graduate programs and non-academic careers in STEM.

Meet with an advisor: Students generally declare an astronomy major in their sophomore year. If you are thinking of an Astronomy major or minor, you should meet with an undergraduate advisor as soon as you begin considering it. This helps ensure you’re prepared with the right courses and can take advantage of all the opportunities the department has to offer. You do not need to complete all the prerequisites before declaring a major. 

Transfer students and students who are considering transitioning from a non-science path are especially encouraged to talk with an Astronomy academic advisor ASAP.

Prerequisite Courses: 

The A&A Major prerequisites include math through MATH 216 (i.e., Calc 1, 2, 3 and differential equations) and mathematical methods for science; General Physics and labs (Mechanics, Electricity and Magnetism, and Waves, Heat, and Light); and programming. It is strongly recommended to start the math and physics sequence as early as possible, and to plan on completing the math sequence before starting the senior year. 

Students may choose to take the Honors versions or more advanced courses covering the same topics, depending on their degree path. Most prerequisites may be met with transferred credits, and some may be fulfilled with AP credits; see an Astronomy academic advisor for personalized advice.

Programming prerequisite: Computational literacy and programming have become an integral and necessary part of modern Astronomy and Astronophysics theory, observation, and data analysis. Currently, the most widely used programming language in Astronomy is Python, owing to its extensive libraries, open source accessibility, and ability to handle the vast amounts of data that modern astronomy generates from telescopes and simulations. We recommend that students who are new to programming take a programming course in Python, such as COMPFOR 131 or SI 101. 

If you have already taken a basic programming course in another language (such as C/C++, Matlab, Fortran, R, Julia) you may find it relatively easy to translate your programming skills to Python with some practice or extra work. Consult with an Astronomy academic advisor to determine whether your past coursework and experience may satisfy the programming prerequisite. 

Major Courses:

A&A Majors are required to complete several core courses in Astronomy and Physics, including: Introduction to Astrophysics, Astronomical techniques, Stars, Galaxies, Modern Physics, upper level Mechanics and E&M, and scientific writing. Majors may choose at least two electives from a variety of courses, in sub-fields including exoplanets, high energy Astrophysics, numerical techniques and data science for Astrophysics, and observatory field course. See the Undergraduate Course Description page [link] for more information.

Finally, engagement in research is a required component of the A&A major. Students are encouraged to start engaging in research soon after completing ASTRO 361, but earlier involvement is an option. See the Undergraduate Research page for more information. 

Honors:

Astronomy & Astrophysics majors who are interested in scholarly research in astronomy and have a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 are encouraged to consider the Astronomy Honors subplan. Students with a lower GPA may be admitted to the honors plan at the discretion of the department advisor. The Astronomy honors plan requires writing a senior Honors thesis based on research done under the supervision of a U-M Astronomy research advisor. Interested students should consult with the department academic advisor by the beginning of their junior year.