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Degree Requirements

For the M.A. Degree

Required courses: Five core courses (ASTR G6001-G6005); a total of 30 points of astronomy or physics courses numbered 4000 or above. Six points toward the total of 30 are awarded for written and oral reports on research projects carried out under the direction of faculty members.

Students may work toward the M.A. degree either on a full-time or part-time basis. Full-time students may receive the M.A. degree as early as the end of the first year of study.Two Residence Units are required for the M.A. degree.

Languages: None.

Qualifying examination: None.

For the M.Phil. Degree

Required courses: Same as for the M.A. degree.

Languages: None.

Research projects: By the end of the second year in residence, a student must have completed two research projects under the supervision of at least two different faculty members (including written and oral reports). Committees of the faculty meet with each student in September of the second and third years to hear presentations of these projects and discuss the results.

Teaching requirement: Participation in the instructional activities of the department for a minimum of two years. As a rule, in the second and third years of study, students gain exposure to teaching as recitation and laboratory leaders in undergraduate courses.

Six Residence Units (including two for the M.A.).

For the Ph.D. Degree

After completion of all requirements for the M.Phil. degree, the student must prepare and successfully defend and deposit a dissertation.

Financial Aid

Fellowships are awarded in recognition of academic achievement and in expectation of scholarly success. Teaching and research experience are considered important aspects of the training of graduate students. Thus, graduate fellowships include both teaching and research apprenticeship. All Ph.D. students receive full funding, which includes the prevailing stipend and appropriate tuition and health fees, for five years, provided that they remain in good academic standing. Students awarded advanced standing receive four years of support.