Astronomy and Astrophysics Major Requirements
Requirements for the B.S. in Astronomy and Astrophysics
Flowchart for Astronomy and Astrophysics Major Courses
Curriculum
The Astronomy Department has adopted the following curriculum for the Astronomy & Astrophysics Major:
General Education (GE) Requirements
All students completing Astronomy and Astrophysics as their primary major must complete the GE requirements for a Bachelor of Science degree from the College of Arts and Sciences (ASC), which are detailed ASC GE requirements. Students who began at Ohio State in the Summer of 2022 or earlier will follow the Legacy GE (or GEL), whereas students who began at Ohio State in the Autumn of 2022 or later will follow the New GE (or GEN).
If your primary major is in a different college and/or if your primary major does not result in a Bachelor of Science degree, then the GE requirements for your degree may be different. Please consult with the academic advisor for your primary major for clarification on your GE requirements.
Semester Courses with Credit Hours
Computer Science prerequisite - choose one of the following1:
- Astron 1221 Astronomy Data Analysis (3 credit hours)
- CSE 1222 Introduction to Computer Programming: C++ (3 credit hours)
- CSE 1223 Introduction to Computer Programming: Java (3 credit hours)
- CSE 1224 Introduction to Computer Programming: Python (3 credit hours)
Mathematics prerequisites - complete all of the following2:
- Math 1151 Calculus I (5 credit hours)
- Math 1152 Calculus II (5 credit hours)
- Math 2153 Calculus III (4 credit hours)
Physics prerequisites - complete all of the following:
- Physics 1250/1250H/1260/1270 Mechanics, Thermal Physics, and Waves (5 credit hours)
- Physics 1251/1251H/1261/1271 E&M, Optics, and Modern Physics (5 credit hours)
Total Credit Hours - 27
Notes:
- Only one of Astron 1221, CSE 1222, CSE 1223, and CSE 1224 will be required. For students who have switched majors, Engr 1221 and Engr 1281H will also be considered acceptable substitutes.
- Students with appropriate placement may also substitute the following in place of the Math 1151 - 1152 - 2153 sequence: Math 1151 - 1172 - 2173; Math 1161 - 2162; Math 1181H - 2182H; Math 4181H - 4182H. "Mixed" sequences may also be possible, so long as one of Math 2153, 2162, 2173, 2182H or 4182H and its prerequisites, as established by the Mathematics Department, are completed.
Semester Courses with Credit Hours
Astrophysics - Complete all of the following:
- Astron 2895 Topics in Astrophysics (1 credit hour)
- Astron 2291 Basic Astrophysics and Planetary Astronomy (3 credit hours)
- Astron 2292 Stellar, Galactic, and Extragalactic Astronomy & Astrophysics (3 credit hours)
- Astron 3350 Methods of Astronomical Observation and Data Analysis (4 credit hours)
Senior Level Astrophysics Course - Choose one of the following*:
- Astron 5681 Principles of Stellar Evolution and Nucleosynthesis (3 credit hours)
- Astron 5682 Introduction to Cosmology (3 credit hours)
*substitutions for other 5000-level Astronomy courses may be possible with departmental approval. Please speak with the academic advisor for details.
Mathematics - Complete all of the following:
- Math 2415 Ordinary and Partial Differential Equations (3 credit hours)1,2
- Math 2568 Linear Algebra (3 credit hours)1
Physics - Complete all of the following:
- Physics 2300 Intermediate Mechanics 1 (4 credit hours)
- Physics 2301 Intermediate Mechanics 2 (4 credit hours)
- Physics 3700 Experimental Physics Instrumentation and Data Analysis Lab (3 credit hours)
- Physics 5400/5400H Intermediate Electricity and Magnetism (4 credit hours)
- Physics 5500/5500H Quantum Mechanics 1 (4 credit hours)
- Physics 5600 Statistical Mechanics (4 credit hours)
Advanced Physics - Choose one of the following*:
- Physics 5401H (Honors Only) Honors Advanced Electricity & Magnetism 2 (4 credit hours)
- Physics 5501/5501H Quantum Mechanics 2 (4 credit hours)
*substitutions for other upper-level Astronomy or Physics courses may be possible with departmental approval. Please speak with the academic advisor for details.
Total Credit Hours - 47
Notes:
- Math 5520H (5 cr.) or Math 2174 (3 cr.) may be taken in place of Math 2415 - 2568.
- Math 2255 (3 cr.) may be taken in place of Math 2415.
Astronomy and Astrophysics Major Sample Schedules
For students looking to major in Astronomy and Astrophysics, there are a number of sample schedules below that describe the courses you will take depending on what math and physics classes you are starting in. For those students looking for schedules related to a double double major with Physics should read the Double Major with Physics webpage.
Please note that these sample schedules represent only a few of many possible ways to move through the Astronomy and Astrophysics curriculum. Consult with an academic advisor to develop and refine an academic plan that is appropriate for you.
For students beginning in Math 1151:
For students beginning in Math 1152, 1181H, or 4181H (or higher):
For students beginning in Math 1150, 1149, or 1140:
For students beginning in Math 1148 or 1120:
For students beginning in Math 1075:
For students beginning in Math 1050:
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