Typical Astronomy & Astrophysics Major Program

ADMISSION AND THE FIRST YEAR:

Students are matriculated into baccalaureate degree programs by the admissions office. High school records and SAT scores must be above criteria set by the admissions office for a student to be admitted to the Eberly College of Science. Admitted students intending or considering majoring in astronomy should indicate this on their admission application. All entering students are designated as SCIEN majors and, if they reside at University Park Campus, they are assigned an adviser in the astronomy and astrophysics department. The first year is generally devoted to basic--but very challenging--courses in calculus, chemistry, and physics (including laboratories). The program is usually rounded out with selections from General Education courses. English 15 can be taken starting in the second semester.

First Year Sample Course Schedule:

Mathematics (MATH 140, 141)

Chemistry (CHEM 012, 013, 014)

Physics (PHYS 211, 212)

Astro (ASTRO 020)

English (ENGL 15 or 30)

General Education

MOVE TO UNIVERSITY PARK CAMPUS:

Most Penn State students take their first-year courses at one of the seventeen statewide Penn State campuses or Penn State Erie, The Behrend College. It is crucial that students intending to major in Astronomy and Astrophysics request an early change of assignment at the end of the first year, so they can come to University Park Campus for the second year. This is necessary because the Commonwealth Campuses do not offer ASTRO 291/292/293. Only PSU Erie offers Astro 291.

THE SECOND YEAR AND ENTRY INTO THE MAJOR:

Second-year students receive their first exposure to astronomy with the ASTRO 291/292 sequence and accompanying ASTRO 293 laboratory. Other courses include more advanced mathematics and physics, plus an introduction to computer programming. In the typical program, the student requests entry into the Astronomy and Astrophysics major, from their initial SCIEN major, in the spring semester of the second year. Entry into the major requires: