Astronomy

The Department of Astronomy offers programs of study leading to the Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees. A full schedule of courses covering most fields of astronomy is offered. Some areas in which the faculty focus their research efforts are comets, interplanetary dust, planetary dynamics, extrasolar planets, star and planet formation, mm wavelength astronomy, the interstellar medium, black holes, active galaxies, time-domain astronomy, galaxy formation and evolution, plasma astrophysics, high energy astrophysics, theoretical and computational astrophysics, and cosmology.

Thesis option requires 24 credits of coursework including eight of the nine principal Astronomy graduate courses, and at least 12 credits at the 600 level or above. Students must also complete six credits of ASTR 799: Master's Thesis Research.

Non-thesis option requires 30 credits of coursework including six of the nine principal Astronomy graduate courses, and at least 18 credits at the 600 level or above. Students must also submit a scholarly paper and pass a comprehensive final exam.

Candidates for the non-thesis option of the M.S. degree are required to complete 30 credits, including six of the nine principal Astronomy graduate courses (18 credits), with the remaining 12 credits consisting of classroom courses or research credits in Astronomy or supporting fields. One or more scholarly papers are required, usually fulfilled by the 2nd-year project report. The student must also pass a written examination, normally consisting of the written part of the Ph.D. qualifying examination with appropriately chosen passing requirements.

Candidates for the thesis option of the M.S. degree (less common) are required to complete 30 credits, including eight of the nine principal Astronomy graduate courses (24 credits) and 6 credits of thesis research (ASTR 799). A written thesis is required and must be successfully defended in an oral examination. The student must also pass a written examination, normally consisting of the written part of the Ph.D. qualifying examination with appropriately chosen passing requirements.

Requirements

Because of the large number of qualified applicants, the Department of Astronomy has had to restrict formal admission to the Graduate School to those who have shown particularly outstanding work in their undergraduate records. Students who enter the graduate program are normally expected to have strong backgrounds in astronomy, physics, and mathematics. A student with deficiencies in one of these areas may be admitted but will be expected to remedy such deficiencies as soon as possible.

Note that the Department of Astronomy accepts applications for the Ph.D. program only. (Admitted students typically receive an M.S. degree after their second year in the program.)

Admissions Requirements

1. The GRE General Test and GRE Physics Subject Test are normally required. Please contact astr-grad@deans.umd.edu to discuss exceptions. (The University of Maryland’s institution code is 5814.)
2. 3 Letters of Recommendation.
3. A Statement of Purpose or Essay.
4. A description of research.
5. A list of publications and presentations.
6. One copy of your transcripts (translated in English). You must have an overall grade point average of at least 3.0.
7. A curriculum vitae or resume.
8. International applicants must submit the Certification of Finances form. Note that the Department guarantees a graduate assistant position to all incoming students, which you can use to satisfy the financial certification.
9. TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE test scores are required for international students if English is not your native language. If you may be unable to complete one of these tests prior to the admissions deadline, please contact the Department to make special arrangements.

Scholarships

The Department of Astronomy offers both teaching and research assistantships. Essentially all full-time graduate students receive full financial support. Most students receive research assistantships to cover the summer period. These are either with faculty in the Department or with staff members at the NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center. Some summer teaching assistantships are also available.