Bachelor of Arts in in Astronomy and Astrophysics
The Bachelor of Arts in Astronomy and Astrophysics is for a student who enjoys astronomy; likes to be challenged; enjoys solving puzzles; wants to pursue other interests and talents outside of astronomy; desires flexibility and choice in major requirements; has strong analytical skills and wants to develop them further; and wants to keep options open for a variety of career fields. It is designed for students who are interested in astronomy as the subject of a liberal arts education, or as a background in the physical sciences for a wide range of career possibilities such as teaching, journalism, law or government or public policy, medicine, science writing and science in the media, visualization, and business.
Requirements
- Mathematics Core.
- Calculus I. One (1) course:
- MATH-M 119 Brief Survey of Calculus I
- MATH-M 211 Calculus I
- MATH-S 211
- Calculus II. One (1) course:
- MATH-M 120 Brief Survey of Calculus II
- MATH-M 212 Calculus II
- MATH-S 212 Honors Calculus II
- Calculus I. One (1) course:
- Physics Core.
- Physics I. One (1) course:
- PHYS-P 201 General Physics I
- PHYS-P 221 Physics I
- PHYS-H 221 Honors Physics I
- Physics II. One (1) course:
- PHYS-P 202 General Physics II
- PHYS-P 222 Physics II
- PHYS-H 222 Honors Physics II
- Physics III. One (1) course:
- PHYS-P 301 Physics III
- PHYS-P 371 Radiation Science Fundamentals
- Physics I. One (1) course:
- Astronomy Core.
- General Astronomy I. One (1) course:
- AST-A 221 General Astronomy I
- General Astronomy II. One (1) course:
- AST-A 222 General Astronomy II
- Modern Observational Techniques. One (1) course:
- AST-A 305 Modern Observational Techniques
- General Astronomy I. One (1) course:
- Advanced Astronomy. Two (2) courses:
- Any AST-A 300–399 except AST-A 320
- Any AST-S 300–399
- Any AST-X 300–399 except AST-X 390; AST-X 399
- Any AST-A 400–499
- Any AST-S 400–499 except AST-S 499
- Any AST-X 400–499
- Advanced Electives. Complete at least five (5) additional credit hours of electives at the 300–499 level selected from the following options:
- Additional Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Any AST-A 300–399 except AST-A 320
- Any AST-S 300–399
- Any AST-X 300–399
- Any AST-A 400–499
- Any AST-S 400–499 except AST-S 499
- Any AST-X 400–499
- Probability/Statistics
- MATH-M 365 Introduction to Probability and Statistics
- STAT-K 310 Statistical Techniques
- STAT-S 320 Introduction to Statistics
- Scientific Computing or Programming
- PHYS-P 325 Computing Skills for Physical Scientists
- PHYS-P 410 Computing Applications in Physics
- CSCI-A 321 Computing Tools for Scientific Research
- CSCI-C 311 Programming Languages
- Data Mining
- CSCI-B 461 Database Concepts
- Visualization
- CSCI-B 481 Interactive Graphics
- Artificial Intelligence or Autonomous Robotics
- CSCI-B 351 Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
- CSCI-B 355 Autonomous Robotics
- Science Writing
- ENG-W 321 Advanced Technical Writing
- ENG-W 350 Advanced Expository Writing
- Additional Mathematics or Physics
- MATH-M 301 Linear Algebra and Applications
- MATH-M 303 Linear Algebra for Undergraduates
- MATH-M 311 Calculus III
- MATH-M 312 Calculus IV
- MATH-M 343
- MATH-M 344
- MATH-M 415 Elementary Complex Variables with Applications
- MATH-T 336 Topics in Euclidean Geometry
- PHYS-P 309 Modern Physics Laboratory
- PHYS-P 321 Techniques in Theoretical Physics
- PHYS-P 331 Theory of Electricity and Magnetism I
- PHYS-P 332 Theory of Electricity and Magnetism II
- PHYS-P 340 Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics
- PHYS-P 400 Analog and Digital Electronics
- PHYS-P 441 Analytical Mechanics I
- PHYS-P 451 Experiments in Modern Physics I
- PHYS-P 453 Introduction to Quantum Mechanics
- PHYS-P 455 Quantum Computing I
- PHYS-P 460
- Related course approved by the Director of Undergraduate Studies
- Additional Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Major GPA, Hours, and Minimum Grade Requirements.
- At least 18 credit hours in the major must be completed in courses taken through the Indiana University Bloomington campus or an IU-administered or IU co-sponsored Overseas Study program.
- At least 18 credit hours in the major must be completed at the 300–499 level.
- Except for the GPA requirement, a grade of C- or higher is required for a course to count toward a requirement in the major.
- A GPA of at least 2.000 for all courses taken in the major—including those where a grade lower than C- is earned—is required.
- Exceptions to major requirements may be made with the approval of the department's Director of Undergraduate Studies, subject to final approval by the College of Arts and Sciences.
The Bachelor of Arts degree requires at least 120 credit hours, to include the following:
- College of Arts and Sciences Credit Hours. At least 100 credit hours must come from College of Arts and Sciences disciplines.
- Upper Division Courses. At least 42 credit hours (of the 120) must be at the 300–499 level.
- College Residency. Following completion of the 60th credit hour toward degree, at least 36 credit hours of College of Arts and Sciences coursework must be completed through the Indiana University Bloomington campus or an IU-administered or IU co-sponsored Overseas Study program.
- College GPA. A cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.000 is required for all courses taken at Indiana University.
- CASE Requirements. The following College of Arts and Sciences Education (CASE) requirements must be completed:
- CASE Foundations
- CASE Breadth of Inquiry
- CASE Culture Studies
- CASE Critical Approaches: 1 course
- CASE Foreign Language: Proficiency in a single foreign language through the second semester of the second year of college-level coursework
- CASE Intensive Writing: 1 course
- CASE Public Oral Communication: 1 course
- Major. Completion of the major as outlined in the Major Requirements section above.
Most students must also successfully complete the Indiana University Bloomington General Education program.