The Department of Physics and Astronomy offers opportunities for study in astronomy at the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels. For information on advanced degrees, see graduate Astronomy.
Major Specialization
Major (0030): Astronomy (ASTR)
| First Year | |
| Communication Requirement1 | 6 |
| CHEM_V 121 (or 111)2 | 4 |
| MATH_V 100 (or 102 or 104 or 110 or 180 or 184 or 120)3 | 3 |
| MATH_V 101 (or 103 or 105 or 121)3 | 3 |
| PHYS_V 117 (or 106 or 107)4 | 3 |
| PHYS_V 118 (or 108)4 | 3 |
| PHYS_V 119 (or 109) | 1 |
| Electives5,6 | 7 |
| Total Credits | 30 |
| Second Year7 | |
| ASTR_V 200, 205 | 6 |
| MATH_V 200, 3178 | 6 |
| MATH_V 221 (or 223)9, 215 | 6 |
| PHYS_V 200, 219, 229 | 7 |
| PHYS_V 210 | 3 |
| Electives5,6 | 2 |
| Total Credits | 30 |
| Third Year10 | |
| ASTR_V 300 | 3 |
| MATH_V 316 or PHYS_V 312 | 3 |
| PHYS_V 203 | 4 |
| PHYS_V 301, 216 | 6 |
| PHYS_V 408 | 4 |
| Electives5,6 | 10 |
| Total Credits | 30 |
| Fourth Year10 | |
| ASTR_V 406 or ASTR_V 407 | 3 |
| ASTR_V 404, 405 | 6 |
| PHYS_V 304, 403 | 6 |
| Electives5,6 | 15 |
| Total Credits | 30 |
| Total Credits for Degree | 120 |
| 1 A total of 6 credits of coursework is required to meet the Communications Requirement. For a full list of acceptable courses see Communication Requirement. | |
| 2 Students who do not have B.C. High School Chemistry 12 (or its equivalent) must write the UBC Chemistry Basic Skills Test and may be required to take CHEM_V 100. CHEM_V 110 may substitute for CHEM_V 111. CHEM_V 120 may substitute for CHEM_V 121. Students interested in senior chemistry courses or who are planning to enter a career in teaching should take a second introductory chemistry course as an elective. | |
| 3 MATH_V 110 is 6 credits, MATH_V 120, 121, 180, and 184 are 4 credits; the extra credit counts as electives so students should adjust electives accordingly. | |
| 4 Students who do not have B.C. High School Physics 12 (or its equivalent) must take PHYS_V 100 prior to other PHYS_V courses. Qualified students are encouraged to take PHYS_V (106 or 107)/108/109. Students who took PHYS_V 101 or 131 may enter the specialization but will need to take PHYS_V 106, 107, 117, or 170 before the required PHYS_V 216. | |
| 5 The number of elective credits in each year is chosen to make the yearly total be 30. Some course alternatives have different credit values. Students are permitted to move elective credits between years. | |
| 6 Elective credits together with required courses must fulfill the Faculty of Science’s: a) Foundational Requirement; b) Laboratory Science Requirement; c) Science Breadth Requirement; d) Science and Arts Requirements; e) Upper-level Requirement; f) General Degree Requirements. | |
| 7 For admission to the specialization, students must be in good standing and should be competent in MATH and PHYS. It is advisable that a student entering any specialization in Physics or Astronomy have a minimum average of 60% in first-year PHYS and 60% in first-year MATH. See also Second Year Application, Promotion to Second Year, and Admission as a Post-Secondary Transfer. | |
| 8 Qualified students may take MATH_V 217 and 2 credits of electives instead of MATH_V 200 and MATH_V 317, by requesting permission to register for more than 18 credits in the term. | |
| 9 Students with credit for MATH_V 152 prior to entering this specialization can substitute it for MATH_V 221. MATH_V 221 or MATH_V 223 can be taken in first year. | |
| 10 Consultation with an Astronomy advisor is recommended before entering third- and fourth-year. See also Promotion Requirements and Courses Required for Promotion. | |
Combined Honours in Physics and Astronomy
See Physics.
Minor (3192): Astronomy (ASTR)
The Minor consists of one of PHYS_V 200 or PHYS_V 250 plus 12 upper-level credits of ASTR_V and a further 6 upper-level credits of ASTR_V and/or PHYS_V courses. Note that MATH_V 215 is a prerequisite for many upper-level physics courses.