Graduate Program
The department offers a graduate program leading to
the degree
of Doctor of Philosophy in astronomy. Current
research
provides opportunities in optical observational astronomy as well as
computational
theory. Prospective graduate students must submit scores on the
Graduate
Record Examination including the advanced physics test. Further
information
on the department's graduate programs, and details concerning financial
aid,
are available through the departmental office.
Application information and forms for graduate
studies can be found
here.
Applications are accepted in one of two ways:
By mail (application fee is waived).
Applications should be mailed to:
Astronomy Graduate
Admissions
attn: Agnes Torontali
CWRU Dept of Astronomy
10900 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland OH 44106-7215
Online (for which there is
a small application fee). Information about the online
application process can be found
here.
Graduate applications in astronomy are normally due by
January 15 for
admission in the following fall; however, under special circumstances
late applications will be considered.
If you have questions about the Astronomy graduate
program, contact Professor Chris Mihos at mihos@case.edu.
Graduate Program Requirements
Requirements for the Ph.D. degree include coursework, a Ph.D.
qualifying examination, and a written doctoral thesis.
Coursework
In consultation with the departmental faculty, students build an
individualized curriculum of courses in Astronomy and other related
fields. The University requires a total of 36 hours of course work for
students entering with a bachelors degree, or 18 hours of coursework
for students entering with a masters degree. These requirements can be
met by a variety of lecture courses and supervised research.
Required courses for the degree consist of:
- ASTR 406 Astronomical Techniques
- ASTR 411 Stellar Physics
- ASTR 423 The Local Universe
- ASTR 428 Cosmology and the Structure of the Universe
(These required courses may be waived if a student has earned a B or
better in equivalent coursework elsewhere).
Aside from the required courses, students may choose from a variety of
elective courses, depending on their specific interests. Possibilities
include:
- ASTR 497 Special Topics in Astronomy
- PHYS 413 Classical and Statistical Mechanics I
- PHYS 414 Classical and Statistical Mechanics II
- PHYS 423 Classical Electromagnetism
- PHYS 451 Empirical Foundations of the Standard Model I
- PHYS 465 General Relativity
- PHYS 481 Quantum Mechanics I
- STAT 425 Data Analysis and Linear Models
- STAT 427 Statistical Computing
Ph.D. Qualifying Exam
At the end of their second year, students take a combined written and
oral qualifying exam based on the material in the required Astronomy
coursework. Admission to PhD candidacy is contingent on the student
passing this qualifying exam.
The Doctoral Thesis
Students must complete a doctoral thesis consisting of original
research in Astronomy, supervised by a faculty member. This thesis will
be reviewed by the student's thesis committee; award of the Ph.D. is
contingent on the approval of the thesis by the thesis committee.
Graduate Course Listings
ASTR 406. Astronomical Techniques (3).
Emphasis will be on acquisition of
direct imaging and/or spectroscopic data and
its
subsequent reduction. Principles of optics applied to astronomical
telescopes and instrumentation. Modern detector technology.
Computational
techniques will also be explored through projects emphasizing modeling
of
data, dynamical simulations of star clusters emphasizing modeling of
data,
dynamical simulations of star clusters and galaxies, or astronomical
database mining.
ASTR 409. Nucleosynthesis and Chemical
Evolution (3). Formation of the
elements by stellar nucleosynthesis, especially within supernovae. The
subsequent dispersal of this material into the interstellar medium and
its
incorporation into stars. The observable elemental content of stars and
the
relation of that content to the history and dynamics of the Galaxy.
Prerequisite consent: of instructor.
ASTR 411. Stellar Physics (3).
Radiative transfer, atomic and molecular
opacities, and the observable properties of stars. Stellar interiors,
nuclear processes, and energy generation. The evolution of stars of
varying
mass and production of the elements within supernovae explosions.
ASTR 423. The Local Universe (3).
The Milky Way Galaxy. Galaxy populations.
Quantitative structure and dynamics of galaxies. The interstellar media
of
galaxies. Dark matter and stellar populations. The Local Group and
Virgo
cluster.
ASTR 427. Dynamical Astronomy (3).
Gravitational dynamics of stars, star
clusters, and galaxies. Dynamical evolution of gravitational systems.
Dynamical equilibria, stability, and perturbation theory. Analytic and
computational techniques. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
ASTR 428. Cosmology and the Structure
of the Universe (3). Distances to
galaxies. The content of the distant universe. Large scale structure
and
galaxy clusters. Physical cosmology. Structure and galaxy formation and
evolution. Testing cosmological models.
ASTR 497. Special Topics in Astronomy
(1-3). Prerequisite: consent of
instructor.
ASTR 601. Research
(credit as arranged).
ASTR 701. Dissertation (Ph.D.)
(credit as arranged).
ASTR 702. Dissertation (Ph.D.)
(credit as arranged).
