The Astronomy group is formally part of the Department of Physics and Astronomy.
We offer undergraduate majors and minors in Astronomy. Courses taken by undergraduate Astronomy majors are characterized by their small size, rarely are enrollments over 10, and their intimate character. Instruction and learning take place in nearly optimal circumstances. Graduates of the program go on to the best graduate programs or are very competitive for techical positions in industry. The Astronomy Undergraduate Handbook describes the program in detail.
Details and websites for individual courses are provided in the full list of undergraduate courses offered by the department.
The Graduate Program currently has about 10-15 M.S. and Ph.D. students actively working in Astronomical research areas, and adds three to five new students each year. The emphasis is on a rigorous program of study and research in astrophysics leading to the Ph.D. degree, but we also offer opportunities for students with educational goals culminating at the master's level. Students follow a course of study that is both broadly based and topical, and are encouraged to participate in research with the faculty from the beginning of their graduate careers. Stony Brook's Astronomy Program is distinguished by the number of Ph.D. students who have taken positions at universities and research laboratories around the world.
The first two years of the graduate program emphasizes coursework but also includes research or individual study courses in which the student works closely with a faculty member, often on a potential thesis topic. Upon completion of the courses, the student takes a qualifying examination for the master's degree and/or for candidacy for the Ph.D. degree. The Ph.D. candidate, together with a faculty advisor, then develops a topic for thesis research. Students may elect either theoretical or observational subjects, according to their own and their advisor's interests. Average time from entrance into graduate school to completion of the Ph.D. degree is five and a half years.
Students take courses in physics and astronomy. In addition to the standard sequence of astronomy course (Stars, Interstellar Medium, Galaxies, and Cosmology), specialized courses and seminars are offered.
Details and websites for individual courses are provided in the full list of graduate courses offered by the department.
Detailed requirements for the Graduate Program in Physics and Astronomy are available at the Departmental Web Page as well as directions on how to contact us.
Updated 14-Jun-2006