College Life

Private Schools That Are Well Known for This Major

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Harvard University
• Stanford University
• Princeton University
• California Institute of Technology

State Schools That Are Well Known for This Major

• University of California—Berkeley
• University of California—Los Angeles
• University of Chicago
• University of California—Santa Barbara
• University of Michigan

Classes in the Major

Astronomy. Astronomy and astrophysics majors take several courses in astronomy, ranging from your basic Astronomy 101 to Galactic and Extragalactic Astronomy, which focuses on the composition, structure, and dynamics of our own galaxy and various other celestial bodies in the universe. They also, quite literally, gaze at the stars. Observational astronomy classes offer the chance to work with the tools of modern astronomical research, such as telescopes, detectors, and imaging software. These students gain hands-on experience with the equipment and the data they utilize.

Astrophysics. Astrophysics, not surprisingly, combines the fields of astronomy of physics. (Thank you, thank you. Our job here is done.) You'll be applying an understanding of energy, mechanics, electromagnetic fields, gravity, and various other physical sciences to the study of the stars. While most of the advanced astrophysics classes are at the Master's and PhD levels, undergraduates can still find themselves in a class on stellar or planetary astrophysics.

Cosmology. This is where you'll take all of your knowledge about the universe and start applying it to hair styling. Let the scissors do the talking and your heart be your gui—wait, that doesn't seem right. Ah, cosmology. Right. Oops. As an astronomy and astrophysics major, you'll study the very beginning of time and space and, essentially, existence itself. Cosmology is a giant history lesson about the universe, starting with the Big Bang Theory and ending with the eventual fate of all of space. No big whoop, right?

Mathematics. Unlike most liberal arts majors, mastering basic algebra and statistics will not be enough to complete your math requirements in this field. Not that you'd be trying to get out of your math requirements or anything, right? Numbers are your friend. Your best friend. Your…only friend? Well, be that as it may (we don't judge), numbers are important. When you enter college as an astronomy and astrophysics major, be prepared to study calculus at the advanced level. You'll also be likely to take courses in linear algebra and differential equations, as well as applied mathematics.

Computer Programming. You know all that scientific equipment and software you'll be using to analyze data in observational astronomy? As an astronomy and astrophysics major, you'll not only use those programs, but you'd also learn how to build them. Aspiring astrophysicists are often required to gain hands-on coding skills in various languages, like C/C++, Java, Python, and Klingon. (Just kidding on the last one…sort of.) Computer programming just might be the most practical set of courses you take as an astronomy and astrophysics major. If you find your desired program doesn't require coding classes, you should seek them out as electives, if possible.