Astronomy
Office: Astronomy Building
Phone: 924-7494
| All Astronomy courses apply toward fulfillment of the College area requirement in Natural Science/Mathematics |
The Astronomy Department offers several survey courses that are particularly well-suited for first-year liberal arts students with little science/mathematics background. For the most part, the presentation is qualitative and descriptive, and requires little or no mathematical ability beyond the high-school level. Students are encouraged to take ASTR 121 (Introduction to the Sky and Solar System) and ASTR 124 (Introduction to Stars, Galaxies, and the Universe), which are at the same introductory level, but focus on different aspects of astronomy and are independent of each other. The format is lecture/discussion; students also have the opportunity to observe through the Department’s telescopes. In an attempt to satisfy the demand, several sections of the most popular courses are offered. Course requirements may vary among professors, but typically include 350 pages of reading, two to three tests, and a final examination. For students particularly interested in telescopic observations, ASTR 130 (Introduction to Astronomical Observation) is a project (as opposed to lecture-based) class. Other courses that may interest non-science majors include ASTR 341 (Archaeo-Astronomy), ASTR 342 (Life Beyond Earth), ASTR 347 (Science and Controversy in Astronomy), ASTR 348 (Introduction to Cosmology), and ASTR 395 (Tutorial).
Prospective majors and students with stronger interest and background in science are encouraged to take the more advanced introductory course sequence, General Astronomy (ASTR 211, 212), instead of ASTR 121 and 124. Students who are considering a major in astronomy or astrophysics should contact the Department’s undergraduate pre-major advisor before arriving at the University, or as soon thereafter as possible.