Program Overview

Turn your passion for stargazing into a rewarding career with a major in astronomy and astrophysics. Explore the mysteries of the universe through hands-on experience and in-depth coursework in astronomy and astrophysics. You'll develop critical skills in physics, mathematics, engineering and computer science; preparing you for diverse career opportunities in space research, technology and beyond.

Why study astronomy and astrophysics at CMU?
As an astronomy and astrophysics student you'll study thermal physics, quantum theory, astrophysics, observational astronomy, mathematical physics and more. And with a student to faculty ratio of 3:1, you'll do so with individual and personalized attention from experts in this field. Working closely with a faculty advisor, you'll complete a final project that demonstrates your knowledge of astronomy and astrophysics. When you graduate as an astronomy and astrophysics major, you'll be prepared for competitive graduate programs and many careers.

You'll also gain hands-on research experience with access to our Brooks ?Astronomical Observatory and other state-of-the-art resources, including:

• Brooks Research Hub: Complete with computers, a darkroom and a library housing over 1,000 volumes of observatory publications, catalogs, charts and atlases.
• Brooks Astronomical Observatory: Search the skies with a 16-inch (40 cm) advanced computer-controlled telescope that is equipped for CCD direct imaging, UBVRI photometry, medium-dispersion spectroscopy, as well as visual observing.
• Specialized physics laboratories: Equipped for laser spectroscopy, magnetic resonance, thin films and X-ray diffraction.

You'll gain significant physics experience for your future career or graduate program. Many students present their research at national venues. More than 50% of our students participate in research programs and a significant portion of those are research assistants. As a result of opportunities like these, nearly 100% of graduating students secure jobs or gain admittance into graduate programs.