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Course Plans

This page includes sample course plans for students in either the BA or BS Astronomy and Astrophysics major, including freshman entrants and transfer students.  It also includes information for students in Astronomy & Astrophysics interested in minoring in Physics and students majoring in Physics interested in minoring in Astronomy & Astrophysics.  Four-year plans for each college that include GE requirements can be found here. The department is working on generating additional course plans for students interested in a variety of topical specializations.

Freshmen Entrant: Bachelor of Arts in Astronomy & Astrophysics

The course plans provided here offer a generic schedule for freshmen students that want to pursue the B.A. major.  Because the B.A. is meant to provide students with breadth in upper division STEM, other prerequisite lower division classes may be recommended depending on the interest of the individual student.  

Example schedule for a Freshman Entrant in the Astronomy and Astrophysics Major, B.A. 

Fall Quarter

Winter Quarter

Spring Quarter

1st year

Math 20A

Math 18

Physics 2A

Math 20B

Physics 2B

Math 20C

2nd year

Physics 2C

Math 20E

Astro 20A

Physics 2D

Math 20D

Astro 20B

Programming course

Astro 18 

3rd year

Astro 120

Astro elective

Astro 123

Astro elective

Astro 122

External elective

4th year

Astro elective

Astro elective

Astro lab

External elective

Astro elective

External elective

 

Transfer Student: Bachelor of Arts in Astronomy & Astrophysics

The course plans provided here offer a generic schedule for a transfer student starting in the junior year with the B.A. major. This assumes the computer programming course is satisified.

Example schedule for a Transfer Student in the  Astronomy and Astrophysics Major, B.A. 

Fall Quarter

Winter Quarter

Spring Quarter

1st year at UCSD

Astro 20A

External elective

Astro 20B

External elective

Astro 122

Astro elective

2nd year at UCSD

Astro 120

Astro elective

Astro 123

Astro lab

Astro elective

Astro elective

Exeternal elective

Freshmen Entrant: Bachelor of Science in Astronomy & Astrophysics

This course plans provided here offer a generic schedule for freshmen students that want to pursue the B.S. major. 

Example schedule for a Freshman Entrant in Astronomy and Astrophysics Major, B.S. 

Fall Quarter

Winter Quarter

Spring Quarter

1st year

Math 20A

Math 18

Physics 4A

Math 20B

Physics 4B

Math 20C

2nd year

Physics 4C

Math 20E

Astro 20A

Physics 4D

Math 20D

Astro 20B

Physics 4E

Programming course

3rd year

Astro 101

Astro 120

Astro 102

Astro 105

Astro 122

Astro 103

Astro 106

Astro 123 

4th year

Astro 104

Astro elective

Astro lab

Astro elective

Astro elective

Transfer Student: Bachelor of Science in Astronomy & Astrophysics

This course plans provided here offer a generic schedule for transfer students that want to pursue the B.S. major. 

Example course schedule for a Transfer Student in the Astronomy and Astrophysics Major, B.S. 

Fall Quarter

Winter Quarter

Spring Quarter

1st year at UCSD

Astro 20A

Astro 101

Astro 20B

Astro 102

Astro 105

Astro 103

Astro 106

Astro 122

2nd year at UCSD

Astro 104

Astro 120

Astro lab

Astro 123

Astro elective

Astro elective

Astro elective

Astronomy & Astrophysics B.S. Major Pursuing a Minor in Physics

B.S. students may be interested in pursuing a minor in Physics. This is an example course plan sequence for B.S. in Astronomy & Astrophysics and Minor in Physics.

Example course schedule for an Astronomy and Astrophysics Major, B.S. pursuing a Physics minor

Fall Quarter

Winter Quarter

Spring Quarter

1st year

Math 20A

Math 18

Physics 4A

Math 20B

Physics 4B 

Math 20C

Programming course

2nd year

Physics 4C

Math 20E

Astro 20A

Physics 4D 

Math 20D

Astro 20B

Physics 4E 

3rd year

Astro 101

Astro 120

Astro 102

Astro 122

Astro 105

Astro 103

Astro 123 

Astro 106

4th year

Astro 104 

Astro elective

Physics Upper Div Elec.

Physics Upper Div Elec.

Astro lab

Astro elective

Physics Upper Div Elec.

Astro elective

Physics Upper Div Elec.

Physics Upper Div Elec.

Physics Major Pursuing a Minor in Astronomy & Astrophysics

This is an example course schedule for Physics B.S. majors that wish to pursue an Astronomy & Astrophysics Minor.

Example course schedule for a Physics Major pursuing an Astronomy and Astrophysics Minor

Fall Quarter

Winter Quarter

Spring Quarter

1st year

Math 20A

Math 18

Programming Course

Math 20B

Physics 4A

Math 20C

Physics 4B

2nd year

Math 20E

Physics 4C

Astro 20A

Math 20D

Physics 4D

Astro 20B

Physics 2CL

Physics 4E

3rd year

Physics 2DL

Physics 110A

Physics 100A

Physics 105A

Physics 100B

Astro Upper Div. Elec.

Physics 130A

Physics 120

Astro Upp Div. Elec. 

4th year

Physics 140A

Physics 130B

Physics Upper Div. Elec.

Astro Upper Div Elec.

Physics Upper Div. Elec.

Physics Upper Div. Depth

Physics Upper Div. Lab

Astro Upper Div Elec.

Physics Upper Div. Elec.

Physics Upper Div. Depth

Astro Upper Div Elec.