Program Information
The Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics offers over two dozen courses spanning lower and upper division. These include a suite of general education courses and specialized upper division courses designed for majors and minors.
General Requirements
For further information on general requirements for an undergraduate degree see the General Catalog, as well as check the requirements of your specified college.
Course Catalog
The Astronomy & Astrophysics courses are being developed with the UC San Diego General Course Catalog.
Schedule of Classes
For the most up-to-date information on course availability in upcoming terms, see the UCSD Schedule of Classes.
Undergraduate Course Offerings
The following table is the projected AY25/26 ASTR course offerings. This scheduled is tentative and subject to change.
Course |
Title |
Fall |
Winter |
Spring |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AY 25/26 UNDERGRADUATE | ||||
| 1 | Stars and Black Holes (GE) | Sandstrom | ||
| 2 | Galaxies and the Universe (GE) | Nadler | ||
| 3 | Planetary Systems Near and Far (GE) | Trumbo | ||
| 10 | Astronomy & Civilization | Sandstrom | ||
| 15 | Astronomy in Science Fiction (GE) | Wright | ||
| 18 | Additional Topics in Classical Physics | Arnold | Tytler | |
| 20A | Introduction to Astrophysics I | Theissen | ||
| 20B | Introduction to Astrophysics II | Konopacky | ||
| 60 | Antiracism in Physics and Astrophysics (GE & DEI) | Burgasser | ||
| 65 | The Astronomy of Climate Change | Trumbo | ||
| 101 | Astrophysical Dynamics | Burgasser | ||
| 102 | Electrodynamics and Optics for Astrophysicists |
Arnold |
||
| 103 | Dynamics of Radiation and Fluids | Diamond | ||
| 104 | Thermal Astrophysics | Lee | ||
| 105 | Fundamentals of Quantum Mechanics | Boggs | ||
| 106 | Quantum Mechanics of Radiation, Atoms and Molecules | Boggs | ||
| 120 | Stellar Astrophysics | Tytler | ||
| 121 | The Explosive Universe | Broekgaarden | ||
| 122 | Physical Cosmology | Nadler | ||
| 123 | Galaxies | Keres | ||
| 124 | Planets and Exoplanets | Konopacky | ||
| 150 | Observational Optical Laboratory | Hosseinzadeh | ||
| 151 | Advanced Optical Lab | Wright | ||
| 154 | Data Science in Astronomy | Hosseinzadeh | ||
| AY 25/26 GRADUATE | ||||
| 200 | Survey of Astronomy | Wright | ||
| 201 | Radiative Processes | Broekgaarden | ||
| 202 | Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics | Lee | ||
| 212 | Physics of the Interstellar Medium | Sandstrom | ||
| 213 | Galaxies and Galactic Dynamics | Keres | ||
| 214 | Physical Cosmology | Tytler | ||
| 223 | Astrostatistics | Theissen | ||
| 224 | Astrophysical Dynamics | Kremer | ||
| 250 | A&A Colloquium |
Theissen/ |
Theissen/ |
Theissen/ |
| 251 | A&A Journal Club |
Theissen/ |
Theissen/ |
Theissen/ |
| 500 | Astrophysical Teaching Training |
Konopacky |
|
|
The following table is the projected AY24/25 ASTR course offerings. This scheduled is tentative and subject to change.
Course |
Title |
Fall |
Winter |
Spring |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AY 24/25 UNDERGRADUATE | ||||
| 1 | Stars and Black Holes (GE) | Kremer | ||
| 2 | Galaxies and the Universe (GE) | Nadler | ||
| 3 | Planetary Systems Near and Far (GE) | Trumbo | ||
| 15 | Astronomy in Science Fiction (GE) | Wright | ||
| 18 | Additional Topics in Classical Physics | Arnold | Arnold | |
| 20A | Introduction to Astrophysics I | Theissen | ||
| 20B | Introduction to Astrophysics II | Konopacky | ||
| 60 | Antiracism in Physics and Astrophysics (GE & DEI) | Burgasser | ||
| 101 | Astrophysical Dynamics | Burgasser | ||
| 102 | Electrodynamics and Optics for Astrophysicists |
Diamond/ |
||
| 103 | Dynamics of Radiation and Fluids | Diamond | ||
| 105 | Fundamentals of Quantum Mechanics | Boggs | ||
| 106 | Quantum Mechanics of Radiation, Atoms and Molecules | Boggs | ||
| 120 | Stellar Astrophysics | Tytler | ||
| 122 | Physical Cosmology | Keres | ||
| 123 | Galaxies | Keres | ||
| 150 | Observational Optical Laboratory | Theissen | ||
| 154 | Data Science in Astronomy | Hosseinzadeh | ||
| AY 24/25 GRADUATE | ||||
| 200 | Survey of Astronomy | Sandstrom | ||
| 201 | Radiative Processes | Burgasser | ||
| 202 | Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics | Diamond | ||
| 210 | Planets and Exoplanets | Lee | ||
| 211 | Stellar Structure and Evolution | Broekgaarden | ||
| 220 | Astronomical Instrumentation and Observational Techniques | Wright | ||
| 250 | A&A Colloquium |
Theissen/ |
Theissen/ |
Theissen/ |
| 251 | A&A Journal Club |
Theissen/ |
Theissen/ |
Theissen/ |
| 500 | Astrophysical Teaching Training |
Konopacky |
|
|