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Astronomy

College of Natural Sciences
Watanabe 416
2505 Correa Road
Honolulu, HI 96822
Tel: (808) 956-7087
Fax: (808) 956-7107
E-mail: grad-chair@ifa.hawaii.edu
Web: www.ifa.hawaii.edu/gradprog

Faculty

* Graduate Faculty

• *C. G. Wynn-Williams (Graduate Chair), PhD--infrared astronomy
• *J. Barnes, PhD--astrophysical theory
• *A. M. Boesgaard, PhD--stellar spectroscopy
• *K. Chambers, PhD--extragalactic astronomy
• *A. S. Cowie, PhD--interstellar matter
• *L. L. Cowie, PhD--extragalactic astronomy
• *D. N. B. Hall, PhD--infrared astronomy
• *J. N. Heasley, PhD--stellar photometry
• *J. P. Henry, PhD--x-ray astronomy, instrumentation
• *G. H. Herbig, PhD--stellar spectroscopy
• *K. Hodapp, PhD--infrared astronomy
• *E. M. Hu, PhD--extragalactic astronomy
• *D. C. Jewitt, PhD--planetary astronomy
• *R. Joseph, PhD--infrared astronomy
• *N. Kaiser, PhD--theoretical astronomy
• *R-P. Kudritzki, PhD--stellar astronomy
• *J. R. Kuhn, PhD--solar astrophysics
• *B. J. LaBonte, PhD--solar physics
• *G. Luppino, PhD--extragalactic astronomy
• *E. G. Martin, PhD--stellar astronomy
• *R. McLaren, PhD--infrared astronomy
• *K. Meech, PhD--planetary astronomy
• *D. Mickey, PhD--solar physics
• *T. Owen, PhD--solar system astronomy
• *A. J. Pickles, PhD--extragalactic astronomy
• *J. T. Rayner, PhD--infrared astronomy
• *C. Roddier, PhD--adaptive optics
• *F. Roddier, DSc--adaptive optics
• *D. B. Sanders, PhD--infrared and millimeter astronomy
• *T. Simon, PhD--stellar spectroscopy
• *A. N. Stockton, PhD--extragalactic spectroscopy
• I. Szápudi, PhD--cosmology 
• *D. Tholen, PhD--planetary science
• *A. T. Tokunaga, PhD--infrared astronomy
• *J. Tonry, PhD--extragalactic astronomy
• *R. B. Tully, PhD--galaxies and cosmology
• *R. Wainscoat, PhD--extragalactic astronomy

Degrees Offered: MS in astronomy, PhD in astronomy

The Academic Program

Astronomy (ASTR) is the branch of science that studies the structure and development of the physical world beyond Earth. It includes the study of planets and other objects of the solar system; the sun and stars and their evolution; the interstellar medium; the nature and dynamics of star clusters, galaxies, and clusters of galaxies; and the study of the nature and history of the universe itself--of the physical world taken in its largest extent in space and time.

Incomparable facilities for ground-based observational astronomy in the optical, infrared, and submillimeter regions of the spectrum reside in Hawai'i. The University of Hawai'i's facilities are located on Haleakala on the island of Maui at an elevation of 3,000 meters and on Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawai'i at an elevation of 4,200 meters. The summit of Mauna Kea is internationally recognized as the best observing site in the world. As a consequence, the major telescopes of 11 nations are located there, and the University of Hawai'i is guaranteed access to them. The Institute for Astronomy of the University of Hawai'i has major programs in the study of galaxies and cosmology, stellar and interstellar astronomy, solar astronomy, infrared and submillimeter astronomy, and planetary astronomy.

Graduate Study

Undergraduate preparation for admission to the graduate program in astronomy includes a minimum of 35 undergraduate credit hours in physics or astronomy, some of which must be in atomic and nuclear physics, electromagnetism, mechanics, optics, and thermodynamics. An undergraduate course in introductory astronomy is recommended. Courses in mathematics through differential equations are also required. Official scores of the General Test and the physics subject test of the GRE must be submitted prior to admission. The deadline for submission of applications is February 1. The deadline for international students is January 15.

The graduate program is directed toward producing research scientists at the PhD level. The MS degree is also offered. Areas of concentration emphasize the use of the University's observatories for the solution of problems in solar physics, planetary astronomy (atmospheres and surfaces), stellar astronomy, extragalactic systems, and cosmology.

Master's Degree

Graduates with a terminal MS degree have found employment in space-related industries and teaching positions in high schools and two-year colleges. Such teaching positions may require additional courses in education.

Requirements
Course requirements for the MS Plan B degree (which must be earned en route to the PhD) are a minimum of 30 credit hours, which would normally include ASTR 633, five additional 600-level astronomy courses, 3 credit hours of ASTR 734, 735, or 736, and 9 credit hours of ASTR 699. Exceptions to these requirements can be made in special cases.

Doctoral Degree

Graduates with the PhD have found employment primarily on college and university faculties, in government laboratories, and in space-related industry.

Requirements
Additional courses are not necessarily required for the PhD, but the student's program of courses must be judged by the faculty to provide both adequate general background and specialized preparation for research. Normally, students will be expected to be familiar with the content of all the 600-level astronomy courses.

Students must pass the qualifying examination (which also serves as the final examination for the MS Plan B) and the oral comprehensive examination before admission to candidacy for the PhD. They must write an acceptable dissertation based on original research and defend it in a pubic final examination before being awarded the PhD degree.

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