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

*J. Barnes, PhD (Graduate Chair)—astrophysical theory
*A. M. Boesgaard, PhD—stellar spectroscopy
*F. Bresolin, PhD—stellar astronomy
*S. J. Bus, PhD—IRTF support
*K. Chambers, PhD—extragalactic astronomy
*M. R. Chun, PhD—adaptive optics
*P. Coleman, PhD—cosmology
*A. S. Cowie, PhD—interstellar matter
*L. L. Cowie, PhD—extragalactic astronomy
*H. Ebeling, PhD—cosmology
*C. Ftaclas, PhD—instrumentation
*S. R. Habbal, PhD—solar and heliospheric physics
*D. N. B. Hall, PhD—infrared astronomy
*J. N. Heasley, PhD—stellar photometry
*J. P. Henry, PhD—galaxy clusters
*K. Hodapp, PhD—infrared astronomy
*E. M. Hu, PhD—extragalactic astronomy
*R. Jedicke, PhD—asteroids
*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
*J. Li, PhD—solar physics
*H. Lin, PhD—solar physics
*M. Liu, PhD—stellar astronomy
*G. Luppino, PhD—extragalactic astronomy
*E. A. Magnier, PhD—star formation
*R. McLaren, PhD—infrared astronomy
*K. Meech, PhD—planetary astronomy
*R. Mendez, PhD—star formation
*D. Mickey, PhD—solar physics
*G. Morrison, PhD—high-redshift galaxies
*T. Owen, PhD—solar system astronomy
*J. T. Rayner, PhD—infrared astronomy
*B. Reipurth-Jensen, PhD—star formation
*I. I. Roussev, PhD—solar physics
*D. B. Sanders, PhD—infrared and millimeter astronomy
*A. N. Stockton, PhD—extragalactic spectroscopy
*I. Szapudi, PhD—cosmology
*D. Tholen, PhD—planetary science
*A. T. Tokunaga, PhD—infrared astronomy
*E. V. Tollestrup, PhD—instrumentation
*J. Tonry, PhD—extragalactic astronomy
*R. B. Tully, PhD—galaxies and cosmology
*R. Wainscoat, PhD—extragalactic astronomy
*J. Williams, PhD—submillimeter astronomy
*C. G. Wynn-Williams, PhD—infrared 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 UH’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 UH is guaranteed access to them. The Institute for Astronomy of the UH 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

Most students entering the astronomy graduate program do so with the goal of achieving the PhD degree, but they must first obtain an MS degree unless they already have a closely-related master’s degree from another university.

Applicants to the Astronomy Graduate Program should normally have a bachelor’s degree in physics, astronomy, or a related field. Requirements for admission include 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. We require the GRE General Test, and the subject test in physics.

In selecting applications for entry to the astronomy program, we pay particular attention to high academic achievement, especially in physics, and to the letters of recommendation. Research experience at the undergraduate level is valuable, though not essential.

Master’s Degree

The program offers both the Plan A (thesis) and Plan B (non-thesis) MS degrees, but almost all students opt for the Plan B program as it dovetails better with the requirements of qualification for PhD candidacy. The only real advantage of the Plan A masters is that it can be completed within four semesters; it is therefore of interest only to those students who want to get a terminal masters degree in the minimum time.

Requirements

All MS students must take 30 credits of graduate level astronomy courses unless substitution is approved by the graduate chair. They must include Astr 633 (Astrophysical Techniques) and at least three credits of Astr 734-736. Plan A students must complete a thesis in accordance with UH Manoa regulations, while Plan B students must pass the final examination (which is also the PhD qualifying examination) and satisfactorily complete at least one directed research project as judged by the qualifying exam committee.

Doctoral Degree

Besides the course work required for the MS degree, PhD students are expected to undertake two directed research projects during their first two years, and present the results to the faculty both as a written report and an oral presentation. Students must pass the Qualifying Exam Assessment (which also serves as the Plan B MS degree final exam) by the end of their 5th semester in the astronomy graduate program. The qualifying exam committee considers the student’s record in astronomy coursework and in directed research projects as well as the results of a written and an oral exam taken by the candidate.

Requirements

Students who by-pass the MS degree (because they already have an MS degree) must register for at least 3 credits of astronomy coursework in each semester prior to the semester in which they will take the qualifying exam assessment; they must also take at least three credits of Astr 734-736.

Students must pass the comprehensive exam, which takes the form of an in-depth review of the dissertation proposal, and achieve PhD candidacy by the end of their 6th semester in the astronomy graduate program. Finally, students must research, write, and defend a dissertation on a subject approved by their committee.

ASTR Courses

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Please note: This Catalog was prepared to provide information and does not constitute a contract. The University reserves the right to change or delete, supplement or otherwise amend at any time and without prior notice the information, requirements and policies contained in this Catalog.