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
*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
*L. Kofman, PhD--astrophysical theory
*J. Kormendy, PhD--extragalactic astronomy
*J. R. Kuhn, PhD--solar astrophysics
*B. J. LaBonte, PhD--solar physics
*G. Luppino, PhD--extragalactic astronomy
*R. McLaren, PhD--infrared astronomy
*K. Meech, PhD--planetary astronomy
*D. Mickey, PhD--solar physics
*M. Northcott, PhD--adaptive optics
*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
*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 Hawaii. The University of Hawaiis 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 Hawaii 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
Hawaii is guaranteed access to them. The Institute for Astronomy of
the University of Hawaii 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 Universitys
observatories for the solution of problems in solar physics, planetary
astronomy (atmospheres and surfaces), stellar astronomy, extragalactic
systems, and cosmology.
Masters Degree
Graduates with a terminal MS degree have found
employment in space-related indus-tries 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 students 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. |