The outline below illustrates the recommended schedule of coursework and departmental requirements for completing a Ph.D. All students are required to take the five required core courses.
For more information about planetary astronomy at ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥, visit the For more detailed information on examination timelines, see the Important Information page.
Year 1: Fall
Coursework | Support | Requirements & Main Activities |
- Core: Atomic & Molecular Processes, Math Methods.
- Planetary Elective: Origins (even years), or Surfaces and Interiors (odd years).
- Astrophysics Elective: Origins or Cosmology (even years), or ISM/Star Formation or Astrophysical Plasmas (odd years).
- Space Physics Elective: Fluids 2 (even years), or Astrophysical Plasmas (odd years).
| - Teaching (TA) or Research (RA) Assistantship -- Usually TA
| - Find your academic advisor and discuss classes. You should have met them in your entrance interview (during Fall Orientation).
- Prepare for in-state tuition: Get a CO driver's license, register to vote, register your car, save your lease or buy a house, and read the
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Year 1: Spring
Coursework | Support | Requirements & Main Activities |
Core: Fluids; Observations, Data Analysis, & Statistics Planetary Elective: Atmospheres (even years), or Special Topics (odd years). Astrophysics Elective: Galaxies or Stellar Astrophysics (even years), or High Energy or Instrumentation (odd years). Space Physics Elective: Magnetospheres (even years), or Solar/Stellar Magnetism (odd years).
| - Teaching (TA) or Research (RA) Assistantship -- Usually TA
| - Scout research groups for summer support.ÌýSometimes this comes from your CompsÌýadvisor, sometimes from your (possible) thesis advisor. Sometimes grad students will find external funding through a summer fellowship program.
- Find a research group to try. For the last several years, there have been Faculty Research Talks where faculty give a brief overview of what research they do and what openings they may have.
Ìý |
Year 1: Summer
Year 2: Fall
Coursework | Support | Requirements & Main Activities |
- Core: Radiative & Dynamical Processes.
- Planetary Elective: Origins (even years), or Surfaces and Interiors (odd years).
- Astrophysics Elective: Origins or Cosmology (even years), or ISM/Star Formation or Astrophysical Plasmas (odd years).
- Space Physics Elective: Fluids 2 (even years), or Astrophysical Plasmas (odd years).
| - Teaching (TA) or Research (RA) Assistantship -- Usually RA
| - Evaluate research interests.
- Apply for in-state tuition: Talk to the graduate program coordinator, and then fill out the ÌýFailing to do so could result in you paying your own tuition!
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Year 2: Spring
Coursework | Support | Requirements & Main Activities |
Ìý | - Teaching (TA) or Research (RA) Assistantship -- Usually RA
| |
Year 2: Summer
Year 3: Fall
- You will probably have 1 or 2 courses left that you need to take.
- Requirements & Main Activities: Take Comprehensive ExamÌý("Comps")
- CompsÌýdeadline: October 31. You will need to petition the department to extend this if you will not be ready (usually granted).
Subsequent Years
- Coursework: Coursework is usually completed after 5 semesters in our department.
- Support: Support is usually through an RA, though many graduate students will occasionally TA in later years for additional experience or salary.
- Terminal Masters: A graduate student can choose to complete their CompsÌýand then exit the program with a M.S. degree.
- Dissertation: DissertationÌýwork usually begins immediately following the ComprehensiveÌýexamination. It is encouraged to be on a different project with a different advisor. The median time to completion is 5.6Ìýyears.
- At least once a year, students, with their advisor, are expected to arrange a meeting with 3-4 of their thesis committee members.
