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.

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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

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.听Sometimes this comes from your Comps听advisor, 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.

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Year 1: Summer

  • Support: RA

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 听Failing to do so could result in you paying your own tuition!

Year 2: Spring

Coursework

Support

Requirements & Main Activities
  • Electives

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  • 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 Exam听("Comps")
  • Comps听deadline: 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 Comps听and then exit the program with a M.S. degree.
  • Dissertation: Dissertation听work usually begins immediately following the Comprehensive听examination. It is encouraged to be on a different project with a different advisor. The median time to completion is 5.6听years.
  • At least once a year, students, with their advisor, are expected to arrange a meeting with 3-4 of their thesis committee members.