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The Astronomy Department's graduate program emphasizes research at the frontiers of astrophysics. Areas of concentration are theoretical, observational, and instrumentational astronomy.
The Graduate Program of the University of Arizona Department of Astronomy and Steward Observatory trains students to become independent scientists with the knowledge and skills to conduct and communicate world-class astronomical research. A Ph.D. in Astronomy and Astrophysics from the University of Arizona signifies a student’s excellence in research, which is demonstrated through a significant, original, and scholarly contribution to astrophysical knowledge. We admit graduate students who have met high standards of achievement and shown potential for conducting original research, with the expectation that they will succeed in attaining a doctoral degree in astronomy and astrophysics. The academic program is structured in support of this goal, emphasizing research throughout the graduate career; providing mentoring from individual advisors and our interactive community of students, postdocs, scientists, and faculty. Students will gain firsthand experience with the tools and facilities that define the state of the art in our field.
GRE General test required (no minimum).
3 letters of recommendation. Recommender name, title, and contact information including e-mail address required as part of the online application.
Transcripts from all Colleges and Universities attended. Unofficial transcripts are required to be scanned and uploaded to the online application.
Statement of Purpose uploaded to the online application.
Resume or Curriculum Vitae uploaded to the online application.
International Students must submit TOEFL or IELTS as proof of English Proficiency
Required test(s): GRE
Recommended GRE Subject tests: Physics
(Recommended means that you can chose whether or not to submit a Physics GRE score. If you chose not to submit a Physics GRE score, this will not affect your application in any way. Your application will be reviewed the same with or without a Physics GRE score.)
Minimum GRE Verbal:
Minimum GRE Quantitative:
Minimum GRE Written:
Minimum TOEFL: 550
Minimum IELTS: 7
Full support as a Teaching or Research Assistant is guaranteed for five years at least, as long as the student makes satisfactory progress toward their degree.
Domestic Applicants:
International Applicants:
4832
4832
The astronomy department allows graduate students whose Ph.D. major is in another department to minor in astronomy. We require that they pass nine units of coursework that the department considers acceptable for this purpose, preferably "core" courses, and that one astronomy faculty member participate in the preliminary and final oral exams.
See the Graduate Catalogue and the "Handbook for Completing the Steps to Your Degree" for more information. These publications also contain requirements involving the dissertation, as does also the Manual for Theses and Dissertations.