Metadata
Title
Brown University
Category
general
UUID
7300ea6cb3fd4a2a9f3c3bcfeeb05d3e
Source URL
https://bulletin.brown.edu/the-college/concentrations/astr/
Parent URL
https://bulletin.brown.edu/azindex/
Crawl Time
2026-03-16T04:42:34+00:00
Rendered Raw Markdown

Brown University

Source: https://bulletin.brown.edu/the-college/concentrations/astr/ Parent: https://bulletin.brown.edu/azindex/

Along with Greek, Latin, and Mathematics, Astronomy counts as one of the oldest continuously taught subjects in the Brown curriculum. It is the study of the properties of stars, galaxies, and the Universe, and as such combines elements from the disciplines of both Physics and Planetary Geology. Students pursuing this concentration complete introductory coursework in classical mechanics, relativity, and astrophysics, along with mathematics and elecromagnetism. They go on to complete courses in stellar and extragalactic astrophysics as well as cosmology. Facilities available to concentrators include the historic Ladd Observatory.

Standard concentration for the A.B. degree

Eleven or twelve courses are required (depending on the satisfaction of prerequisites).

Prerequisites
PHYS 0070 Analytical Mechanics 1
PHYS 0160 Introduction to Relativity, Waves and Quantum Physics 1 1
PHYS 0270 Astronomy and Astrophysics 1
Select one of the following Series: 1-2
MATH 0170MATH 0180 Single Variable Calculus, Part II (Accelerated) and Multivariable Calculus
MATH 0190MATH 0200 Single Variable Calculus, Part II (Physics/Engineering) and Multivariable Calculus (Physics/Engineering)
MATH 0350 Multivariable Calculus With Theory (or equivalent)
PHYS 0470 Electricity and Magnetism 1
Program
Select one of the following mathematics courses: 1
MATH 0520 Linear Algebra
MATH 0540 Linear Algebra With Theory
PHYS 0720 Methods of Mathematical Physics
APMA 0330 Methods of Applied Mathematics I
APMA 0340 Methods of Applied Mathematics II
Select two of the following astrophysics courses: 2
PHYS 1100 General Relativity
PHYS 1250 Stellar Structure and the Interstellar Medium
PHYS 1270 Extragalactic Astronomy and High-Energy Astrophysics
PHYS 1280 Introduction to Cosmology
Three additional 1000- or 2000-level courses in physics or a related field, suggestions: 3
APMA 1670 Statistical Analysis of Time Series
EEPS 0810 Planetary Geology
EEPS 1710 Remote Sensing of Earth and Planetary Surfaces
EEPS 1810 Physics of Planetary Evolution
ENGN 1860 Advanced Fluid Mechanics
MATH 1060 Differential Geometry
PHYS 0500 Advanced Classical Mechanics
PHYS 0560 Experiments in Modern Physics
PHYS 1410 Quantum Mechanics A
PHYS 1510 Advanced Electromagnetic Theory
PHYS 1530 Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics
PHYS 1560 Modern Physics Laboratory
Total Credits 11-12

1 : PHYS 0050 and PHYS 0060 can be taken in lieu of PHYS 0160