Program Overview

Graduate Program Overview

The Northwestern Astronomy PhD is designed to provide students with a broad training in astronomy while enabling them to get started quickly with their graduate research. The Astronomy PhD is a flexible program that allows students to complement their astronomy training with a selection of physics courses or courses from other quantitative disciplines such as applied mathematics, statistics, computer science, or engineering relevant to their research.

Research and the Thesis

• Explore Astronomy Research at Northwestern
• Students pursuing astronomy or astrophysics research in our department will benefit from the vibrant environment and opportunities offered by the Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Exploration in Astrophysics (CIERA).

FAQ

• When do students start doing research?
  • We encourage students to become engaged in research as early as possible in their studies. Incoming students on University Fellowship support are especially encouraged to begin part-time research in their first year.
• When do students choose an advisor?
  • Students may choose a thesis advisor and/or topic at any point in their first two years.
• When is the Candidacy Exam (Prospectus)?
  • A proposed thesis topic must be defended before a faculty committee no later than by the end of the student's fourth (4th) year at Northwestern.
• How long does it take students to complete the degree?
  • The thesis must be defended by no later than the end of the student's ninth (9th) year at Northwestern. The median number of years to completion is five (5) years.
• Can students receive their Master's degree along the way?
  • Yes, students may apply to receive a Master's degree en route to their PhD degree. This may be helpful on applications for outside funding.

Interdisciplinary Work

• Discover the IDEAS program to learn about additional graduate training opportunities and our Certificate in Integrated Data Science.

Course Requirements

• Six (6) 400-level astronomy courses
  • Selected from Astron 314/414, 321/421, 325/425, 329/429, 410, 416, 448, 449, and 451
• Two (2) 400-level physics courses
  • All students must take Phys 411-0: Classical Mechanics during their first quarter at Northwestern.
• Four (4) other 400-level quantitative science or engineering courses (including in physics or astronomy).

Course Details

• Most of the astronomy graduate courses are offered every other year, so students will typically take 2 years to finish their course requirements.
• Descriptions of the Astronomy courses can be found online.

Professional Development, STEM, and Outreach

• Explore a wide variety of education and outreach opportunities while you are in graduate school.

Advanced Tools for Research

• Telescope Access for Northwestern Astronomers
• High-performance Computing at Northwestern
• Northwestern University Research Shop

Program Handbook

• The Program Handbook can answer many questions you might have about the program.