Program Overview

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Master of Science in Astronomy and Space Sciences

The University of Sharjah (UoS) and the Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences, and Technology (SAASST) represent the main centers of education in Sharjah. UoS is one of the largest universities in the UAE, with more than 16,000 students spread all over its many branches across the Emirate. Hundreds of degrees in various fields are offered, and both astronomy and space sciences represent an integral part of the university program.

Introduction

The University has developed a new graduate program in "Astronomy and Space Sciences." In this regard, the College of Sciences is offering a "Master of Science in Astronomy and Space Sciences." The aims of this MSc in Astronomy and Space Sciences are to augment and enhance the knowledge acquired at the undergraduate level through a combination of multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary learning, interpersonal, research, skills, and expertise required for a career working in Astronomy/Space Sciences and their applications.

Program Objectives

The essential objective of the MSASS is to strengthen the academic and professional knowledge of students. The program is also intended to provide students with the required experience in their chosen area of focus. The specific objectives of the program are to:

• Provide students with the quality education to understand the astronomical, physical world as well as space sciences concepts, and conceive the overall structure of the Universe.
• Equip students with the attributes of advanced astronomical knowledge and space sciences technologies and address future challenges in the field.
• Provide students with practical experience in space sciences research, project development, and management.
• Prepare students to engage in independent and collaborative research in University, government, and industrial sectors.

Program Structure & Requirements

To be awarded the MSASS degree (Thesis), a student has to complete 33 credit hours distributed as follows:

• Compulsory Courses: 12 credit hours
• Elective Courses: 12 credit hours
• Thesis: 9 credit hours The University of Sharjah has published and implemented a set of By-Laws that govern all aspects of graduate studies at the University. These By-Laws are published to define the rights and obligations of the faculty, staff, and students, and organize the teaching process.

Requirements for Graduation

The requirements for graduation with the MSASS degree are:

1. Passing all courses in the study plan.
2. Completing all the other requirements of the study plan.
3. Accumulating an average GPA of 3.0 or more (on a 4-point scale).

Special Admission Requirements

Students whose undergraduate degree is not directly related to Applied Physics and Astronomy may be admitted to the MSASS program upon the recommendation of the Department council and the approval of the Graduate Studies Council. This admission will be conditional on the candidate passing up to 24 credit hours as prerequisite courses if required.

Study Plan

The Applied Physics and Astronomy Department has defined two baskets in the MSASS program: Astrophysics and Space Sciences. The Department selected a set of compulsory courses to establish a strong foundation for all graduate students. Students are required to complete a Thesis as part of the degree requirements. The Master's Thesis accounts for 9 credit hours of the 33 credit hours of the program.

Program Elective Courses

The following elective courses are offered in the program:

• Observational Astronomical Techniques
• Space Weather
• Celestial Mechanics
• General Relativity
• Data Analysis and Astrostatistics
• Computational Astrophysics
• Radio Astronomy
• Research Methodology
• Atmospheric Physics and Meteorology
• Radiative Processes in Astrophysics
• Variable and Binary Stars
• Cosmology
• Astronomical Optics

Course Description

Each course has a detailed description, including topics such as:

• Stellar Astrophysics: Basic Concepts, Stellar Formation, Radiation Transfer in Stars, Stellar Atmospheres, Stellar Interiors, Nucleosynthesis and Stellar Evolution.
• Planetary Science: The origin of the solar system, planets of the solar system, Earth as a model of planetary evolution, meteorites and impact craters, ice worlds, brown dwarfs stars and exoplanets planets.
• Galactic and Extragalactic Astrophysics: Newtonian mechanics and gravitation, Gravity as the geometry of curved spacetime, Geodesics and conservation laws, Schwarzschild geometry, Post-Newtonian expansions and tests of general relativity.
• Solar and Space Physics: Solar radiation enables and sustains life, but the Sun also produces streams of high energy particles and radiation that can be harmful to people and their technology.
• Observational Astronomical Techniques: Optical telescopes and instruments, observations at all wavelengths, cosmic rays, neutrinos, and gravitation waves.
• Space Weather: The Sun's influence on Earth's space environment, damage or destruction of satellite, navigation, communication, and power distribution systems.
• Celestial Mechanics: Newtonian mechanics and gravitation, motion in the gravitation field, Keplerian orbits, rigid body rotation, the three-body problem, and orbital perturbation theory.
• General Relativity: Review of special relativity and Newtonian gravity, Gravity as the geometry of curved spacetime, Geodesics and conservation laws, Schwarzschild geometry.
• Data Analysis and Astrostatistics: Statistics and Probabilities, spectral fitting and parameter determination, optical photometry, telescopes, fluxes, and Johnson UBVRI system.
• Computational Astrophysics: Environment of modern Theoretical Astrophysics, numerical principles and code development, Ordinary Differential Equation, Hydrodynamical equations, and Radiative Transfer.
• Radio Astronomy: Background needed to understand radio astronomy, recognition of when radio observations might help solve an astrophysical problem, design, proposal, and analysis of radio observations.
• Research Methodology: Process of scientific research, literature sources, gathering information, writing a scientific article, thesis, and a report, scientific writing and editing.
• Atmospheric Physics and Meteorology: Basic terminology, atmospheric elements, measuring techniques, thermodynamics of the atmosphere, vertical charts, recent models of Earth's atmospheres, and weather forecasting.
• Radiative Processes in Astrophysics: Classical radiation properties and radiative transfer, essential radiative transfer concepts, reddening, Einstein relations, moments of the radiative transfer equation.
• Variable and Binary Stars: Detection of binary stars, importance of binary stars in determining stellar masses, classification of variable stars, period-luminosity relationship for determining the distance of cepheids.
• Cosmology: Cosmological tools to understand the main cosmological principles and significant recent developments in the field, cosmological constant, accelerating Universe, cosmic microwave background radiation.
• Astronomical Optics: Overview of optical systems for astronomy, introduction to astronomical and optical concepts, design and analysis of high precision optical systems, measurement techniques for astronomy.