Program Requirements

The Master of Astronomy and Astrophysics (Advanced) requires the completion of 96 units, which must consist of:

48 units from completion of the following coursework component:

A minimum of 24 units from completion of 8000-level courses in the subject area ASTR Astronomy and Astrophysics

A maximum of 24 units from completion of 6000-level courses in the subject area ASTR Astronomy and Astrophysics

A maximum of 18 units from completion of 6000-level or 8000-level courses from the following subject areas:

EMSC Earth and Marine Science

PHYS Physics

MATH Mathematics

COMP Computer Science

48 units from completion of the following research component:

48 units from completion of ASTR8010 Astronomy Research Project, which must be taken four times, in consecutive semesters.

Students must achieve a minimum 70% weighted average mark in the first 24 units of coursework and have the approval of the supervisor for the research project to continue in the Master program.

If the total number of units attempted exceeds 24 in the in the same teaching period in which the 24th unit is attempted, exactly 24 units will be used in the calculation of the weighted average mark with units from the course with the highest mark applied first followed by further units from course in descending order of marks.

Students who do not achieve a minimum 70% weighted average mark or do not have approval of an identified supervisor will be transferred to the Graduate Diploma of Science.

Study Options

Admission Requirements

A Bachelor degree or international equivalent with a minimum GPA of 5.5/7.0, with at least 8 courses in a cognate area.

Cognate Disciplines

Computer Science, Earth & Marine Sciences, Physics, Mathematics

English Language Requirements

All applicants must meet the University’s English Language Admission Requirements for Students.

Assessment of Qualifications

Unless otherwise indicated, ANU will accept all Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) qualifications or international equivalents that meet or exceed the published admission requirements of our programs, provided all other admission requirements are also met. Where an applicant has more than one completed tertiary qualification, ANU will base assessment on the qualification that best meets the admission requirements for the program. Find out more about the Australian Qualifications Framework: www.aqf.edu.au

ANU uses a 7-point Grade Point Average (GPA) scale. All qualifications submitted for admission at ANU will be converted to this common scale, which will determine if an applicant meets our published admission requirements. Find out more about how a 7-point GPA is calculated for Australian universities: www.uac.edu.au/future-applicants/admission-criteria/tertiary-qualifications

Unless otherwise indicated, where an applicant has more than one completed tertiary qualification, ANU will calculate the GPA for each qualification separately. ANU will base assessment on the best GPA of all completed tertiary qualifications of the same level or higher.

Scholarships

ANU offers a wide range of scholarships to students to assist with the cost of their studies.

Eligibility to apply for ANU scholarships varies depending on the specifics of the scholarship and can be categorised by the type of student you are.  Specific scholarship application process information is included in the relevant scholarship listing.

For further information see the Scholarships website.

Employment Opportunities

Many of our graduates go on to do research in astronomy and astrophysics at some of the best institutions in Australia and overseas, including Harvard, Princeton, UC Berkeley, Cal-Tech, MIT, Cambridge, Oxford, Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics, and of course, ANU.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the skills and knowledge to:

1. demonstrate mastery of theoretical knowledge in their area of study;
2. apply their knowledge in astronomy & astrophysics to new problems;
3. interpret, synthesize and critically analyse new published literature of relevance to astronomy & astrophysics;
4. demonstrate basic and complex analysis skills that are commonly used in astronomy & astrophysics research;
5. perform telescope observations or create theoretical simulations, interpret and analyse results, write reports and collate data into a thesis;
6. present own research work to peers and research scientists;
7. clearly communicate theory and results in both written and oral formats to specialist and non-specialist audiences.

Cognate disciplines

Physics, Mathematics, Earth & Marine Sciences, Computer Science

Further Information

New students in this program are eligible to apply for a Commonwealth Supported Place. Visit the following website for further information:http://www.anu.edu.au/students/scholarships/graduate-commonwealth-supported-places .

An indicative list of courses offered by Science can be found here

Applicants with a Bachelor Degree or Graduate Certificate in a cognate discipline may be eligible for 24 units (one semester) of credit.

Applicants with a Graduate Diploma or Honours in a cognate discipline may be eligible for 48 units (one year) of credit.