Degree Requirements

University and College Requirements

To receive a bachelor's degree in astronomy, a student must meet the graduation requirement set by the University, the College of Natural Sciences, and the Department of Astronomy. The University requirements (total number of credits, number of credits in residence, GPA, general education requirements) are all explained in the Guide to Undergraduate Programs,

Two of the general educations requirements (Junior Year Writing and Integrative Experience) are discipline-specific and are also summarized under the Department requirements.

The College of Natural Science requirements for graduation are described on the College website. For a BS degree the College of Natural Science requires 60 credits of coursework in departments within the college. For a BA degree there is a foreign language requirement.

Department Requirements

The Department offers both BA and BS degrees in astronomy. For the BS degree there are two tracks: Astrophysics and Space Science. If you are interested in adding an astronomy major or interesting in changing degree tracks, please consult one of our advisors. 

Note that the requirements for both the BA and BS degrees have been recently revised. Students starting Fall 2023 or later have different requirements than students starting before Fall 2023.