BS in Astronomy
Middle Tennessee State University
Key Information
Campus location
Murfreesboro, USA
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
4 years
Pace
Full time
Tuition fees
USD 1,178 / per credit *
Application deadline
Request info
Earliest start date
Request info
* in-state tuition per credit hour: $385 | out-of-state tuition per credit hour: $1,178
Scholarships
Explore scholarship opportunities to help fund your studies
Introduction
Humans have been looking to the stars and trying to understand how it all works since ancient times. Today, the curiosity may be the same, but the tools available have opened up a universe of exciting things to unearth. From discovering new planets and stars to understanding black holes—astronomers are proving the science fiction of yesterday to be the reality of today!
Admissions
Curriculum
Curriculum: Physics, Astronomy
Curricular listings include General Education requirements in Communication, History, Humanities and/or Fine Arts, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social/Behavioral Sciences categories.
Freshman
- ENGL 1010 - Expository Writing 3 credit hours (Comm)
- ENGL 1020 - Research and Argumentative Writing 3 credit hours (Comm)
- PHYS 1010 - Physics Colloquium 1 credit hour
- PHYS 2010 - Non-Calculus-Based Physics I 0 credit hours and
- PHYS 2011 - Physics Problems Laboratory I 4 credit hours
or
- PHYS 2110 - Calculus-Based Physics I 0 credit hours and
- PHYS 2111 - Calculus-Based Physics Laboratory I 4 credit hours (Nat Sci)
- MATH 1910 - Calculus I 4 credit hours (Math)
- MATH 1920 - Calculus II 4 credit hours
- PHYS 2020 - Non-Calculus-Based Physics II 0 credit hours and
- PHYS 2021 - Physics Problems Laboratory II 4 credit hours
or
- PHYS 2120 - Calculus-Based Physics II 0 credit hours and
- PHYS 2121 - Calculus-Based Physics Laboratory II 4 credit hours
- CHEM 1110 - General Chemistry I 4 credit hours (Nat Sci) and
- CHEM 1111 - General Chemistry I Lab 0 credit hours (Nat Sci)
- CHEM 1120 - General Chemistry II 4 credit hours and
- CHEM 1121 - General Chemistry II Lab 0 credit hours
Subtotal: 31 Hours
Sophomore
- ASTR 2030 - Solar System Astronomy 3 credit hours or
- ASTR 2040 - Stars, Galaxies, and Cosmology 3 credit hours
- PHYS 3100 - Modern Physics I 3 credit hours or
- PHYS 3070 - Concepts in Modern Physics I 3 credit hours
- PHYS 3110 - Modern Physics II 3 credit hours or
- PHYS 3080 - Concepts in Modern Physics II 3 credit hours
- PHYS 3111 - Modern Physics Laboratory 1 credit hour
- PHYS 3150 - Topics and Methods of Theoretical Physics I 3 credit hours or
- MATH 3120 - Differential Equations I 3 credit hours
- CSCI 1170 - Computer Science I 4 credit hours
- COMM 2200 - Fundamentals of Communication 3 credit hours (Comm)
- Electives 6 credit hours
- ENGL 2020 - Themes in Literature and Culture 3 credit hours (Hum/FA) or
- ENGL 2030 - The Experience of Literature 3 credit hours (Hum/FA) or
- HUM 2610 - World Literatures 3 credit hours (Hum/FA)
Subtotal: 29 Hours
Junior
- ASTR 3400 - Fundamentals of Astrophysics 3 credit hours or
- Elective 3 credit hours
- PHYS 3610 - Thermodynamics 3 credit hours or
- PHYS 3510 - Concepts in Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics 3 credit hours
- PHYS 3800 - Physics Seminar 1 credit hour
- ASTR 1031 - Observing the Universe 1 credit hour or
- ASTR 3401 - Experimental Astronomy 1 credit hour
- ASTR 2040 - Stars, Galaxies, and Cosmology 3 credit hours or
- ASTR 2030 - Solar System Astronomy 3 credit hours
- Electives 9 credit hours
- Social/Behavioral Sciences (2 rubrics) 6 credit hours
- Humanities and/or Fine Arts (2 rubrics) 6 credit hours
Subtotal: 32 Hours
Senior
- ASTR 3401 - Experimental Astronomy 1 credit hour or
- ASTR 1031 - Observing the Universe 1 credit hour
- ASTR 4850 - Astronomy Research 2 credit hours
- ASTR 4900 - Astronomy Senior Thesis 2 credit hours
- PHYS 3900 - Physics Practicum 1 credit hour
- Electives 13 credit hours
- Elective 3 credit hours or
- ASTR 3400 - Fundamentals of Astrophysics 3 credit hours
Choose 6 hours from:
- HIST 2010 - Survey of United States History I 3 credit hours
- HIST 2020 - Survey of United States History II 3 credit hours
- HIST 2030 - Tennessee History 3 credit hours
- HIST 2040 - Survey African American History I 3 credit hours
- HIST 2050 - Survey African American History II 3 credit hours
Subtotal: 28 Hours
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
There's almost no field of endeavor that doesn't have some part of it touched by physics. Not surprisingly, a B.S. in Physics can be that first step to any number of diverse careers! Examples include:
- Acoustics researcher
- Architect
- Astrophysicist
- Doctor
- Engineer
- High school physics teacher
- Medical physicist
- Naval mine warfare analyst
- Patent attorney
- Pilot
- Software developer
- Spacecraft designer
- Radio Frequency (RF) specialist
- Video game developer
English Language Requirements
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