Graduate study in physics and astronomy is highly individualized. Each entering graduate student is assigned a faculty advisor, who assists in preparing a plan of study and in guiding the student's progress.
The Master of Science program in astronomy requires a minimum of 30 s.h. of graduate credit. It is offered either with or without thesis. The M.S. may be a terminal degree or a step toward a Ph.D. in physics with subprogram and a dissertation in astronomy or astrophysics. In either case the final examination is oral, conducted by a committee of three faculty members.
Up to one-third of the program of study may be taken in related scientific fields (e.g., meteorology, geology, electrical engineering); selection of such courses is encouraged.
Career Advancement
Graduates have opportunities for employment in universities, colleges, and research laboratories in government and industry. Physics and astronomy graduates have mastered skills that are readily transferable to a number of fields. They might choose to work in engineering, software development, finance, or consulting.
January 2025
Iowa
Iowa City,
Iowa City,
Iowa,
52242, Midwest, United States
January 2026
Iowa
Iowa City,
Iowa City,
Iowa,
52242, Midwest, United States
A U.S. bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university, or an equivalent degree from another country as determined by the Office of Admissions with a minimum grade-point average (GPA) of 3.00.
English Language Requirements:
An IELTS (International English Language Testing System) total score of 7.0, with no sub score less than 6.0.
TOEFL score requirements with score of 81 or higher on the Internet-based version of the test (iBT) and newly admitted graduate students who present iBT scores below 100 on the PBT.
TOEFL score requirements with score of 550 on Paper-based test (PBT) and newly admitted graduate students who present TOEFL scores below 600 on the PBT.
*There may be different IELTS requirements depending on your chosen course.
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