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Graduate Programmes and Curriculum

Preamble

This document describes the Graduate Programmes of the Department of Astronomy as approved in 2001 after wide ranging and extensive discussions in the department involving both students and faculty.

There are several motivations underlying the latest revision of the graduate curriculum. These include: offering students an opportunity to enter directly into PhD studies combining bothcoursework and intensive research while retaining the ability to provide a well-rounded one-year MSc degree; providing flexibility to students who enter into the programme with a wide range of background and interests in astronomy and astrophysics; encouraging research as a major component in the education process; and ensuring that the department can offer a dynamic, competitive, and attractive degree programme in comparison with other Canadian and international universities. The following outlines the course and other requirements for the graduate degrees and provides descriptions of graduate courses offered.

Course and Programme Requirements

PhD Degree

Candidates are accepted under the general regulations of the School of Graduate Studies. Applicants who were educated outside Canada should pay particular attention to the English language competency requirements.
Because many universities do not offer extensive undergraduate training in astronomy and astrophysics, preparation in physics and mathematics is an acceptable background for candidates.
Candidates are strongly advised to take the verbal, quantitative, and advanced physics tests of the Graduate Record Examination administered by the Educational Testing Service, Princeton.
The programme for the degree is intended to be completed in five years (15 semesters) Candidates are normally expected to be on campus full time for the duration of their programme.
Candidates are immediately engaged in original research through two required research courses, AST 1501Y and AST 1500Y, with different supervisors. An oral exam by committee is held for each. Schedule: AST 1501Y is normally completed during the fall/winter of the first year, and AST 1500Y is completed in the following summer.
The core of the programme is a thesis embodying the results of original research which must be submitted for appraisal in accordance with the regulations of the School of Graduate Studies. As a first step, a candidate is required to prepare a written Ph.D. thesis proposal (possibly on a theme growing out of one of the first two research courses, but not necessarily) and defend it in an oral examination conducted by a panel of faculty members. The intention of this “qualifying examination” is to assess the candidate's ability and readiness to carry forward and complete successfully independent Ph.D.-level research. This assessment is based on the candidate's graduate record to date, including graduate lecture courses and research performed, together with the presentation and defense of the proposed Ph.D. thesis.
Schedule: The qualifying examination is comprised of two parts (a general knowledge component and a thesis-specific component) and is taken after four and within five semesters of beginning the programme. Candidates register each year, beginning in the second year, in the research course AST 400*Y (in sequence of the last digit: 2, 3, …).
Candidates follow an approved programme of study including a minimum of four half-courses, in addition to the research courses AST 1500Y, AST 1501Y and the AST 400*Y course listed above, at least two of which are from among the AST Elective or Specialized Courses, subject to the approval of the instructor, the candidate's Ph.D. programme committee and the Department. More courses may be taken for credit or audited as appropriate. Schedule: The required half-courses are normally taken on average one per semester in the fall/winter semesters during the first two years of the programme.
Candidates are expected to participate in the Department's weekly seminar series and to attend astronomy and astrophysics seminars and colloquia arranged by the Department, CITA, and Physics (no academic credit or marks are given).

The PhD Committee

The Committee will consist of the supervisor and at least two other faculty members, not all of whom need to be in the same area of specialization as the student. The membership will be recommended to the Graduate Coordinator by the supervisor after consulting with the student.

PhD committees for each student are required to meet at least once a year. It is recommended that they meet twice a year. The supervisor will be responsible for calling and scheduling the meeting and for ensuring that a formal written report of the meeting is submitted promptly to the Graduate Coordinator for filing in the student's departmental file.

The report of the meeting should indicate those present and should be signed by both the student and the supervisor. It should address the following items:

progress in courses required/taken;
thesis progress report; The committee normally will ask the student to present a written report. Written material is invaluable in judging progress and it is often extremely useful for the student to write up completed sections of work as they are done. The report should give a brief outline of the project; a summary of progress since the last committee meeting; a plan for activities for the next year, including an analysis of critical areas and possible difficulties; and a tentative completion date for the thesis.
A report on discussion of the student's progress.

MSc Degree

Admission requirements for the M.Sc.. Degree are the same as those for the Ph.D. (see above). Programme requirements for the M.Sc. degree are set out in items 5, 8, and 9 (above). Candidates in the Direct-entry Ph.D. programme who have successfully completed those requirements, and who wish to terminate their studies at that point, may request consideration for award of the M.Sc. degree.

Collaborative Programme in Astrophysics

The Departments of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Physics, and CITA cooperate to offer a Master of Science programme in astrophysics. For details, consult the Joint Astronomy/CITA/Physics Collaborative MSc Programme

Course Categories

The graduate courses offered are divided into three categories: Category A: Preparatory courses: These courses will be at a non-specialist level to which a well-educated astronomer/astrophysicist in any field would expect to attain. They provide basic knowledge and breadth. Incoming students are expected to take these courses prior to the qualification exam unless the department (via the student's PhD committee) is satisfied that similar material has been covered in their previous degree(s) or has been obtained independently. Category B: Elective courses. Some of these courses are offered every year, and others every other year, depending on demand and resources available. They may be more specialized or advanced than the basic courses; and can be taken by either MSc or PhD students. Category C: Specialized courses. These are generally intended as PhD level courses. Normally, the equivalent of two of these courses should be offered each year. These include both mini-courses (equivalent to 1/3 semester) and one-semester seminar courses. Courses are offered whenever there are sufficient student interest and resources. A course credit on non-thesis research topics is also offered at this level in order to further encourage research as the primary learning process. Such a project would widen the research horizon of the student, and also allow additional faculty members to have first hand knowledge and evaluation of the research skill/potential of the student. Outlines for the courses are given below.