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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.

Courses of Instruction

PreparatoryCourses

• AST 1410H Stars
• AST 1420H Galactic Structure and Dynamics
• AST 1430H Cosmology
• AST 1440H Radiation Processes and Gas Dynamics

Research Courses

• AST 1500Y Directed Research
• AST 1501Y Introduction to Research

Elective Courses

• AST 2030H The Interstellar Medium and Star Formation
• AST 2040H Extragalactic Astronomy
• AST 2050H Observational Techniques
• AST 2060H General Relativity I: Theory
• AST 2070H General Relativity II: Applications and Cosmology

Specialized Courses

• AST 3010H Advanced Topics in Stellar and Galactic Astronomy
  
• AST 3020H Advanced Topics in Interstellar Matter and Star Formation I
• AST 3021H Advanced Topics in Interstellar Matter and Star Formation II
• AST 3100H Lecture Series in Specialized Topics (Mini Courses)