Introduction to the Major
The UC Berkeley Astrophysics Undergraduate program prepares students to understand the world beyond our own! The Department of Astronomy endeavors to meet that need by providing students access to a broad spectrum of courses taught by prize-winning faculty, state-of-the-art facilities, first-class scientists and researchers, and opportunities to conduct research projects. The Astrophysics major provides students with physical reasoning, computational and analytical skills and prepares them for a career in academia, data science, tech and space industry, and many other fields.
The Astrophysics Curriculum
Berkeley Astronomy courses cover an array of topics. The lower division ASTRO 7A & 7B courses give a comprehensive overview of our Universe, from exoplanets to cosmology. The upper division courses offer an in-depth view on planetary astrophysics (162), stellar physics (160), and relativistic astrophysics and cosmology (161). Our program stands out by its unique and rigorous lab courses, including the optical-IR (120), the radio astronomy (121), and the data science (128) labs. Courses are taught by expert faculty, ensuring a more enlightened and thorough educational experience.
Amplify Your Major
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Join the Undergraduate Astronomical Society.
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Learn how to program in Python early by taking our DeCal course, PHYSICS 77/88, or CS 61A.
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Conduct a research project with one of our world-renowned scientists in the Astronomy Department, SSL or LBL.
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Apply to a summer REU program.
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Apply to an undergraduate student instructor (UGSI) or grader position.
The undergraduate program prepares students for astrophysics graduate work or other advanced degrees in related science and engineering fields. It also prepares students for careers in teaching or for working in data science and other technical fields. Our students graduate with research and lab experience, computational and analytical skills, and an education that will equip them as leaders in their chosen fields and professional endeavors.
Jobs and Employers
- Chemist, Argonne National Lab
- Data Scientist, Lockheed Martin
- Mission Integration Engineer, SpaceX
- Process Engineer, DiCon Fiberoptics
- Quantitative Analyst, BofA
- Research Asst., Cambridge University
- Research Intern, NASA-Ames Ctr.
- Scientist, Stanford University
- Scientist, James Webb Space Telescope
- Software Engineer, Amazon
- Software Engineer, Samsung
- Tutor, C2 Education
Graduate Programs
- Applied Mathematics, PhD
- Astronomy, PhD
- Astrophysics, PhD
- Chemical Engineering, PhD
- Computer Science, PhD
- Data Science, PhD
- Earth and Planetary Science, PhD
- Geophysics and Seismology, PhD
- Neuroscience, PhD
- Physics, PhD
Examples gathered from the First Destination Survey(link is external) and Astro Exit Survey of recent Berkeley graduates.
Connect With Us
Events
Attend department events with students, staff, and faculty. Join our Advising Discord(link is external), follow us on Instagram(link is external), Facebook(link is external), and Twitter(link is external), and visit our Astro events and news(link is external)
Advising
Brad Perl(link is external) is the Undergraduate Advisor. Contact him for information on major and minor requirements, policies, procedures, department resources, events and activities. For general information or to schedule an appointment, please contact astroadvising@berkeley.edu(link sends e-mail)
Join our Advising Discord(link is external) for information about courses, resources and more.
Courtney Dressing(link is external) is the Undergraduate Faculty Advisor. Email her for office hours and assistance with content of courses, research, graduate school and career development.
Climate Advisors and Undergraduate Student Representative
Do you have any feedback or concerns on climate, curriculum, etc.? Check in with the Undergraduate Climate Advisors(link is external) or the Undergraduate Student Representative(link is external), and join our bi-annual Town Hall meeting with the Chair and Faculty Advisor.
How to Use this Map
Use this map to help plan and guide your experience at UC Berkeley, including academic, co-curricular, and discovery opportunities. Everyone’s Berkeley experience is different and activities in this map are suggestions. Always consult with your advisors whenever possible for new opportunities and updates.
