The online catalog includes the most recent changes to courses and degree requirements that have been approved by the Faculty Senate, including changes that are not yet effective.
Courses
The online catalog includes the most recent changes to courses and degree requirements that have been approved by the Faculty Senate, including changes that are not yet effective. Courses showing two entries of the same number indicate that the course information is changing. The most recently approved version is shown first, followed by the older version, in gray, with its last-effective term preceding the course title. Courses shown in gray with only one entry of the course number are being discontinued. Course offerings by term can be accessed by clicking on the term links when viewing a specific campus catalog.
Astronomy (ASTRONOM)
135 [PSCI] Astronomy 4 (3-2) Course Prerequisite: ENGLISH 101 or HISTORY 105. Overview of the solar system, stars, galaxies, cosmology, and the history of astronomy. Includes a lab component with occasional evening meetings. Credit not granted for both ASTRONOM 135 and 150. Typically offered Fall, Spring, and Summer.
138 [PSCI] Planets and Planetary Systems 3 Course Prerequisite: ENGLISH 101 or HISTORY 105. Formation and dynamics of planetary systems; major planets: interiors, surfaces, atmospheres; minor planets: moons, asteroids, comets; science missions; extrasolar planets. Typically offered Fall and Spring.
150 Science and the Universe 3 Basic structure and history of science and science reasoning with emphasis on astronomy, observational practice, and data analysis. Credit not granted for both ASTRONOM 135 and 150. Typically offered Fall and Spring.
345 Principles of Astronomy 3 Course Prerequisite: 4 credits of PHYSICS 202, or PHYSICS 202 and 212, or PHYSICS 206; MATH 172 or 182. Planets, the sun, stars, and galaxies; current topics in astrophysics and planetary research. Typically offered Fall.
390 [PSCI] The Night Sky 1 (0-3) Course Prerequisite: Science [BSCI] or [PSCI] UCORE course. Star names, magnitude scales, constellation identification, astronomical coordinates, solar, lunar and planetary motions, practical astronomy. Some outdoor evening time required. Typically offered Summer Session.
435 Astronomy and Astrophysics I 3 Course Prerequisite: 4 credits of PHYSICS 202, or PHYSICS 202 and 212, or PHYSICS 206; MATH 172 or 182. Planets, solar systems, and stars. Typically offered Spring.
436 Astronomy and Astrophysics II 3 Course Prerequisite: 4 credits of PHYSICS 202, or PHYSICS 202 and 212, or PHYSICS 206; MATH 172 or 182. Exotic objects, galaxies, and cosmology. Typically offered Spring.
450 [CAPS] Life in the Universe 3 Course Prerequisite: Mathematics [N] or [QUAN]; junior standing. The natural history of life on earth and prospects for life elsewhere; includes chemistry, biology, geology, physics and astronomy. Recommended preparation: Completion of physical and biological sciences GERs/UCOREs. Typically offered Fall, Spring, and Summer.
511 Astronomical Methods 3 Detectors and telescopes; radio astronomy; interferometry and Fourier methods; data handling; statistics; data mining. Typically offered Fall.
525 Stellar Astrophysics 3 Numerical modeling of stellar equilibria; equations of state; opacity and radiative transfer; nuclear reactions; stellar oscillations; stellar formation and evolution; compact objects. Typically offered Spring.
526 Galaxies and Radiative Processes 3 Radiative processes, nebular spectra, dust, galaxy structure and dynamics, active galactic nuclei, dark matter, large-scale structure. Typically offered Spring. Cooperative: Open to UI degree-seeking students.
530 Gravitation and Cosmology 3 Special relativity; 4-vectors; introduction to tensors; examples of space-time metrics; black holes; gravitational waves; gravitational lensing; the Robertson-Walker metric; inflationary cosmology; Big Bang nucleosynthesis; cosmic microwave background radiation; structure formation. Typically offered Fall.
581 Advanced Topics in Astronomy 3 May be repeated for credit. Advanced topics of current interest in astronomy. Typically offered Fall and Spring. Cooperative: Open to UI degree-seeking students.