Astronomers use principles of physics and mathematics to learn about the fundamental nature of the Universe, including the Sun, Moon, other planets and moons, asteroids and comets, stars, our Milky Way and other galaxies, and cosmology. The phenomena they explore include the births, evolution, and deaths of stars - from protostars to red giants, and the stellar corpses of white dwarfs, neutron stars, and black holes, as well as properties of galaxies and the origin and evolution of the Universe.Astronomers also apply their knowledge to celestial navigation, space flight, and satellite communications, and to develop the telescopes, instrumentation and techniques used to collect, analyse and interpret astrophysical data.

Program details

UBC is one of the few universities in the world that offer an undergraduate degree in Astronomy and Astrophysics. The Combined Honours in Physics and Astronomy is intended for students who plan to pursue graduate study in astronomy and a research career. The Astronomy Major is for students who wish to have astronomy background for careers in education, outreach and technical support of research.

Skills

Over the course of a four-year degree, this program could help you build the following skills: