Graduate Studies
The Penn State Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics offers a wealth of opportunities to students with active research programs on topics ranging from the birth of stars to colliding black holes, and from the coolest stars to the most distant galaxies. Graduate students not only work in these fields -- they also participate in building the instruments that collect the data. The department's exceptional balance between observers, theorists, and instrumentalists allows students to develop a wide range of skills and enhance their chances of future employment. World-class resources, including the 8-m Hobby-Eberly Telescope, the Chandra X-ray Telescope, the SWIFT gamma-ray burst explorer satellite, and the Penn State Pulsar Machines provide students unlimited access to the edge of the observable universe.
Helpful Links
- How to Apply
- Frequently Asked Questions
- The Departmental Brochure
- Comparison to Other Astronomy Departments
- Graduate Student Handbook -- printable version
- Recent Penn State Ph.D. Employment
- Grads' Web Resources Page
Contact Information
Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics
The Pennsylvania State University
525 Davey Lab
University Park, PA 16802 phone: (814) 865-0418
fax: (814) 863-2842
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Events
Upcoming events
- Galaxy Evolution from Galaxy Clustering(Colloquium)(3 days)
- Mars Science Laboratory 2009 & 2011 Missions: "Follow the Carbon" (Event)(7 days)
- The Life Cycle of Star Clusters: Universal or Special?(Colloquium)(9 days)
- Young Planets in Visible and Infrared Light: Spots' Tricks(Colloquium)(51 days)
- Some Recent Progress on Neutron Stars(Colloquium)(65 days)
- TBA(Colloquium)(93 days)
