Undergraduate Course: Introductory Astrophysics (PHYS08050)
Course Outline
| School | School of Physics and Astronomy |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 1 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This is an applied physics course focusing on the practical application of physics to understand a range of different astronomy observations, studying the stars, galaxies and cosmology. This is a hybrid course, with content delivered virtually through a textbook that we wrote for you and a series of short videos with embedded quiz questions. There are no traditional in-person lectures. Instead we offer a weekly 1hr in-person peer learning session and 3x2hr problem solving workshops, spread throughout the semester. |
| Course description |
1. Stars (Weeks 1-5)
- Light and Gravity
- Spectra, Blackbody radiation, Newton's Laws
- Birth to Death
- HR diagram, Main Sequence Stellar Structure, Stellar Evolution, Star Death
2. Galaxies (Weeks 6-8)
- Milky Way and beyond
- Galactic structure, galaxy morphology/formation, AGN and Black Holes
3. Cosmology (Weeks 9-10)
- Big Bang and Inflation, CMB, Nucleosynthesis, Dark Matter and Dark Energy
4. Revision
- Mock exam and feedback
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The School of Physics and Astronomy offers four optional astronomy related courses:
Semester 1:
Discovering Astronomy
Astrobiology
Semester 2:
The Dark Universe
Introductory Astrophysics
Which course is right for you?
1) How comfortable are you with mathematics? Introductory Astrophysics recommends Higher or A-Level Maths equivalent. For the other three courses, Nat-5 or GCSE Maths equivalent is sufficient.
2) Do you want a broad overview of the Universe or something more focused? Discovering Astronomy and Introductory Astrophysics cover a comprehensive range of astronomical topics. Astrobiology is an interdisciplinary course that examines the origin and future of life in the Universe. The Dark Universe covers cosmology and galaxies in a way that is accessible to any student.
3) Do you want to take all four astronomy courses over your first two years? This is technically possible, but not necessarily recommended as there are lots of other exciting optional courses that you can take. For the astronomy-enthused, however, the best order to take these four courses is Discovering Astronomy and The Dark Universe in Year 1, and Astrobiology and Introductory Astrophysics in Year 2.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | It is recommended that students have Higher or A-Level maths, or equivalent. |
| Additional Costs | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | It is recommended that students have Higher or A-Level maths, or equivalent. |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Academic year 2025/26, Available to all students (SV1)
|
Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 16,
Online Activities 12,
Feedback/Feedforward Hours 2,
Summative Assessment Hours 2,
Revision Session Hours 2,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
162 )
|
| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
67 %,
Coursework
33 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
|
| Additional Information (Assessment) |
2/3 Examination
1/3 Coursework: Workshop Problems, Online Quizzes and Peer-Learning |
| Feedback |
Not entered |
| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Minutes |
|
| Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May) | | 00 | | | Resit Exam Diet (August) | | 00 | |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Understand the key physical concepts underlying the properties of stars, galaxies, and the universe at large
- Think critically about astrophysical problems
- Understand how to frame astrophysical problems in mathematical terms
- Understand the key observed properties of stars, galaxies, and the universe at large
- Apply mathematical and physics techniques to solve astrophysical problems
|
Reading List
| We provide a textbook that we have written for you, containing all the information that we want you to understand by the end of the course. |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Additional Class Delivery Information |
This is a Hybrid course. Each week there are roughly 6x12minute videos to watch and an assessed online multi-choice quiz. Students will join the weekly in-person peer-learning session (1hr), and will attend 3x2hr teaching studio problem solving workshops spread throughout the semester. |
| Keywords | InAst |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Catherine Heymans
Tel: 0131 668 8301
Email: heymans@roe.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Alex Delaney
Tel:
Email: adelane3@ed.ac.uk |
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