Program in Solar and Terrestrial Physics

Program in Solar and Terrestrial Physics (STP)

Program Details

Application procedure: Those interested in this program must apply to one of the host departments (Geology and Geophysics, or Astronomy) by the usual procedure. The applicant's statement of purpose should mention his or her interest in the STP program. This designation (or lack thereof) is non-binding and any student in either department may, with the consent of the advising committee, join or leave the joint program at any time until they are admitted to candidacy (typically at the end of the second year). Students remain officially enrolled in, and earn any degrees from, their original department.

Alternatively, students who wish to do so may pursue a joint Ph.D. awarded in both Geophysics and Astronomy by both departments. This entails additional requirements on the student, noted below. Applicants or admitted students who feel inclined toward this option are encouraged to contact the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) of each department.

Requirements: The requirements will be determined by the department to which the student applies. However, all students in this program will be expected to take a set of introductory courses, taught by the faculty of both departments, in the following subjects: fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, radiative transfer, and numerical methods. Some of these required courses may be substituted for others required by the host department, if any, at the discrection of the department's Director of Graduate Studies. A student's advising committee must also include at least one faculty member from each department.

Any student wishing to pursue a joint Ph.D. must also abide by additional rules set forth by the Graduate School for joint Ph.D. degrees. Such students should officially declare their intention to pursue a joint degree by the end of their first year.

Course Offerings: Students in the joint program may, as usual, enroll in any course offered by the University. Courses offered by the two departments of specific interest to joint program students currently include the following:

G&G 460a / ASTR 460a Introduction to Fluid Mechanics
G&G 666a / ASTR 666a Geophysical and Astrophysical Thermodynamics
G&G 501b / ASTR 540b Planetary and Stellar Radiation
G&G 520a / ASTR 520a Computational Analysis
ASTR 590b Solar Physics
G&G 522a Introduction to Meteorology and Climatology
G&G 535a Physical oceanography
G&G 521b Geophysical fluid dynamics
G&G 536b Atmospheric Waves, Convection and Vortices

As previously mentioned, the first four of these or their equivalents are considered requirements of the program.

Further Inquiries: For further information on the program, please contact the Director of Graduate Studies of either department.