Astrophysics at monash

[sdhains]

Hey guys,
Was just toying around with the idea of doing commerce/science and majoring or doing a minor in astrophysics/astronomy. It sounds truly fascinating. Is it as awesome as it sounds? ANyone here done a subject or more in it and want to give me their 2 cents?

I studied science up until year 11 and I love maths.

[excal]

My partner is doing a major with a view to a Honours/PhD in Astro...I'll get her input for you...

[excal]

In a sentence, it is as awesome as it sounds, and loving maths is a prerequisite to the two 3rd year core units (ASP3051 especially, and ASP3012). I would however advise skipping the two first year units, as (without attempting to pick on anyone) these two units are targetted at people with little to no physics/maths background (a lot of people from other faculties eg arts come and do them), and thus the whole first year course is purely descriptive. Some of the first year labs/practicals are literally 'go make a sundial from this cardboard cutout', and anything actually relevant they will cover with you again in 2nd year anyway. Plus they are NOT part of the minor or major sequence for astro

- ASP2011 and ASP3231 are the two observational units and are optional
- ASP2062, 3051 and 3012 are more theoretical and are all core units to the astro major sequence

Monash specialises in theoretical astrophysics (vs ANU is for observational, swinburne is for computational (swinburne has their own supercomputer!!)) and hence most of what you get is along those lines. ALSO class sizes are really small ie 40 people enrolled in each unit (at 2nd/3rd year level, 1st year has close to 200...), of which about 30 maximum rock up to classes, so they really look after you 

ASP3012 has a field trip to Canberra and in ASP3231 you get to control Monash's new observatory (remote controlled telescope on the roof of a building on campus) yourself to take real observations yourself and do a mini project from the data you take which is a pretty good/unique opportunity if you're that way inclined: http://www.physics.monash.edu.au/teaching/observatory.html

Overall astro has been very different and interesting compared to what I get in physics/maths and I would recommend it to anyone even if you have zero intention to continue in this field

[sdhains]

In a sentence, it is as awesome as it sounds, and loving maths is a prerequisite to the two 3rd year core units (ASP3051 especially, and ASP3012). I would however advise skipping the two first year units, as (without attempting to pick on anyone) these two units are targetted at people with little to no physics/maths background (a lot of people from other faculties eg arts come and do them), and thus the whole first year course is purely descriptive. Some of the first year labs/practicals are literally 'go make a sundial from this cardboard cutout', and anything actually relevant they will cover with you again in 2nd year anyway. Plus they are NOT part of the minor or major sequence for astro

- ASP2011 and ASP3231 are the two observational units and are optional
- ASP2062, 3051 and 3012 are more theoretical and are all core units to the astro major sequence

Monash specialises in theoretical astrophysics (vs ANU is for observational, swinburne is for computational (swinburne has their own supercomputer!!)) and hence most of what you get is along those lines. ALSO class sizes are really small ie 40 people enrolled in each unit (at 2nd/3rd year level, 1st year has close to 200...), of which about 30 maximum rock up to classes, so they really look after you 

ASP3012 has a field trip to Canberra and in ASP3231 you get to control Monash's new observatory (remote controlled telescope on the roof of a building on campus) yourself to take real observations yourself and do a mini project from the data you take which is a pretty good/unique opportunity if you're that way inclined: http://www.physics.monash.edu.au/teaching/observatory.html

Overall astro has been very different and interesting compared to what I get in physics/maths and I would recommend it to anyone even if you have zero intention to continue in this field

In a sentence, it is as awesome as it sounds, and loving maths is a prerequisite to the two 3rd year core units (ASP3051 especially, and ASP3012). I would however advise skipping the two first year units, as (without attempting to pick on anyone) these two units are targetted at people with little to no physics/maths background (a lot of people from other faculties eg arts come and do them), and thus the whole first year course is purely descriptive. Some of the first year labs/practicals are literally 'go make a sundial from this cardboard cutout', and anything actually relevant they will cover with you again in 2nd year anyway. Plus they are NOT part of the minor or major sequence for astro

- ASP2011 and ASP3231 are the two observational units and are optional
- ASP2062, 3051 and 3012 are more theoretical and are all core units to the astro major sequence

Monash specialises in theoretical astrophysics (vs ANU is for observational, swinburne is for computational (swinburne has their own supercomputer!!)) and hence most of what you get is along those lines. ALSO class sizes are really small ie 40 people enrolled in each unit (at 2nd/3rd year level, 1st year has close to 200...), of which about 30 maximum rock up to classes, so they really look after you 

ASP3012 has a field trip to Canberra and in ASP3231 you get to control Monash's new observatory (remote controlled telescope on the roof of a building on campus) yourself to take real observations yourself and do a mini project from the data you take which is a pretty good/unique opportunity if you're that way inclined: http://www.physics.monash.edu.au/teaching/observatory.html

Overall astro has been very different and interesting compared to what I get in physics/maths and I would recommend it to anyone even if you have zero intention to continue in this field

Thanks a lot thats exactly what i was looking for. If I have no physics background other than year 10 physics should I still skip the level one units?

[humph]

Wow, 40 people in 3rd year classes and 200 in 1st year? My 1st year astro class had about 20 students - I think the 3rd courses had about 5