The Landscape of Undergraduate Astronomy and Astrophysics Degree Requirements

TL;DR

This survey of undergraduate Astronomy and Astrophysics programs reveals a lack of consensus on degree requirements, highlighting the need for community discussion to standardize knowledge and skills for better recognition and career preparation.

Contribution

The paper provides the first comprehensive survey of undergraduate Astronomy and Astrophysics degree requirements across numerous institutions, identifying key gaps and proposing recommendations for standardization.

Findings

No community consensus on degree content.

Diverse course requirements across institutions.

Need for standardized learning goals.

Abstract

In this document we summarize the results of a survey of undergraduate degree-granting programs conducted by the 2024-2025 American Astronomical Society Education Committee's Subcommittee on UndeRgraduate and Graduate Education (SURGE). Individuals from 78 institutions completed the survey, representing approximately 1000 majors annually and a majority of undergraduate Astronomy and Astrophysics degree-granting institutions. Information collected from participants include: degree names, degree types, course requirements, elective course options, and learning goals. Our report presents 9 key findings and 10 recommendations, and these are summarized in the preamble to the report. The recommendations are directed primarily to degree-granting departments and the American Astronomical Society, as the principal relevant professional organization, though we earnestly invite all members of the Astronomy and Astrophysics community to contribute to a broader discussion about these findings and recommendations. Appendix A of the report contains detailed descriptions of survey data analyses. Appendices B and C contain recommended undergraduate course requirements and learning goals, respectively. Our survey results show clearly that there is not currently community consensus about what knowledge and competencies an undergraduate Astronomy or Astrophysics degree should instill. This lack of cohesion is a problem for our community, as it dilutes the significance and interpretability of the credential for employers and graduate schools. We view this report as just the beginning of an important dialog, and we look forward to engaging with the Astronomy and Astrophysics community about our findings and recommendations through our feedback form at bit.ly/49c4FYb.