Astronomy

Rijksuniversiteit Groningen

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Deze opleiding

Would you like to explore the most fundamental questions in the universe? Or learn about the formation of stars and planets, or the evolution of our Milky Way? Do you want to learn all there is to know about building large telescopes and the data science behind them? A Master's degree in Astronomy is a gateway into a wide world of science and technology.

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locatieGroningen
diplomaMSc
typeregulier, 120 EC
start1 februari, 1 september
taalvolledig English
opleidingsduur2 jaar voltijd
accreditatiesNVAO
croho-code60200
numerus fixusnee
honoursnee

Students are trained by astronomers from the world-renowned Kapteyn Astronomical Institute, a centre leading in astronomical research on the structure and dynamics of our Milky Way, on the structure and dynamics of galaxies, galaxy formation and evolution, cosmology and large scale structure of the Universe and star and planet formation, and in the design and development of new astronomical instrumentation.

Astronomy research has been carried out at Groningen University since 1883, and Groningen astronomers belong to the top of the world. They have been heavily involved in the construction and use of the Westerbork radio telescope (WSRT). Currently, they play a key role in the development and use of the LOFAR network of radio telescopes and the future Square Kilometer Array, while leading the development of instruments for the upcoming Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) in Chile. They also have key roles in space projects, such as leading the developments of the HIFI detector in the Herschel satellite, the data processing center of the upcoming Euclid cosmology satellite, while having a leading role in the Gaia satellite mapping of our Milky Way.

The two-year curriculum of the Master's degree can be tailored according to your own interests and capabilities. The wide range of options include the possibility to focus on observational astronomy, theoretical astronomy, astronomical instrumentation and informatics, as well as data science.

Dutch Astronomy graduates in general, and Kapteyn graduates in particular, have excellent career prospects, within and outside of science. The Master's programme has been frequently voted as a top-degree Astronomy programme in the Netherlands. We have outstanding facilities, and the quality of the lecturers, the research component as well as the preparation for the professional field through e.g. internships are also very good.

To enable students to gain additional experience in business and policy as well as to follow a company internship, the special Master's track 'Science, Business and Policy' has been designed.

Waarom aan de University of Groningen?

  • Close connections with ASTRON and SRON
  • Specialization on instrumentation and informatics possible
  • Excellent facilities at your disposal
  • A vibrant international research environment.
  • Our Faculty is the home of Ben Feringa, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, and Frits Zernike, a Nobel Prize winner in Physics.

Studieprogramma

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opbouw
2-year programme; credits per year: 60 ECTS; most courses are 5 ECTS.
Please be advised that students of the Faculty of Science and Engineering are expected to adhere to our Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy, ensuring seamless integration of personal electronic devices for academic purposes. For more detailed information on our BYOD policy, please visit our webpage.


periode

tracks

track Quantum Universe: Theoretical and Observational Astronomy

The Theoretical and Observational Astronomy master is jointly organized with Physics and Mathematics in the Quantum Universe track.

It comprises 60 ECTS of coursework. 20 ECTS are spent on Advanced Astrophysics, and 20 ECTS are spent in joint courses such as General Relativity and Electrodynamics of Radiation Processes. The last 20 ECTS are optional courses.

The research project (Master's thesis) comprises 60 ECTS and is carried out under the supervision of the research groups at the Kapteyn Astronomical Institute.

For the complete curriculum, please see: https://ocasys.rug.nl/current/catalog/programme/60200-5902

track Quantum Universe: Instrumentation and Informatics

In the Instrumentation and Informatics track, you follow a number of courses aimed at supplying you with skills dealing with astronomical instrumentation and informatics.

The research is split into 40 ECTS worth of Master's research/thesis and 20 ECTS for an industrial research project, as well as 60 ECTS of coursework which includes a substantial component (40 ECTS) of instrumentation and informatics courses. The research work is carried out under the supervision of a staff member from the Kapteyn Astronomical Institute (including affiliated staff members from SRON and ASTRON, see below), and often in interaction with his or her research group, resulting in Master's thesis of high international standard.

For the complete curriculum, please see: https://ocasys.rug.nl/current/catalog/programme/60200-5902

track Science, Business and Policy

Interested in the business side of science? You can combine this Master's programme with the Science Business & Policy profile. The SBP profile includes a six-month internship as a scientific advisor.

For the complete curriculum, please see: https://ocasys.rug.nl/current/catalog/programme/60200-5901

track Quantum Universe: Data Science and Systems Complexity

As part of this new specialization you must take a number of courses in Data Science.

Modern astronomy deals with big data, and this specialization supplies you with skills which are also highly demanded in other sciences as well as in society and business.

For the complete curriculum, please see: https://ocasys.rug.nl/current/catalog/programme/60200-5902

Onderwijs

taal van onderwijs100% en
avondonderwijsn.v.t.
afstandsonderwijsn.v.t.
study abroad
Exchange: All our science and engineering programmes offer study abroad possibilities at a number of partner institutions. Our partners include top-100 universities in Europe (for example in Germany, UK, and Sweden) and in the USA, China, South-East Asia, and South America. Our exchange programmes have a typical duration of one semester and count toward your final degree.

Toelating en kosten

startmomenten

1 februari 2025

aanmelding deadline : 15 oktober 2024
collegegeld nog niet bekend

1 september 2024

aanmelding deadline : 1 mei 2024
wettelijk tarief : € 2530 (€1265 in het eerste jaar)
instellingstarief : € 19900
niet-EU/EER studenten : € 24200

1 september 2025

aanmelding deadline : 1 mei 2025
collegegeld nog niet bekend

The Board of Admissions will decide whether you can be admitted to the Master's degree programme.

Please fill out this checklist to describe why you are applying for this Master's degree programme (questions to be addressed are outlined in the form).




toelatingseisen

vooropleiding
Bachelor's degree in Astronomy; possible admission for a Bachelor's degree in Physics or Applied Physics.

Information about admission possibilities and requirements for students from a Dutch HBO institute is published on: https://www.rug.nl/fse/msc-admission

studie kosten
bron: University of Groningen
bedrag kostenpost
€ 9500.00levensonderhoudper jaar
€ 75.00inschrijvingsgeldin het eerste jaar
€ 920.00studiematerialenper jaar
€ 750.00visa/permitvoor de gehele opleiding

De stad

studievereniging

Sirius A
Sirius A is the study association for astronomy in Groningen, the Netherlands. Astronomy in Groningen is taught at the Kapteyn Institute and is part of the University of Groningen.
Besides aiding you in your study, Sirius A informs you on future career prospects, promotes social bonding between you and your fellow students by many events and gives you the opportunity to participate in voluntary work and explore your qualities. Furthermore, Sirius A is always open for cooperation. Please contact us if you have any questions or queries.

aan het woord: studenten en docenten

Nynke Visser
The Master's in Astronomy definitely gives me plenty of options for a range of different career paths

In the Master’s programme in Astronomy, I really get a chance to dive deeper into certain topics I find interesting and to look more closely at astronomy specifically, rather than the basic physics and mathematics that are on the surface of a subject. What I enjoy most about the programme is the amount of freedom you get in selecting your courses. There are four mandatory courses you have to follow, but most of the degree involves free selection. I chose the Theoretical and Observational Astronomy (TOA) track...
I am currently working on my Master’s thesis about Earth-like exoplanets. I am trying to generalize what we know about the carbon and water cycle on Earth in order to make assumptions about exoplanets. For example, we are looking into the effect of plate tectonics or the amount of ice on the partial pressure of carbon in the atmosphere.As for my future plans, I am still unsure about what I want to do after my Master’s. I could go and work at a data science company or continue in the world of academia by doing a PhD, but my passion lies in education and science communication. The Master’s in Astronomy definitely gives me plenty of options for a range of different career paths.


lees verder ...
Dagmar Rozendal
The most valuable thing I learned by now is that you can learn a lot from seeing how other people work

I did the Bachelor's programme Astronomy in Groningen, with the educational minor in my third year to become a mathematics teacher. Currently, I am doing the Master’s programme Astronomy, with the Data Science track. I've always enjoyed the programming part of the bachelor programme, and the Data Science track would be able to give me more knowledge on the different aspects of the whole data science world, and perhaps a way to make my job of it later...
Thus far this master's programme is what I expected it to be, significantly harder than the bachelor's programme, but also with more interesting, focused courses in Astronomy. I am currently taking the Particle Physics Phenomenology course, which is more physics (as in the name), Star and Planet Formation, and the La Palma course. This last course is an observational course where you go to La Palma to work with the Isaac Newton Telescope, which should be a lot of fun! My next career step is to perhaps find an internship to get some more hands-on experience in data science. As there is no internship within the Data Science track I will have to find it outside of the programme, but I do think that my master's thesis would give me some insights into where to go next. The most valuable thing I learned by now is that you can learn a lot from seeing how other people work, albeit your friends, a professor, or a random person on the internet; it is always nice to see different approaches to problems and learn from that. At the moment I am mostly looking forward to finishing my last exam, it is nice to learn new stuff but at some point, I prefer doing that without having an exam attached to it ;)


lees verder ...
Yfke Bethlehem
I have the greatest interest in observational astronomy

Before starting my Master's, I followed a Bachelor programme in Astronomy as well. After doing the Bachelor, I wanted to continue in Astronomy, so choosing the Master was a logical choice. The Kapteyn Institute for Astronomy has a great environment and good atmosphere, so I liked to continue my studies here in Groningen. The programme here has a lot of courses to choose from...
I chose the “Theoretical & Observational Astronomy” track over the “Data Science” and “Instrumentation & Informatics” tracks. This is mostly because I have the greatest interest in observational astronomy. I am also interested in data science, but I still prefer to learn more about it by just following some optional courses. I am currently taking the courses “Star and Planet Formation” and “La Palma Observation Trip”. The course Star and Planet Formation consists of different lectures going in depth of different subtopics with the physics behind it, while we go through problem sets in the tutorials. The course La Palma Observation Trip is quite interesting as this course is more of a practical focused course, where we go to La Palma to observe with the Isaac Newton Telescope.Right now, I look most forward to doing my Master thesis and spending an entire year going in depth on a project with the help of a supervisor. As for the future, I would love to pursue a PhD in Astronomy.


lees verder ...
Study Astronomy at the University of Groningen

Keuzehulp

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Studievergelijker

1/9 University of Groningen
Astronomy
€ 303 gemiddelde kamerhuur
5 eerstejaars
40% vrouw
? uur contacttijd/week
100% Engelstalig
> bekijk opleiding
2/9 Leiden University
Astronomy and Education
€ 350 gemiddelde kamerhuur
16 eerstejaars
50% vrouw
? uur contacttijd/week
50% Nederlandstalig
50% Engelstalig
> bekijk opleiding
3/9 Leiden University
Astronomy
€ 350 gemiddelde kamerhuur
16 eerstejaars
50% vrouw
? uur contacttijd/week
100% Engelstalig
> bekijk opleiding
4/9 Leiden University
Astronomy Research
€ 350 gemiddelde kamerhuur
16 eerstejaars
50% vrouw
? uur contacttijd/week
100% Engelstalig
> bekijk opleiding
5/9 Leiden University
Astronomy and Business Studies
€ 350 gemiddelde kamerhuur
16 eerstejaars
50% vrouw
? uur contacttijd/week
100% Engelstalig
> bekijk opleiding
6/9 Leiden University
Astronomy and Instrumentation
€ 350 gemiddelde kamerhuur
16 eerstejaars
50% vrouw
? uur contacttijd/week
100% Engelstalig
> bekijk opleiding
7/9 Leiden University
Astronomy and Data Science
€ 350 gemiddelde kamerhuur
16 eerstejaars
50% vrouw
? uur contacttijd/week
100% Engelstalig
> bekijk opleiding
8/9 Leiden University
Astronomy and Science Communication and Society
€ 350 gemiddelde kamerhuur
16 eerstejaars
50% vrouw
? uur contacttijd/week
50% Nederlandstalig
50% Engelstalig
> bekijk opleiding
9/9 Leiden University
Astronomy and Cosmology
€ 350 gemiddelde kamerhuur
16 eerstejaars
50% vrouw
? uur contacttijd/week
100% Engelstalig
> bekijk opleiding
disclaimer: bovenstaande cijfers en beoordelingen zijn aangeleverd door de opleidingen zelf. Wij kunnen de juistheid niet garanderen.
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Na de studie

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Beroepsperspectief / arbeidsmarkt

The Groningen Master's degree programme aims to give students the best opportunity to take part in major European or global astronomical research projects, PhD programmes, and professions involving astronomical instrumentation and informatics.

While the Master’s programme in Astronomy is primarily designed to train researchers, a substantial number of graduates successfully find employment in the public or private sector. Astronomy graduates are well-trained problem solvers, skilled professionally not only in astronomy but also in physics, mathematics, IT and computing science.



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Potentiële beroepen

participate in astronomical research projects
phd research position
professions dealing with astronomical instrumentation and informatics
bron: StudieData

Contact

Academic Advisors FSE

For questions regarding the programme

W: Academic Advisors FSE
studyscience@rug.nl Study Science

For students who are interested in a Campus Tour or who have other general questions

E: studyscience@rug.nl
Meer informatie?
Bezoek de website van deze opleiding.

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