The astronomy-physics major provides more rigorous preparation for graduate work in astronomy, physics, computer science, or related fields. The University has the largest astronomy department in the Southeastern United States. Its fourteen faculty members are committed to strong undergraduate teaching and to conducting astronomical research. As one of the top fifteen research departments in the country, there is considerable faculty expertise spanning a wide range of subjects from the evolution of stars, to simulations of massive black holes with supercomputers, to observations with the Hubble Space Telescope and other satellites, to studies of the evolution of the universe. Faculty research is well supported by the National Science Foundation , the Air Force Office of Scientific Research , and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration .
Students therefore get to know each other well and often work together.
Close contact with the faculty is an integral part of the learning environment. Students can also work at the University's observatory or in summer research projects supported by grants. Advanced students may, with the permission of the instructor, enroll in graduate courses. Most students who complete the astronomy-physics degree go on to graduate programs in astronomy or physics, frequently at the best schools in the country. Students who complete the astronomy degree are well prepared for a wide range of careers.