I am looking around for graduate programs to plan my Master's / PhD. My interest is space research, and I'm still getting my bearings in it. I'm thinking exoplanetary research is really interesting, but so is radio astronomy and/or instrument design. What I noticed, however, is that schools offer two types of degrees in general: Astronomy and Astrophysics. It seems to me that astrophysics is "categorized" under "Physics" while astronomy is its own category. When I asked some professors about the difference, it struck me that the answer depends on their orientation. Physicists tended to lower the value of the astronomy degree(s) and astr
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I am looking around for graduate programs to plan my Master's / PhD. My interest is space research, and I'm still getting my bearings in it. I'm thinking exoplanetary research is really interesting, but so is radio astronomy and/or instrument design. What I noticed, however, is that schools offer two types of degrees in general: Astronomy and Astrophysics. It seems to me that astrophysics is "categorized" under "Physics" while astronomy is its own category. When I asked some professors about the difference, it struck me that the answer depends on their orientation. Physicists tended to lower the value of the astronomy degree(s) and astronomers told me the difference is mostly about concentration. I can't believe astronomy is "simply" "collecting data". I know astronomers that do more than that. On the other hand, I can't believe the division is about "theoretical" and "experimental" since I saw a few graduate degrees that offer experimental astrophysics and others that have theoretical astronomy. The division, then, is different. Quite a lot of sites also divide them up either by departments ("Astronomy" and "Physics" are different departments, and astrophysics is under physics) or by categories. "Physics and Astronomy" sounded to me as repetitive at first, but apparently it's not. So. what's the difference? How do I know which program to look for? Do I really "compromise" if I go for astronomy on the "expense" of physics? Do I stop being a physicist is I take "Astronomy" grad program (while I keep being a physicist if I take the 'astrophysics' one?) This is all very confusing. Thanks! There are so many jobs in this fields .
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I am looking around for graduate programs to plan my Master's / PhD. My interest is space research, and I'm still getting my bearings in it. I'm thinking exoplanetary research is really interesting, but so is radio astronomy and/or instrument design.
What I noticed, however, is that schools offer two types of degrees in general: Astronomy and Astrophysics.
It seems to me that astrophysics is "categorized" under "Physics" while astronomy is its own category. When I asked some professors about the difference, it struck me that the answer depends on their orientation. Physicists tended to lower the value of the astronomy degree(s) and astronomers told me the difference is mostly about concentration.
I can't believe astronomy is "simply" "collecting data". I know astronomers that do more than that.
On the other hand, I can't believe the division is about "theoretical" and "experimental" since I saw a few graduate degrees that offer experimental astrophysics and others that have theoretical astronomy. The division, then, is different.
Quite a lot of sites also divide them up either by departments ("Astronomy" and "Physics" are different departments, and astrophysics is under physics) or by categories. "Physics and Astronomy" sounded to me as repetitive at first, but apparently it's not.
So. what's the difference?
How do I know which program to look for? Do I really "compromise" if I go for astronomy on the "expense" of physics? Do I stop being a physicist is I take "Astronomy" grad program (while I keep being a physicist if I take the 'astrophysics' one?)
This is all very confusing.
Thanks!
There are so many jobs in this fields .
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I am looking around for graduate programs to plan my Master's / PhD. My interest is space research, and I'm still getting my bearings in it. I'm thinking exoplanetary research is really interesting, but so is radio astronomy and/or instrument design.