Academics & Coursework Schedule year-by-year
The outline below illustrates the recommended schedule of coursework and departmental requirements for completing a Ph.D. All students are required to take the five required core courses.
For more information about planetary astronomy at CU, visit the For more detailed information on examination timelines, see the Important Information page.
Year 1: Fall
Coursework | Support | Requirements & Main Activities |
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Year 1: Spring
Coursework | Support | Requirements & Main Activities |
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Year 1: Summer
- Support: RA
Year 2: Fall
Coursework | Support | Requirements & Main Activities |
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Year 2: Spring
Coursework | Support | Requirements & Main Activities |
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Year 2: Summer
- Support: RA
- Requirements & Main Activities: Work on Comprehensive Exam ("Comps")
Year 3: Fall
- You will probably have 1 or 2 courses left that you need to take.
- Requirements & Main Activities: Take Comprehensive Exam ("Comps")
- Comps deadline: October 31. You will need to petition the department to extend this if you will not be ready (usually granted).
Subsequent Years
- Coursework: Coursework is usually completed after 5 semesters in our department.
- Support: Support is usually through an RA, though many graduate students will occasionally TA in later years for additional experience or salary.
- Terminal Masters: A graduate student can choose to complete their Comps and then exit the program with a M.S. degree.
- Dissertation: Dissertation work usually begins immediately following the Comprehensive examination. It is encouraged to be on a different project with a different advisor. The median time to completion is 5.6 years.
- At least once a year, students, with their advisor, are expected to arrange a meeting with 3-4 of their thesis committee members.