M.Sc. in Astronomy : A unique opportunity

A dedicated masters program in astronomy started in July, 2018. IIT Indore is the only IIT to offer such a unique program. The entrance to this program is through the JAM (physics) examination.

 

MSc in Astronomy: Prospects

Why an MSc in Astronomy?

A master’s in Astronomy opens up unique possibilities for students. Chief among these are careers in Data Science (which requires a combination of skills in Statistics, Analysis, and data handling) and instrumentation.

• Job opportunities for the Master’s students in Astronomy are present both in academia and industry, depending on their interests and skill-sets on which they concentrate.

• The academic opportunities can be research positions in universities, observatories, and research institutes.

• Furthermore, teaching positions at various colleges and universities in India can be a promising prospect for the Masters students.

• The sectors in the industry that necessitates data handling and mining, statistics, computational and analytical skills will have a demand for the Masters in Astronomy graduates. Such industries entail market research, finance, banking, and R&D of diverse areas.

• The instrumentation skills developed throughout the course can also be valuable in the fields of signal processing, aerospace, satellite navigation, and weather prediction.

• Journalism, science writing, and science popularization through public outreach may also be promising career options for MSc in Astronomy graduates.

 

What does it entail?

The MSc in Astronomy at IIT Indore is a unique programme that exposes students to the ever-exciting world of Astronomy and simultaneously introduces them to cutting-edge techniques involving computation, statistics, data science and instrumentation. During the course of this programme, you will be experiencing the thrill of conducting research in the front-end areas of Astronomy, Cosmology and Space Sciences. After acquiring this degree, you will be proficient in advanced research techniques and problem-solving.

The programme comprises a number of compulsory courses from both physics and astronomy, followed by more focused elective courses in the advanced semesters. The compulsory courses provide basic preliminary knowledge, whereas the elective courses introduce the students to more advanced topics spanning areas like space weather, and astrostatistics. Each week the student activities will include 15 hours of lectures and 8 hours in the laboratory. However, the students are expected to carry out their own study to supplement the lectures with reference reading and complete all the assignments and projects associated with the courses.

For further details, check: https://www.iiti.ac.in/public/storage/academic/2022-July-PG.pdf [Item 16]

Check out the placements of past students of M.Sc. in Astronomy!!!