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Studying Sociology, but want to do astrophysics

Hello everyone

I'm halfway through my second year of undergraduate Sociology and Political Theory. They're fairly interesting, however I really want to study reality and understand how the universe works. I've been inspired by several people and this has magnified my curiosity about the universe. Such people who have inspired me include: Carl Sagan, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Stephen Hawking, Edward Witten, Richard Dawkins and Lawrence Krauss.

I really love Science and want to learn everything I can about it, in particular Astrophysics. I'm amazed at the scope of the universe and the beauty of it's laws. I can't stress enough, how much I want to become an astrophysicist and learn more about the cosmos.

However, I live in Scotland, where we get our tuition fees paid for us for only one course as I understand it. So I may not be able to afford to just drop my degree and go straight into undergraduate Physics.

Could I finish my degree and then go on towards a masters in astrophysics or something of that sort?

I've heard rumours of bridging courses and so on.

Any comments and information would be appreciated and give me a broader scope with which to view this predicament.
Before you take the plunge it is worth confirming whether you want Astrophysics, or Cosmology, there is significant common ground but they are different.

el pollo diablo's assessment seems pretty sound. But this is the dam internet and no doubt some one will post that some one somewhere managed it once, but I also know of an instance where someone tipped the Universe on its head whilst working as a patent clerk in Swizterland.....

As well as having a love for finding out about the Universe, you will need a love of higher mathematics.

I can recommend a book you could work through, but it is only going to leverage calculus to advanced A level standard, but you could work through that along side your current study, as a "hobby", and see how you find it. The Author is David Layzer and the title is Contructing the Universe. It teaches the maths as you go.

I have done the 2nd year equivalent OU module on Theoretical Astronomy and the 3rd year equi module on cosmology and enjoyed them both. I never got around to the 3rd year quantum mechanics course before I stopped studying with the OU. The OU might be your best option, whether you switch now or finish what you are doing first. Fees are cheaper if you end up paying yourself.
PS. I forgot to add that Nottingham do a 5 year masters. It is specifically for folks like you whose A levels do not match the normal science subjects. STandard offer is BBB. It has a foundation year and then 4 years leading to a masters. It permits entry into the majority of their science degree programmes but you would have to check is Astrophysics / Cosmology are included in that list.

Good luck.

http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/ugstudy/courses/foundationcourses/science.aspx
(edited 12 years ago)
Reply 3
If you leave your current course now to start a new degree you would have to fund the first year yourself and would then get the full funding for the remaining years.

If you completed your current degree, the good thing about you being in Scotland is that they don't have ELQ fees, but you wouldn't get any financial support.
Reply 4
Original post by Neil1913
I've been inspired by several people and this has magnified my curiosity about the universe. Such people who have inspired me include: Carl Sagan, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Stephen Hawking, Edward Witten, Richard Dawkins and Lawrence Krauss.

It's funny that you should mention Ed Witten. I read an interview with him. He started out as a history graduate but he considered that the subject wasn't challenging enough and so signed up to do physics and ended up getting a nobel prize. He's also considered by many to be the world's leading physicist for his work on string theory. Obviously he's a polymath but switches like that are possible.

Realistically, you'd have to start at undergrad level simply because you need a very good grounding in maths and physics for anything astronomy related and especially if you want to do astrophysics. There's always the Open University especially if you need to start working. The OU is strong in this area and houses the government funded Planetary and Space Sciences Research Institute complete with Prof. Colin Pillinger and co. With the BSc Natural Sciences, you can follow the astronomy and planetary science path or mix it up with the physics path. You can get Institute of Physics and Royal Astronomical Society accreditation as well. Myleene Klass famously studied this subject with the OU.

Edit: The OU also has the Centre for Earth, Planetary, Space and Astronomical Research (CEPSAR). I've probably over promoted it!! :biggrin:
(edited 12 years ago)

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