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Am I Good Enough for an Astrophysics PhD?

I was wondering if my credentials would allow me I submit a competitive PhD application to low-mid tier astrophysics departments researching around extragalactic astronomy or instrumentation/optical telescope systems.

I have a low 2:1 in Physics with Astronomy (MPhys) degree from Durham University. My results in second year were bad but I'd improved over the years. By my 4th year I averaged 69% in the advanced astronomy module, 64% in Lasers/quantum computing, 57% in general relativity/galaxy formation. My masters project was awarded 65% although I expected to get a bit higher tbf.

Is doing a PhD (funded) with these grades completely out of the question.

Reply 1

threeportdrift

Careers Forum Helper

Original post by physicsphysics91

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You need to ask the lecturers/tutors who teach you. They will know the most about your potential and the opportunities and funding available in that sector. The most anyone on TSR is likely to be able to offer is a generic - you might get an offer, but you are unlikely to be competitive for funding - which is pretty much everyone's position!

Reply 2

0le

Yes, you can do a PhD with a 2:1. Your marks in your modules may well be looked at in making a decision. Your knowledge with lasers may help you a lot with optical experiments. Try looking for some space-related ones. They will probably be related to satellite design in some way.

Reply 3

nologiceretoday

thing is, criteria is often a first from UK universities, The only expection being oxbridg, sometimes durham, manchester, warwick are exemptions but not always. here's another thing, you have, very often, the a-levels to get into durham or manchester, you have the alevels to get in oxbridge...

so why oxbridge is the only exemption? when a student who gets a first that they got into the uni with a ABB is preffered over a low 2:1 from Durham, considering a-levels everyone is in the same boat, universtiies are largely varied, u do a gr course at one uni, the exam paper atanother uni is on a differnt level potentially, just cause you both did a 'gr' course doesn't put the two candiates the same, and moreso then the papers differing for similar named modules at universities, the studies at a university are scaled to the entry requirements right? so it makes little sense to compare a 2:1 from a uni with A*A*A requiremetns to a uni with ABB entry...it is insisting that the student who got the stronger a-levels would not have got a first if they went to the same uni as the ABB candiaite- who'd bet on that? very few, I'd imagine.

So yes, with the exception of perhaps the top 5 or so UK unis, which do attract firsts from top unis aound the world, i'd say you're good enough. Also a degree is largely varied, some modules you like, some you don't, some students could have selected modules that were easier that year, judged by a record of the past historyof papers etc or somethintg like that.