Eight Semester Plan
This eight-semester plan (see important details) is intended to guide students through a four-year undergraduate career, with completion of an academic major and all college-wide degree requirements. The plan is designed as an advising tool – a starting point for careful discussions between students and their academic advisors. In consultation, a student and advisor will adjust the plan to accommodate the student’s prerequisite needs, transferred credits, and other such variables.
The plan below reflects General Education (GE4) requirements in effect as of Fall 2019. Students who matriculated prior to that date will find the previous plan associated with their majors here. For a summary of GE4 requirements, see New Paltz General Education Requirements.
Students are responsible for reviewing their Progress Reports each semester to track their own progress toward degree requirements.
Astronomy
Year 1
| Fall Semester | Spring Semester |
|---|
| Course | Credits |
|---|
| SEE NOTE 1 | 0 | | Gen Ed: Basic Communication | 4 | | MAT251 Calculus I (Mathematics) | 4 | | CHE201 General Chemistry I (Natural Science Lecture) | 3 | | CHE211 General Chemistry I Lab (Natural Science Lab) | 1 | | PHY205 Exploring the Solar System (Natural Science Course, Natural Science Lecture) | 3 | | Physics/Astronomy Seminar (not required, highly recommended) | 1 | | Total | 16 |
| | Course | Credits |
|---|
| SEE NOTE 1 | 0 | | General Education course | 3 | | MAT252 Calculus II | 4 | | CHE202 General Chemistry II (Natural Science Lecture) | 3 | | CHE212 General Chemistry II Lab (Natural Science Lab) | 1 | | PHY201 General Physics 1 (Natural Science Lecture) | 3 | | PHY211 Physics 1 Laboratory (Natural Science Lab) | 1 | | Total | 15 |
|
Year 2
| Fall Semester | Spring Semester |
|---|
| Course | Credits |
|---|
| Gen Ed: Foreign Language 1 | 3 | | General Education course | 3 | | General Education course | 3 | | PHY202 General Physics 2 (Natural Science Lecture) | 3 | | PHY212 General Physics 2 Lab (Natural Science Lab) | 1 | | PHY342 Planetarium Operation (Astronomy elective by advisement) | 3 | | Total | 16 |
| | Course | Credits |
|---|
| Gen Ed: Foreign Language 2, if needed | 3 | | General Education courses (2) | 6 | | PHY308 Modern Physics I | 3 | | PHY340 Introduction to Astrophysics | 3 | | Total | 15 |
|
Year 3
| Fall Semester | Spring Semester |
|---|
| Course | Credits |
|---|
| General Education course | 3 | | PHY306 Mechanics 1 | 3 | | PHY344 Extraterrestrial Life (Astronomy elective by advisement) | 3 | | Upper-division elective | 3 | | Upper-division elective (Writing Intensive) | 3 | | Total | 15 |
| | Course | Credits |
|---|
| PHY341 Observational Astronomy | 3 | | PHY310 Modern Physics Lab or PHY324 Optics Lab for Astronomers | 1 | | Diversity course | 3 | | Upper-division electives (2) | 6 | | Total | 13 |
|
Year 4
| Fall Semester | Spring Semester |
|---|
| Course | Credits |
|---|
| PHY345 Galaxies & Cosmology (Astronomy elective by advisem't | 3 | | Upper-division electives (2) | 6 | | Electives (2) | 6 | | Total | 15 |
| | Course | Credits |
|---|
| Upper-division electives (2) | 6 | | Elective | 3 | | Elective | 3 | | Elective | 3 | | Total | 15 |
|
Notes
1 - The sequence of courses for the Astronomy major depends primarily on "calc readiness" - the Math Placement Level required for enrollment in MAT251 Calculus I. Students who enter New Paltz with MPL 5 may follow the sequence presented here, taking MAT251 in Year 1, Semester 1. For the sequence that starts with MAT181 Precalculus, please refer to the 8-semester plan posted in the Undergraduate Catalog under Physics & Astronomy (https://www.newpaltz.edu/ugc/science/physics).
Total Credits: 120
