Astronomy and Astrophysics PGCert

Take the first steps towards a career in astronomy with this rewarding PGCert. Over nine months, you’ll gain an excellent overview of the subject. We offer one of the broadest ranges of astrophysics modules in the UK, so you can create a bespoke PGCert tailored to your own interests.

• Study while you work with our flexible programme structure
• Ideal if your first degree had a significant mathematics or physics component
• Eligible for membership of the Royal Astronomical Society and use of their facilities
• Gain specialist research methods and skills
• Study in one of the UK’s top-rated Schools: we’re joint first in London for physics (REF 2014)

What you'll study

Our highly regarded PGCert is the ideal springboard into a career in astronomy: many of our students go on to our Astrophysics MSc and some continue further on to their PhDs.

The programme is notable for the breadth of what you’ll study. You’ll gain an excellent overview of the subject area, from exoplanets and stellar structure to galaxies and cosmology. We’ll also make sure you also stay up-to-date with recent developments in research.

Facilities

• Leading research infrastructure at CERN and links with the Rutherford Appleton Laboratories
• Mission data from Queen Mary collaborations such as Cassini, CLUSTER and the VISTA telescope
• Our Astronomical Observatory
• Super-fast research networks and worldwide grid computing facilities, such as MidPlus and GridPP, as well as a number of high-performance clusters
• Experimental facilities in the School, such as clean rooms, workshops and laboratories

Career paths

We have been preparing students for careers in astrophysics research since 1972. Several of our alumni hold posts at prestigious universities in the UK and internationally, including the University of Cambridge.

You will be given a comprehensive training in research methods and have access to the expertise and culture of the department, all excellent preparation for an MSc in astrophysics.

Recent graduates of our MSc programmes have gone on to PhD studies and positions such as:

• Business and data analyst
• Consultant
• Data scientist
• Programming analyst.