Master of Astronomy  

Presential
English
Within the two-year Astronomy master’s programme, you can choose from seven specialisations, ranging from fundamental or applied astronomy research in cosmology, instrumentation or data science, to combinations of astronomy research with education, management or science communication. The two-year Astronomy master’s programme offers seven specialisations: 1. Astronomy Research: you follow a tailor-made programme to become an independent and resourceful scientist. 2. Astronomy and Instrumentation: obtain in-depth knowledge of state of the art approaches to develop high tech astronomy instruments. 3. Astronomy and Data Science: focus on development and application of new data mining technologies, fully embracing modern astronomy as a data rich branch of science. 4. Astronomy and Cosmology: discover all aspects of modern astrophysics, including extensive observation, interpretation, simulation and theory. 5. Astronomy and Business Studies: combine training in astronomy with education in management and entrepreneurship. 6. Astronomy and Science Communication and Society: combine research with all aspects of science communication, such as journalism and universe awareness education. 7. Astronomy and Education (taught partly in Dutch): prepare yourself for a career in teaching science at high school level. Outcome: During the programme, you learn to perform academically sound research and evaluate scientific information independently and critically. Without exception, you actively participate in current research within the institute and are individually supervised by our international scientific staff. Students with a Leiden degree in Astronomy become strong communicators and collaborators and can easily operate in an international setting. You will acquire extensive astronomical research experience and highly advanced analytical and problem solving skills.
English
Mandatory
With a master’s degree in Astronomy you are well prepared for jobs in research, industry and the public sector, including technological, financial and consultancy companies, research institutes, governments and science communication organizations. Most graduates holding a MSc degree in Astronomy from Leiden University find work in many different capacities, including: 1. Research: universities, observatories, research institutes 2. Industry and consultancy: ICT, R&D, telecom, high technology, aerospace 3. Finance: banking, insurance, pension funds 4. Public sector: governments, policy makers, high schools 5. Science communication: journalism, popular writing, museums 6. Typical jobs for Astronomy graduates include: Scientific researcher (postdoc, research fellow, professor) 1. R&D engineer 2. Consultant 3. Data scientist, statistician 4. Policy advisor, public information officer (e.g. Ministry of Foreign Affairs) 5. High school physics teacher 6. Scientific editor for magazines, newspapers and other media If you want to get more deeply involved in research after graduating in Astronomy, consider pursuing a PhD at Leiden Observatory. If you have completed the Leiden master’s degree programme in Astronomy, you are directly eligible for admission to our PhD programme.
English
Master of Astronomy
English
Upstream
English

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