DCU MSc in Astrophysics and Relativity

In brief…

The MSc in Astrophysics and Relativity - MSAR for short - offers students the opportunity to study cutting edge science in the areas of Astrophysics and General Relativity, while at the same time, building their skills in high-demand areas such as Data Analysis and Computational Science.

About the programme

Now in its third year, we are currently accepting applications for our fourth cohort of students. As part of the programme, you will undertake in-depth study of a range of topics including:

• Black Holes
• Gravitational Waves
• High Energy Astrophysics
• Astrophysical Plasmas & Star Formation
• Radiative Processes in the Universe
• Galaxies and the Intergalactic Medium

In addition, you will develop the necessary skills in mathematics, computing and data analysis to develop your knowledge of these areas. These courses are delivered over the two teaching semesters of the academic year, running from September to December and from January to April respectively.

In the summer months, you will undertake an individual project, supervised by one of the programme team - academics and researchers from the DCU Centre for Astrophysics and Relativity. The aim of the project is to enable you to develop a range of skills relevant to research in the areas of Astrophysics and Relativity. This will provide you with an opportunity to learn about cutting edge research in a specific area, and to contribute to the expansion of knowledge in that area (potentially up to the level of producing an original research publication). Projects are drawn from a wide array of topics in Astrophysics and Relativity - recent project titles include:

• The Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) and high energy emission from extreme accelerators in our Galaxy.
• The evolution of cosmic magnetic fields.
• Probing the plasma conditions within a solar flare.
• Low Hanging Fruit: a probabilistic comparison between the observed exoplanet population and observational bias.
• The origin of X-ray filaments in supernova remnants.
• Accurate semi-analytic models of multi-fluid astrophysical shocks.
• Is self-consistent time travel possible in General Relativity?
• Traversable wormholes without exotic matter.
• Gravitational self-force in a gravitational wave.
• The fate of an observer falling into a realistic black hole.
• Particle Detectors in Black Hole Spacetimes.

Careers

The MSc in Astrophysics and Relativity provides excellent preparation for research in a variety of areas. Holding an MSc degree is becoming increasingly important in applying for competitive PhD applications, and in strengthening applications for funding (for example under the Irish Research Council Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship scheme). Students on the MSc are invited to develop applications to this scheme under the supervision of academics and researchers in CfAR. MSAR graduates have gone on to undertake PhD study in Dublin City University, Trinity College Dublin, the University of Coimbra, the University of Potsdam and the GSI Helmholtz Research Centre (Darmstadt).

Undertaking the MSc in Astrophysics and Relativity also allows you to develop skills that are highly-sought after by a wide range of employers. Our graduates are working in a variety of industries - including Data Analytics, Data Science, Banking and Engineering - with employers that include Glanbia, Nikon Precision Europe, Allied Irish Bank, Bank of Ireland, Haleon, Alten Group.

Further information

For more details about the programme, see dcu.ie/dc742. Applications are now open through this link, and close on 31st July 2024. For queries, please contact the programme chair, Prof Brien Nolan, at [email protected]