The Department of Astronomy guides students at the undergraduate and graduate levels toward the advanced mathematical skills and physical insight they need to understand the nature of the universe from the modern scientific perspective. The department offers three undergraduate concentrations: astronomy, astronomy and physics, and planetary and space sciences. It offers an MA for students interested in careers in scientific applications, scientific computing, and related fields, and a PhD for students interested in research and academic careers in astrophysics and space physics. The department has two outstanding affiliated research centers, the Center for Space Physics and the Institute for Astrophysical Research.