Is astrophysics a prerequisite to study cosmology?

[Wledig]

I find it strange that astrophysics is not a pre-requisite to study cosmology in my university, students are only required to have taken general relativity. Is this a trend? How important would you say is astrophysics to learn cosmology?

 

[Dr. Courtney]

I find it strange that astrophysics is not a pre-requisite to study cosmology in my university, students are only required to have taken general relativity. Is this a trend? How important would you say is astrophysics to learn cosmology?

Having too many pre-reqs makes course scheduling harder, and in many cases, enough material can be learned on the fly without requiring an entire course as a pre-req.

 

[Wledig]

I agree. I am asking because I'm trying to schedule things and it's being tricky. Since astrophysics is not a prerequisite for cosmology I thought about skipping it and maybe studying on my own. It's not like I'm not interested in the subject, but astrophysics also has it's own chain of prerequisites, that is one needs to have already attended astronomy and plasma physics, which would take me a year while also tackling other challenging disciplines. Skipping it would allow me to pursue other subjects such as nuclear physics, which also has a long list of requirements, but I'm thinking that might be too reckless. Can any other PF members advise me on this? Did you take astrophysics as an undergraduate? Did it help you with cosmology?

 

[un par de tenis]

I haven't taken either subject personally, but if your university doesn't list it as a pre-req you should be ok.

If you have concerns go talk to the professor that will teach the course. They should be able to tell you how much astrophysics you need to know.

 

[Wledig]

Thanks for the reply. It's not a prerequisite in my university, but I know it is in others. Anyways, I think I made up my mind to take astrophysics and follow it's dreadful chain of prerequisites. I think I'll benefit more from it, than say, fluid mechanics or nuclear physics.