Physics vs. Combined Phys & Astro

[StrangelyQuarky]

So my school offers both an honours physics degree and a combined honours degree in physics and astronomy. The combined degree basically entails taking slightly less upper level physics courses in exchange for astronomy courses, the replacement of an electrical laboratory with an optics laboratory, and the replacement of a final year physics laboratory with an astronomy laboratory.

My question is, how would taking either of these degrees affect grad school applications? For example, if I did the physics degree but at the end decided I wanted to go into grad school to do astronomy, would it look bad that I had not taken the combined physics and astronomy option? Alternatively, if I did physics and astronomy but decided I wanted to do physics in grad school, would that have a negative impact too (since I will have fewer upper level physics courses)?

 

[Vanadium 50]

If you want to go to graduate school, you want a degree in physics. Astronomy and astrophysics grads who enter grad school in combined physics/astronomy departments have a much harder time with the qualifying exam than physics grads, and the admissions committees know this.