Exploring the Universe - an Introduction to Astronomy

Exploring the Universe

...is a multimedia astronomy course using interactive CD-ROM material, videos and photographic film material which you can do at home for University credit. The course is delivered in two modules each lasting about four months. The first module covers the Scientific, Historical and Cultural Basis for Modern Astronomy and the second module covers the Wider Universe outside our solar system. In addition to a detailed knowledge of astronomy, the course will enable you to become familiar the use of the world-wide web and image processing.

Qualification gained:

A Certificate of Professional Development in Astronomy will be awarded for the successful completion of both modules. Each module is assigned 12 credit points which can be used to build up credits towards other academic qualifications at Liverpool John Moores University and other Universities.

We provide:

CD-ROM and necessary course software, audio tour of the night sky on CD, DVDs with additional material, photographic material, astronomy support for the duration of the course (by post, email, telephone, internet telephone, fax) , news group for student discussion, course website

You need:

Good access to a computer with CD-ROM player. The computer needs to be able to run an internet browser which we can supply though it is not essential for it to be connected the internet. DVD player (either on your computer, or as a stand-alone machine).

Commitment:

The course lasts for nine months. We expect that during a typical week you will need to spend 30 minutes watching course video material, 1 to 2 hours on computer and/or photographic exercises, 45 minutes reviewing the relevant material on the CD-ROM and in your textbook and doing multiple choice questions and 10 mins in correspondence with tutor. In addition, over the duration of the course you are expected to produce a two page 'popular' article by the middle of the course and to carry out your own observational project by the end of the course. Overall we expect that you will put around 240 hours of time into the course.

Assessment:

You need to email, post or fax us your work for the course. The weighting for the marking will be as follows. Module One - computer and practical exercises (50%); observational project (20%); two page 'popular' article (30%). Module Two - computer and practical exercises (40%); multiple choice test, conducted over the internet (50%); observational project (10%)