Course Syllabus

Course Information

• Course Number & Name: PHYS/ASTR 4080 - Intro to Cosmology
• Meeting Days: Mondays & Wednesdays
• Meeting Time: 09:10 - 10:30 am
• Meeting Location: ST E2128
• Semester: Spring 2026
• Credit Hours: 3
  
  

Teaching Team

• Instructor: Yao-Yuan Mao (they/he)
• Instructor Email: yymao@astro.utah.edu (best way to reach Yao)
• Instructor Office: LSSB W3218
• Instructor Office Hours: TBD
  
  
• Teaching Assistant: Hayley Coluccio
• Teaching Assistant Email: hayley.coluccio@utah.edu
• TA Office Hour: TBD
• TA Office Hour Location: TBD

An introductory course which explores modern cosmological concepts. Discusses formation of galaxies, and clusters of galaxies, the expansion and the age of the Universe. Topics include the existence and properties of the cosmic microwave background, the origin of the light elements, cosmological inflation, and the role of dark matter and dark energy in the formation and expansion of the Universe. The course will introduce concepts of statistical mechanics, quantum mechanics, special and general relativity as needed to explore the course topics.

This course will introduce modern physical cosmology to upper-level undergraduate students. The main learning objectives are the followings:

• To identify the astronomical observations that lead to our current understanding of the Universe;
• To formulate the mathematical framework that is used to describe the current physical model of the Universe;
• To synthesize what you learn in this class so that you are able to answer common questions about the Universe. 

This course has multiple components: Pre-lecture reading (as homework), lectures (including in-class discussion and worksheets), and exams. Each of these is designed to help you learn the materials better. Please see the Course Policies section below for more details on each of these components.

You are expected to participate in/work on all of the course components. However, if there is anything that is preventing you from participating in the coursework or learning effectively, please talk to the instructor so that we can find creative solutions. 

Your grade will be determined based on following weights:

• Pre-lecture Homework: 10%
• In-class Worksheets: 40%
• Exams: 50%

Required Reading

We will use the following required textbook for this course:

• Introduction to Cosmology, 2nd edition, by Barbara Ryden

The course fee covers digital course materials through the Day 1 Books Access Program. You will need this textbook to complete assignments and activities throughout the course, so make sure you have the textbook ahead of time if you are not participating in the Day 1 Books Access Program. 

Additional resources

The following textbooks are listed for those who may want to have further reading in the subject of cosmology. They are not required, and you are not expected to have access to them. Please note that the levels of these textbooks are more advanced than the level intended for this course. They also often use different symbols and conventions. 

• Scott Dodelson and Fabian Schmidt, Modern Cosmology, 2nd Ed
• Steven Weinberg, Cosmology

Your grade in this course is not dependent on the grades of any of your peers.  In other words, this course will NOT be graded on a curve. The table below lists the "guaranteed" letter threshold; that is, if your final numerical score is higher than a listed threshold in the table, you are guaranteed to receive at least the corresponding letter grade. 

Pre-lecture Homework

There will be one pre-lecture homework assignment per lecture. Each assignment is due at 8 am on the day of the corresponding lecture (that is, 70 minutes before the lecture starts). Homework assignments will be published on Canvas, and should be turned in on Canvas directly.

Pre-lecture homework includes reading assignment and some questions about the reading. It will be graded on a 100-point scale.

• The reading assignment accounts for 40 points, and you will obtain the full 40 points by simply attesting to completing of the reading assignment.
• The associated questions account for the remaining 60 points. Because you are completing the homework before the lecture, you can receive full credit as long as your submission shows a clear, genuine effort in answering the questions, even if the answers are not completely correct. However, you will not receive credits (for the question part) if you leave blank or give irrelevant answers. 

No late submission is allowed. However, if you can attest to completing the reading assignment, you will be given a score of 40 points. 

You are welcome to collaborate with other students to discuss homework, and to come to office hours to discuss with me. However, each of you must write up your answers and complete the reading individually. Use of AI tools is allowed, but you should not simply copy AI responses as your answers. 

In-class Worksheets

You will be given a worksheet at each lecture. During the class, there will be group discussions and also time for you to complete the worksheet. You must turn in your worksheet at the end of the class. Attendance of the lecture is required and adjustments will only be permitted as required by Policy 6-100, Section III.O. 

The worksheet will be graded on a 100-point scale, but the questions on the worksheet will add up to account for only 60 points. Your final score of the worksheet is calculated based on how and when you turn in the worksheet:

• Your score is the score you obtain on the questions (up to 60 points) plus 40 points, if you attend the class and turn in your worksheet in-person at the end of the class. (That is, if you turn in a blank worksheet at the end of a class, you will get 40/100 for that worksheet.)
• Your score is the score you obtain on the questions (up to 60 points) plus 20 points, if you don't turn in your worksheet in class, but turn it in on the day of the lecture (by 11:59pm).
• Your score is only the score you obtain on the questions (up to 60 points), if you don't turn in your worksheet on the lecture day, but turn it in within 48 hours (that is, by 10:30am on Wednesday for a Monday worksheet, or on Friday for a Wednesday worksheet).
• Your score is half of the score you obtain on the questions, if you don't turn in your worksheet in class within 24 hours, but turn it in by March 2 (for worksheets in January and February lectures) or by April 20 (for worksheets in March and April lectures).

No other late penalty (besides the rules above) will be applied. Any submission after March 2 (for worksheets in January and February lectures) or April 20 (for worksheets in March and April lectures) will not be considered. 

You are welcome to collaborate with other students on the worksheet. However, each of you must write up your answers and complete the reading individually. Use of AI tools is allowed but you are strongly encouraged to connect with your instructor, TA, and peers during the class time. You should not simply copy AI responses as your answers. See the AI Policies section below for more details.

Exams

There will be two midterm exams. The first midterm will cover Chapters 1 through 5. The second midterm will cover Chapters 6 through 10. Each midterm exam will be graded on a 100-point scale. The two midterm exams weight the same in your final score. 

You can take an optional final exam, which covers the entire course content (Chapters 1 through 12) and will take place on the final exam week. Final exam will be graded on a 100-point scale. You can use your final exam score to replace one of your midterm exam score. 

All exams will be in-person, closed-book, written exams. An equation/reference sheet will be provided ahead of the exam and at the exam. Taking exams can be stressful; however, the exam questions will not be unfamiliar to you. Majority of the exam questions will be identical to, or slight variations of, the questions you already encounter in the pre-lecture homework, in-class discussions, and in-class worksheets. 

There will be no makeup exams. If you miss an exam due to extenuating circumstances, please discuss alternatives with the instructor as early as possible. Please understand that there is no guarantee that an alternative can be provided if you miss an exam. 

AI Tool Policies

Use of AI tools is allowed (except for exams). However, you should never directly copy AI responses in any of your submissions. If you use AI tools, you should digest the responses and write your own answers. This approach should be similar to how you collaborate with other people on assignments. 

Communication

The best way to contact your instructor and TA is by University email. 

During the semester, you are also expected to monitor your University email and course announcements. 

In the event that the instructor is not able to reach you (that is, you no longer show up in class nor respond to emails) for more than a week, the instructor may reach out to the Office of the Dean of Students to ensure your personal safety.

Accommodations

The course policies are designed to have built-in flexibility. As such, further exceptions will not be granted on a regular basis, unless they are required by university policies or as an ADA accommodation determined by the Center for Disability and Access (CDA). 

However, if you are experiencing extenuating circumstances, please do reach out to the instructor so that we can discuss how to best support your learning and to make sure you are on track to complete this course.