AST 301Lower division3 credit hours
AST 301 Introduction to Astronomy
Since 2011, AST 301 has averaged 3.27 with 42% A’s. In Spring 2026 it averaged 3.61, about the same as other undergraduate AST classes that term.
Registration detailsBefore you register
Listed for Spring 2027 · UT’s published schedule
- Catalog edition
- 2026–27
- Class hours a week
- 3
- Grading
- Letter grade or pass/fail, your choice
- Repeat for credit
- No
- Core curriculum
- Natural science and technology, part I (030)
- Texas common number
- ASTR 1303, PHYS 1303
Grade distribution
Spring 2026: 911 letter grades, 3.61 average GPA, 66% A’s, 6 sections
Bars show the selected term. Short lines show all terms combined.
Grade counts
| Grade | Students | Share | All terms |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 605 | 66.4% | 42.0% |
| A− | 86 | 9.4% | 11.6% |
| B+ | 60 | 6.6% | 9.6% |
| B | 42 | 4.6% | 14.1% |
| B− | 21 | 2.3% | 5.4% |
| C+ | 35 | 3.8% | 4.1% |
| C | 30 | 3.3% | 5.9% |
| C− | 7 | 0.8% | 1.9% |
| D+ | 10 | 1.1% | 1.1% |
| D | 4 | 0.4% | 1.6% |
| D− | 2 | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| F | 9 | 1.0% | 2.0% |
| Q, W, CR, and others | 32 | Not in the average | |
How have grades changed?
UT’s grade reports show 34 terms from Summer 2011 to Spring 2026 (15 falls, 15 springs, and 4 summers).
Grades by term
| Term | Sections | Letter grades | Average GPA | A’s |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring 2026 | 6 | 911 | 3.61 | 66.4% |
| Fall 2025 | 4 | 936 | 3.72 | 68.7% |
| Spring 2025 | 3 | 959 | 3.65 | 64.8% |
| Fall 2024 | 5 | 1,196 | 3.61 | 63.5% |
| Spring 2024 | 3 | 1,020 | 3.44 | 50.6% |
| Fall 2023 | 3 | 432 | 3.36 | 42.6% |
| Spring 2023 | 3 | 555 | 3.52 | 51.9% |
| Fall 2022 | 4 | 519 | 3.41 | 46.2% |
| Spring 2022 | 2 | 281 | 3.41 | 39.1% |
| Fall 2021 | 6 | 1,053 | 3.38 | 41.8% |
| Spring 2021 | 4 | 580 | 3.68 | 63.1% |
| Fall 2020 | 5 | 881 | 3.61 | 58.3% |
| Spring 2020 | 5 | 720 | 3.74 | 64.9% |
| Fall 2019 | 4 | 635 | 3.27 | 35.6% |
| Spring 2019 | 4 | 522 | 3.29 | 41.2% |
| Fall 2018 | 4 | 738 | 3.37 | 39.8% |
| Spring 2018 | 5 | 648 | 3.02 | 35.8% |
| Fall 2017 | 6 | 1,017 | 3.24 | 31.3% |
| Spring 2017 | 5 | 759 | 3.19 | 38.1% |
| Fall 2016 | 5 | 951 | 3.12 | 27.7% |
| Spring 2016 | 5 | 727 | 3.00 | 20.2% |
| Fall 2015 | 6 | 1,174 | 3.13 | 34.2% |
| Spring 2015 | 6 | 627 | 2.69 | 21.9% |
| Fall 2014 | 6 | 976 | 3.08 | 33.1% |
| Summer 2014 | 1 | 20 | 2.62 | 5.0% |
| Spring 2014 | 6 | 721 | 3.04 | 27.6% |
| Fall 2013 | 6 | 917 | 3.09 | 35.0% |
| Summer 2013 | 2 | 55 | 2.77 | 18.2% |
| Spring 2013 | 6 | 567 | 2.94 | 25.9% |
| Fall 2012 | 6 | 978 | 2.89 | 28.9% |
| Summer 2012 | 2 | 39 | 2.89 | 20.5% |
| Spring 2012 | 6 | 601 | 2.86 | 22.5% |
| Fall 2011 | 6 | 1,003 | 2.81 | 25.7% |
| Summer 2011 | 1 | 24 | 2.75 | 20.8% |
What’s AST 301 about?
General introduction to astronomy for nonscience majors. The solar system, stars, galaxies, and cosmology. Only one of the following may be counted: Astronomy 301, 302, 303, 307. May not be counted toward a degree in the College of Natural Sciences. Three lecture hours a week for one semester.
Prepare for class
- The solar system
- Stars
- Galaxies
- Cosmology
Review · Review the difference between a planet, a star, and a galaxy.
Self-check · Why does a light-year measure distance?
Show the answer
It is how far light travels in one year.
Instructor evaluations
UT posts its course evaluation results as one public list per term. Open a term and look for AST 301 in it: Spring 2026 · Fall 2025 · Summer 2025 · Spring 2025.
UT’s CES ratings search · Results before Fall 2022 · Syllabi and evaluations for AST 301
The guide links UT’s own results and copies no numbers.
What comes before and after?
Courses named by UT
See the registration information above.
This class
You can get credit for only one of these
Sources
The Spring 2027 listing comes from UT’s printed schedule, checked November 9, 2026.
Class details come from UT’s Astronomy catalog page, 2026–27 edition, checked October 27, 2026. Match requirements to your own catalog and degree plan.
Grades come from UT’s grade dashboard, updated October 27, 2026. UT leaves out some small classes to protect students’ privacy.
Each letter grade counts once. A− has its own bar. Subject averages cover the same subject, level, and term, including this class. How the averages are calculated.