SAO Testimonials

"I stumbled across SAO quite by accident: A talk by a SAO lecturer in my home town in Tasmania alerted me to the fact that I could study Astronomy online at Swinburne University from anywhere in the World. After recently graduating with an MSc from SAO I haven’t looked back: Tutoring university Astronomy classes, presenting planetarium shows, and enrolling in a PhD project researching the Cultural Astronomy of indigenous Australians. All this made possible by the dedication of the team at SAO.”
Trevor Leaman, Launceston, Tasmania (now in Sydney)

"There is never a doubt in my mind that we are given, through SAO, access to world-class astronomers, and great teachers. The newsgroups are our opportunity to leverage these skilled people."
Steve Harper, Melbourne, Australia

"I really enjoyed my studies in the SAO program, and I'm extremely lucky that a program like this exists. It's been a great opportunity to turn my astronomy hobby into part of my vocation, and to finally gain some in-depth knowledge of a subject I've loved since I was very young."
Marek Cichanski, California, USA

"The beauty of studying online is that you only need to travel as far as your computer. It's incredibly easy to work around your job or social life - it's the ultimate in flexibility."
Emil Lenc, Melbourne, Australia

"Teaching astronomy is one of the most rewarding and enjoyable opportunities I have had. My SAO MSc provided both the current knowledge and credentials necessary, and the structure of the program fit flexibly with my busy professional schedule."
Andy Munro, Iowa, USA

"SAO has taken me on a wonderful magical carpet ride through the universe. It has been the most exciting, exhilarating, fun-filled time of my life."
Margaret Turner, Tuross Heads, Australia

"My SAO degree helped me to change careers and start teaching college students what I love about astronomy. It has been a very rewarding change, and the SAO Master's Degree is diverse enough that I was well prepared for the students."
Chuck Pullen, California, USA

"The dedication, guidance and encouragement from the instructors made the SAO experience so worthwhile and rewarding."
Jim Phillips, Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands

"The reason that I am able to be adjunct faculty for the University of Washington is because of my Masters degree from Swinburne University. Your school has a solid reputation at the UW. I miss the classes and integrate A LOT of what and how I learned from your program. Entering and completing your program was one of the best choices of my life."
Mark Burbank, Washington, USA

"Without a degree in astronomy, I spent more than four years doing temporary, part-time technical work at a 2-meter telescope, and being passed over for better jobs. I enrolled in SAO to better grasp the science, and within weeks got a full-time job operating Japan's 8.2-meter Subaru Telescope."
Dan Birchall, Hawaii, USA