This course explores the origin, evolution, and large-scale structure of galaxies across the observable universe. Learners will examine how galaxies form and evolve, distinguish between normal and active galaxies, and investigate the evidence for supermassive black holes at the centres of galaxies. The course also explains how astronomers use observations across the electromagnetic spectrum, gravitational lensing, and gravitational waves to study some of the most energetic phenomena in the cosmos.

By the end of the course, learners will be able to explain the unified model of active galaxies, evaluate the role of black holes in galaxy evolution, and describe the large-scale structure of the universe, including galaxy clusters, superclusters, filaments, and voids. Learners will also explore how quantum fluctuations in the early universe gave rise to the Cosmic Web observed today. What makes this course unique is its combination of observational astronomy, cosmology, and modern astrophysics. Drawing on discoveries from telescopes such as Hubble and JWST, the course connects cutting-edge research with the physical processes that shape galaxies and the universe on the largest scales.

Cosmology explores the origin, structure, evolution, and ultimate fate of the universe. In this course, learners investigate the evidence for the Big Bang, the expansion of space, and the relic radiation of the Cosmic Microwave Background, while examining how modern observations have transformed our understanding of the cosmos.

Across five modules, the course introduces the composition of the universe, including ordinary matter, dark matter, dark energy, and radiation, before exploring how cosmologists model the universe using General Relativity and the Friedmann equations. Learners examine the geometry and evolution of spacetime, the earliest moments of the universe, cosmic inflation, nucleosynthesis, and the formation of the first stars and galaxies. The course also explores the large-scale structure of the cosmos and considers the long-term future of the universe through concepts such as heat death, black hole evaporation, the Big Rip, and the multiverse. Designed for learners with an interest in astronomy, physics, and the nature of the universe, this course combines observational evidence, modern cosmological theory, and current scientific discoveries to provide a coherent picture of how the universe began, evolved, and may ultimately end.