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Thank you very much for the detailed and thought-out response jullietmercredi! It's really helpful. What you say makes perfect sense, and you've given me some things to think about, like the precise reasons why a switch may or may not be beneficial for me. And I'll definitely seek them out proflorax!

I'd like to switch because I'd be more interested in certain area of physics over astronomy. Plus, even if I decide to do something related to astrophysics, it would be something theoretical, and the types of astrophysical research that I'd be doing would require, in my opinion, a better physics background than the astronomy curriculum provides. Is this Director of Graduate Studies that I would talk to typically someone outside of the department? Or is this usually someone within the department? By the way, to answer proflorax's question, some of the stories that I've heard of people switching PhD programs have come from this university. I've heard just a couple stories of people coming in from outside departments (always from a hard science deptartment), though I have never met these people, and don't know details of how they went about it. I guess I could try to seek them out and see how they did it. But I figure, if they were able to do it, then they would probably be even more willing for me to switch given that I'm coming from within the same dept.

Thanks for the replies. They say that astronomy grad students are allowed to choose a physics professor as an advisor to work with, and vice versa (physics students can work with astro professors). So if I wanted to I could choose a physics advisor to work under and still be a part of the astronomy program (though I'm assuming they would expect my work to still be related to astronomy). I am guessing that doing this could help my case in officially making a switch. But what if I don't exactly want to do anything very related to astronomy/astrophysics? Also, if I do want to go through with this, I want officially decide on it as soon as possible so that I can begin preparing for the comprehensive exam by taking the appropriate classes.

So I'm a first year grad student in astronomy, but I've lately been considering what the possibilities of a switch to physics are. The department at my university is a joint Physics & Astronomy Department, but astronomy does have its own separate program with its own selection committee to admit astronomy graduate students. I've occasionally heard stories from others in which switches like this have happened, though I don't know how it works or how one would go about it. I thought that I'd come float this idea on these forums to see what people's opinions are. Do people think a switch from astronomy to physics would be possible, given that it's my first year? How would I float the idea to the department, or who would I even approach with this idea? Could the fact that it's a joint department work to my advantage (it'd be a net zero for the department financially given that I'll still be in the same department). Maybe if I could just prove myself competent enough by passing the physics comperehensive exams? I'm not even sure if it could be potentially risky to float the idea with professors or potential advisors... If it turns out that a switch is not possible, then would it be awkward to stay in astronomy with many of the other professors/students knowing that I'd prefer being in a different program? I'd appreciate any advice, comments, anecdotes/stories relating to this kind of thing. Thanks very much.