Undergraduate Education

Undergraduate students interested in astronomy or planetary science at the University of Central Florida have a number of options and opportunities available to them. The most common course of study for interested students is a major in Physics with a specialization in Astronomy. This is one of five potential specializations within the physics major, and consists of 18 credit hours of astronomy-related coursework.

Students not majoring in physics or within a different specialization in physics may also choose a minor in astronomy consisting of 20 credit hours of coursework. More information on these options can be found at the Physics department website , or in the UCF Undergraduate Course Catalog

Students specializing in astronomy within the physics major are also required to complete 3 credit hours of directed independent research in their area of specialization. This represents an outstanding opportunity for students to gain valuable research experience and be part of cutting-edge astronomy. Many of the faculty members in the Planetary Sciences group have openings for interested and capable undergraduate students. Currently we have students working on wide variety of projects in the areas of exoplanets, comets, Saturn’s rings, large-scale structure, and much more.

There are also a number of opportunities at UCF for students who wish to take their research a step further, such as the Honors in the Major program and the Student-Mentor Academic Research Teams (SMART) program, both run through the Burnett Honors College. These programs offer a chance for students to present their research to the UCF and broader communities, and potentially to receive additional funding for the research.