Academics

Graduate Degrees

Student Graduating

We technically offer four kinds of graduate degrees now, but see below for more details:

  • Planetary and Space Sciences PhD
  • Planetary and Space Sciences MS
  • Physics PhD in the Planetary Sciences Track
  • Physics MS in the Planetary Sciences Track

Admissions Update (May 20, 2026): For the PSS PhD program, we have now made all of our admission decisions. Alas, we were not able to go very far down our waitlist, sorry! Everyone who had a complete application by mid-April should have gotten an official notice from UCF. If you completed an application more recently than that, then our admissions committee will look at it, but it is VERY unlikely that we will be able to make any more admissions offers to the PSS PhD program. Even though our official application deadline is July 1, we just don’t have any more room in our program, so applications received now or until that deadline are basically really really unlikely to get approved.

For the Planetary Track Physics MS program, we have assessed the applicant pool and we’ve made several admission/denial decisions. There are a few applicants still on our waitlist, and we have tried to communicate this status to everyone on the waitlist. Please reach out to us if you have applied to the MS track and have heard no news at all!

Planetary and Space Sciences PhD

This is a new program as of Fall 2025. We are one of the very few institutions in the world to offer this degree! Since this program is so new, we are slowly populating/editing various webpages with info about it. But check out the Graduate Studies page, the Graduate Catalog, and the program Handbook for lots more info! Right now we are encouraging applications from new students who want to start in this program in Fall 2026. Our intent is for this program to replace the Planetary Sciences Track. Currently, the requirements for the PSS PhD are extremely similar to those for the Planetary Sciences Track.

Planetary and Space Sciences MS

This is likewise a new degree, though the only form it exists as right now is as a Master’s “Along the Way”, with only post-candidacy PhD students eligible for it. A stand-alone MS degree is not yet officially available, as we are still getting all the university approvals to create it. We anticipate the degree will be offered starting in Fall 2027.

Physics PhD in the Planetary Sciences Track

This is the PhD degree program we have been running since 2009, and is a track within the Physics Department’s regular Physics graduate program. You can find more details about our program on the appropriate page on our website. There is also a general departmental website on graduate programs. However, note that we are not accepting any more applications to the program! Our intent is for current students in the track to complete their degrees, and then we will remove the track.

Physics MS in the Planetary Sciences Track

We also offer MS degrees through the Planetary Science Track. While the PSS MS (above) degree is still in the process of being approved, we are allowing applications to this program. But our intent is that, eventually, like the PhD Track, all the students in the MS track will complete their degrees, the track will be empty, and then we will remove the track.

The large majority of our graduate students are admitted for a Fall semester start. Technically we accept applications for a Spring admission too, but in practice (for various reasons) a Spring admission is rare. In many cases, it is better to simply apply for a Fall admission. If you are considering submitting an application to our graduate program for a Spring semester start, please contact us first to see if it is worthwhile to do so, since we don’t want you to waste your application fee money on what could be a pointless exercise. In your email, tell us why you would prefer to start in the Spring, and which faculty you have (hopefully already) been talking to about research.

Undergraduate Degrees

An undergraduate student in our program earns a BS in Physics, but with an Astronomy Track. You can find more details about our specialization on the appropriate page on our website. There is also a general departmental website on undergraduate programs.

Note that there is no Astronomy Specialization in the Physics BA program, although you may be able to take astronomy courses as electives in that program.

We also offer an Astronomy Minor.