Courses
The timeline of the courses can be in flux, but we work to be sure that all students can take the coursework in a timely manner. So if a course description below indicates a frequency, it is still wise to check UCF’s course schedule!
Note that further info about courses is on our PhD program page, and on the Graduate Catalog page.
This course covers the physics, chemistry, and biology of life on Earth as they relate to astrophysical concepts. Offered occasionally. Usually taught by Prof. Ramirez.
This course covers the physical, compositional, and structural properties of solar system small bodies, and their interrelationships. Usually offered in odd springs. Usually taught by Prof. Campins or Prof. Donaldson Hanna.
This course covers several specific electrodynamics, quantum mechanics, and classical mechanics topics that are directly related to planetary and space sciences. Usually offered every semester, but the content changes. Usually taught by several faculty. Can be repeated for credit as long as the content is different.
This course covers the physics of planetary evolution, of planetary interiors, and of planetary surface processes. Usually offered in odd springs. Usually taught by Prof. Britt or Prof. Donaldson Hanna.
This course covers experimental designs and experimental techniques, spherical astronomy, and the physics of telescopes and of common astronomical detectors. Usually offered in even springs. Usually taught by Prof. Fernandez, Prof. Donaldson Hanna, or Prof. Ogliore.
This course covers the physics of substellar-mass objects, their formation, evolution, dynamics, detection, and environments. Offered odd springs. Usually taught by Prof. Karalidi.
This course covers concepts on advanced astronomical data formation and acquisition, detector physics, measurement extraction, error analysis, modeling, computer programming, statistics, interpretation, and written and oral presentation of results. Usually offered every fall. Usually taught by Prof. Harrington, Prof. Karalidi, or Prof. Fernandez.
This course covers the observations and properties of extrasolar planets and circumstellar disks through physics of disk evolution and planet formation. It also covers the dynamical evolution of planetary systems. Usually offered in odd springs. Usually taught by Prof. Colwell, Prof. Dove, or Prof. Fernandez.
A seminar style course, but with significant student participation. The topic is usually a current NASA mission and its destination, or a deep-dive into a particular technological, scientific, and engineering aspect of space exploration. Previous versions of this course have covered the following topics: • Spring 2014: Pluto, Charon, and the New Horizons mission. • Fall 2015: Phobos, Deimos, and possible missions. • Spring 2017: in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) in space. • Spring 2018: sample return from a near-Earth asteroid with OSIRIS-REx and Hayabusa-2. • Spring 2020: the economic geology of lunar and asteroid resources. • Spring 2021: science in planetary radar, in Earth’s atmosphere, and in astrophysics at Arecibo Observatory. Spring 2023: ices in the Solar system. Offered occasionally, and can be repeated for credit. Taught by several faculty.
This course covers the basics of atmospheric physics and chemistry, and applies it to planets (including Earth) and satellites in our solar system as well as those orbiting other stars. Usually offered in even springs. Usually taught by Prof. Harrington or Prof. Ramirez.
A seminar style course, but with significant student participation. The topic is usually a current NASA mission and its destination, or a deep-dive into a particular subset of planetary science. Previous versions of this course have covered the following topics: • Spring 2013: Vesta, Mercury, the Dawn mission, and the MESSENGER mission. • Spring 2021: physics of comets, asteroids, and dust. • Spring 2025: multiwavelength spectroscopy of solid surfaces. Offered occasionally, and can be repeated for credit. Taught by several faculty.
Note that further info about courses is on our undergraduate program page, and on the Graduate Catalog page.
General education, covers all of astronomy and planetary sciences at the introductory level. This course satisfies one of the GEP requirements. Offered every fall and every spring, and sometimes in the summer. Taught by many faculty. Offered in person, online, in Honors sections.
Introductory material on astrobiology. Thought provoking journey through solar system environments and extrasolar planets to establish the probability of life on other planets in our solar system and beyond. Offered occasionally.
The study of analytical methods that led to our first understanding of our Solar System and Universe in the pre-telescopic and pre-modern eras. Offered occasionally. Usually taught by Prof. Fernandez.
Interdisciplinary approach to the dynamics of the Solar System through application of Physics, Atmospheric Science, Chemistry and Geology. Usually offered in springs. Usually taught by Prof. Dove or Prof. Jerousek.
How the solar weather forms and solar weather effects on the solar system, including geomagnetic storms, aurorae, and impacts to electronics/GPS systems. Offered occasionally.
The physics and dynamics of stars, including star formation and stellar formation. Usually offered even springs. Usually taught by Prof. Jerousek or Prof. Sokol.
Study of the different types of galaxies, their evolution, their relationship to active galaxies and quasars, and the evolution of the Universe. Usually offered odd falls. Usually taught by Prof. Jerousek or Prof. Sokol.
Asteroids, comets, and meteorites and their role in the origin and evolution of our solar system. Usualy offered even falls. Usually taught by Prof. Campins or Prof. Donaldson Hanna.
Physics of planetary evolution, planetary interiors, and planetary surface processes. Usually offered odd springs. Usually taught by Prof. Britt or Prof. Donaldson Hanna.
This course covers important concepts regarding the actual planning of telescopic experiments in astronomy. Students gain a more detailed and more elaborate understanding of how our rotating platform of Earth constrains what we can see in the Universe at any given time. Students also learn the physics behind telescopes, detectors, and other astronomical equipment. Usually offered odd springs. Usually taught by Prof. Fernández, Prof. Jerousek, Prof. Karalidi, or Prof. Schambeau.
This course covers astronomical data formation and acquisition, detector physics, measurement extraction, error analysis, modeling, computer programming, statistics, interpretation, and written and oral presentation of results. It meets with AST 5765 but has a project and homework appropriate for the undergraduate level. May satisfy a Physics BS degree lab requirement, by petition. PREREQ: Ability to program a computer. Students unprepared in programming often find this course overwhelming! PHZ 3150 was developed to satisfy this requirement. See the web site, above, for more. Usually offered every fall. Usually taught by Prof. Harrington, Prof. Karalidi, or Prof. Fernandez.
An introduction to the history, physics, and dynamics of the Earth’s climate. There are no prerequisites for this course. Offered occasionally. Usually taught by Prof. Britt.
To be a STEM researcher, you have to be able to program a computer to process and simulate data. This introduction for first-time programmers uses Python, the most popular free language used for data analysis in the physical sciences. Students learn on their own computers, so they will have access to programming after the course is over. Topics also include the Unix shell, shell scripting, revision control, planning and debugging, object-oriented programming, and a selection of numerical topics including Monte Carlo simulation, integration and differentiation, interpolation, and 2D and 3D visualization. Satisfies the programming prerequisite for AST 4762/5765. Taught by Prof. Harrington, Prof. Jerousek, or Prof. Karalidi.
Non-analytical problems in physics and astronomy solved by approximation with computer assistance. This course is a next-level course, above and beyond PHZ 3150. This course is specifically focused on the theory and application of numerical techniques. You use these techniques to solve theoretical physics problems. Note that if you take PHZ 3151 instead of PHZ 3150, then you would be ready to take AST 4762 afterward. In general you do not need to take both PHZ 3150 and 3151, but you certainly can. Taught by Prof. Ramirez.
Forthcoming Course Schedule
See our PhD program page and our undergraduate page for info on the course frequency and the cycle of course offerings.