The Planetary and Space Sciences PhD program is designed to prepare students to become leaders in the global planetary research and exploration community. Planetary science studies planetary systems, their components, their origins, their workings, and how they generate and affect life. Space exploration involves observing, visiting, and utilizing locations and resources above our atmosphere. Both depend critically on each other. The commercialization of space and rising public interest create high demand for PhD holders conversant in both areas, both in publicly funded research and in the private sector.
The Planetary and Space Sciences PhD program requires a minimum of 72 credit hours beyond a bachelor’s degree. This includes completion of 6 required courses (18 credit hours), 5 elective courses (15 credit hours) of regular course work selected in consultation with the student’s supervisory committee, a minimum of 15 dissertation credit hours, and the remaining 24 credit hours of appropriately selected research, dissertation, and elective courses. At least one-half of the credit hours used to meet program requirements must be in 6000-level or 7000-level courses, including the allowed number of research and dissertation hours. No more than 12 hours of independent study may be credited toward the PhD degree. The PhD includes a Candidacy Examination to be taken after the completion of the core courses, a written dissertation, and a dissertation defense before the student’s Dissertation Advisory Committee. Planetary and Space Sciences PhD candidates may be awarded MS degrees in this program upon submitting being admitted to Candidacy.
Total Credit Hours Required:
72 Credit Hours Minimum beyond a Bachelor's Degree; 42 Credit Hours Minimum beyond a Master's Degree
Program Prerequisites
Students entering the Planetary and Space Sciences program with regular status are expected to have completed coursework required for a bachelor's degree in a closely related science field such as physics, astronomy, geology, geophysics, atmospheric sciences, chemistry, biology, mathematics, or planetary sciences. We do not require the GRE, nor require a published paper.
Degree Requirements
Required Courses
18 Total Credits
- Complete all of the following
- The core is designed to give students a broad foundation in the planetary sciences and rapid training in the data acquisition and analysis techniques that will be necessary for successful research and publications.
- Complete the following:
- AST5151 - Physics of Planetary Processes (3)
- AST5154 - Advanced Planetary Geophysics (3)
- AST6165 - Planetary Atmospheres (3)
- AST5263 - Advanced Observational Astronomy (3)
- AST5765C - Advanced Astronomical Data Analysis (3)
- PHY6246 - Classical Mechanics (3)
Elective Courses
15 Total Credits
- Complete all of the following
- These elective formal courses should both round out a general planetary science and space exploration education and prepare the student to carry out original research in the dissertation topic. Elective courses are chosen in consultation with the adviser and Supervisory Committee and must be approved by the adviser prior to enrollment. Sample courses include:
- Complete the following:
- AST5038 - Astrobiology (3)
- AST5145 - Advanced Asteroids, Comets, and Meteorites (3)
- AST5334 - Extrasolar Planets and Brown Dwarfs (3)
- AST6112 - Origin and Evolution of Planetary Systems (3)
- AST6156 - Current Topics in Planetary Sciences (3)
- Students can also take: AST 6938 Special Topics (3 credit hours).
Other Electives
24 Total Credits
- Complete all of the following
- Courses taken for this requirement may include regular courses, directed independent study, dissertation hours, or research courses. They are chosen in consultation with the adviser and Supervisory Committee. Some of courses that may be used to meet this requirement are listed below. Other courses may be used to fulfill this requirement, with approval from the adviser and Supervisory Committee. Graduate courses from departments not included in this list may count with approval by the Graduate Director.
- Earn at least 24 credits from the following:
- PHZ5505 - Plasma Physics (3)
- PHY5524 - Statistical Physics (3)
- PHY5346 - Electrodynamics I (3)
- PHY6347 - Electrodynamics II (3)
- PHY5606 - Quantum Mechanics I (3)
- PHY6624 - Quantum Mechanics II (3)
- MAP6469 - Bayesian Analysis and Approximation Theory (3)
- OSE5041 - Introduction to Wave Optics (3)
- EEL5820 - Image Processing (3)
- OSE5312 - Light Matter Interaction (3)
- AST6918 - Directed Research (1 - 99)
- Students can also take: Courses or Directed Independent Study relevant to the dissertation area.
Dissertation
15 Total Credits
- Earn at least 15 credits from the following:
- AST7980 - Doctoral Dissertation (1 - 99)
Supervisory and Dissertation Advisory Committees
0 Total Credits
- Within the first semester of study in the program, the student must form a Supervisory Committee. If the student starts the program with an adviser, then the student must consult with their adviser to select two other faculty members to serve on their Supervisory Committee. If the student does not have a research adviser at the start, then a three-faculty committee will be assigned to the student, with the expectation that the committee may be modified once a student joins a research group. After the Candidacy Exam (see below), an outside UCF member shall be added to the Supervisory Committee, which then becomes the Dissertation Advisory Committee. The adviser is expected to meet at regular intervals with the student to discuss the proposed dissertation research and the plans for carrying out research. The full committee shall meet with the student at least once per year to review and make recommendations regarding the student's academic and research progress, including elective course selections, as well as their career development through presentations and attendance of international conferences. Additional meetings may be called by the student, adviser, the committee as a whole, or the Planetary Sciences Graduate Committee. The Supervisory Committee conducts the Candidacy Examination, and the Dissertation Advisory Committee conducts the Dissertation Defense. UCF Graduate Faculty and Graduate Faculty Scholars in the program are eligible to serve on these committees; the adviser must have UCF Graduate Faculty status. Formation of and changes to the membership of a Supervisory or Dissertation Advisory Committee must be in line with Graduate Catalog requirements. The Dissertation Advisory Committee must be approved before the student may register for Dissertation credits.
Candidacy Examination
0 Total Credits
- The program requires a Candidacy Examination to be taken after the completion of the core courses. This examination has written and oral components. The written component is a journal- level research paper that should be submitted and approved by the Supervisory Committee prior to the exam. The oral component has two parts: (1) A public presentation of the research contained in the paper, including the traditional question-and-answer period of a scientific presentation, and (2) questioning (that is typically conducted privately in committee) on the detail of the presented research as well as the topics covered in the student’s preparation and course work.
Dissertation Proposal
0 Total Credits
- Dissertation work must follow a Dissertation Proposal approved by the Dissertation Advisory Committee. The Proposal may be presented simultaneously with or immediately after the Candidacy Examination (if the external member is present and the Committee is approved) or in a separate meeting not more than one semester thereafter. Substantial work may not be done on the dissertation before approval by the Dissertation Advisory Committee. The Committee must also assess whether additional coursework is necessary to begin the dissertation. Such coursework should be completed at the earliest opportunity and before substantial work is done on the dissertation, or as directed by the Committee. The Dissertation Proposal presentation is not formally an examination, although the presentation format chosen by the Committee may be similar. Given the nature of research, changes of direction and scope are expected in many projects. Such changes should be discussed with the Committee, and substantial changes must be approved.
Admission to Candidacy
0 Total Credits
- The following are required to be admitted to candidacy and to enroll in dissertation hours: • Completion of the majority of course work (aside from Dissertation hours). Students must have completed all core courses and can have no more than 6 credit hours of remaining coursework. • Successful completion of the Candidacy Examination. • Formation of the Dissertation Advisory Committee. • Submission of an approved Program of Study.
Master's Awarded
0 Total Credits
- Students in this Ph.D. Program may be awarded a Master of Science degree after admission to candidacy (described above).
Dissertation Defense
0 Total Credits
- The dissertation defense is the final requirement for the PhD. It consists of a public presentation of the work, including the traditional question-and-answer period of a scientific presentation, followed by questioning by the Dissertation Advisory Committee (that is typically conducted privately in committee). Procedures are similar to those for the Candidacy Examination.
Independent Learning
0 Total Credits
- The Planetary and Space Sciences PhD program requires a dissertation. This will provide ample opportunities for students to gain independent learning experience through studying published research papers, conducting research, and presenting their results in conferences and in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
Grand Total Credits: 72
Financial Information
Graduate students may receive financial assistance through fellowships, assistantships, tuition support, or loans. For more information, see the College of Graduate Studies Funding website, which describes the types of financial assistance available at UCF and provides general guidance in planning your graduate finances. The Financial Information section of the Graduate Catalog is another key resource.
Fellowship Information
Fellowships are awarded based on academic merit to highly qualified students. They are paid to students through the Office of Student Financial Assistance, based on instructions provided by the College of Graduate Studies. Fellowships are given to support a student's graduate study and do not have a work obligation. For more information, see UCF Graduate Fellowships, which includes descriptions of university fellowships and what you should do to be considered for a fellowship.
All courses must be selected in consultation with and with the approval of the Supervisory Committee (before candidacy) or Dissertation Advisory Committee (after candidacy).
