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Space and Planetary Science Major (BAdvSci) (Honours)

Non-Award

This Advanced Science honours course, starting in 2026, focuses on space and planetary science, combining core knowledge with project-based learning, leadership, and industry engagement. Students will explore the Solar System, space exploration, and digital technologies, with opportunities for research and applied work experiences.

Key details

Degree Type

Non-Award

Duration

4 years full-time

Course Code

MJRH-ADSPC

About this course

Overview

This course is a new Bachelor of Advanced Science (Honours) major available from 2026.

This is an Advanced Science honours course designed for high-performing students to pursue their interest in space and planetary science through a core of discipline knowledge alongside project-based learning, leadership and entrepreneurship.

Through embedded research and industry engagement, you will have the opportunity to investigate various specialist areas of space and planetary science, and tailor your study plan to your career aims.

You'll benefit from working across disciplines with Advanced Science peers, networking opportunities and workshops in career skills, entrepreneurship, leadership and communication. From second year, you'll undertake year-long projects alongside leading researchers or engage with industry experts. In addition, you'll have the opportunity to pursue for-credit applied work experiences.

This major will give you a solid foundation in space and planetary sciences that you can either deepen or broaden through elective units and year-long, student-led projects that are unique to Advanced Science majors. You can also use elective units to study a minor or specialisation to tailor your degree for technical careers that incorporate, for example, data science, geophysics, artificial intelligence, ICT and intelligent robotics.

The course explores the structure and evolution of the Solar System, including Earth as a planet, and the practicalities of space exploration. Within that realm, your studies will cover space environments and operations and space system design, as well as the key drivers of space exploration. You'll learn digital technologies and how to gather and interpret data that are relevant to planetary and terrestrial geoscience.

To begin with, you will study units that focus on Earth science, planetary science, communications and global challenges, mathematics, physics and programming.

In second year, along with your project and elective units, you'll learn about space research, space exploration and industry, and the drivers of space exploration - such as the aspiration for knowledge about the origins and nature of life in the universe. You can also tailor your learning across planetary geology, geochemistry, geology and technology-specific areas such as remote sensing and satellite observation.

Your third year focuses on diverse aspects of space exploration and missions, including the influence of space environments on equipment and astronauts, and the topics of living, exploring and assessing resources on the Moon and Mars. This area aligns with international endeavours such as the NASA Artemis program that includes permanent human presence on the Moon, and the Australian Moon to Mars initiative.

In laboratory work, you'll learn to apply computing and data analysis, and the applications of remote sensing, space systems, machine learning and AI techniques.

This course has an embedded honours fourth year where you will lead a defining research project and prepare for careers in research or industry.

What you will learn

What you'll learn

demonstrate an advanced and coherent understanding of the nature and relevance of science, the social and cultural context of space and planetary scientific endeavour, and the contribution of different knowledge systems, including indigenous perspectives, GC5
demonstrate accountability and work responsibly and respectfully with people from diverse cultural backgrounds and ways of working in a range of applied settings, both as an independent, self-directed scientist and collaboratively within multi-stakeholder partnerships, with cognisance of equity, equality and all appropriate regulatory and professional considerations even where such frameworks may not yet be defined in frontier space and planetary contexts, GC6
awareness of global citizenship, and capability to address complex global and extraplanetary problems by applying practical and/or theoretical scientific techniques and clean technologies, recognising that space and planetary scientific endeavours are required to comply with ethical and environmentally sustainable standards and to reduce inequalities, GC4
exhibit depth and breadth of scientific knowledge and excellence in scientific research and application in space exploration, space industry and planetary science, as well as recognition of its links to other disciplines. Contribute new knowledge to these fields of study by designing appropriate investigations; accessing, synthesising, and critically evaluating knowledge from a range of sources using a variety of tools; analysing and interpreting space and planetary data; and constructing arguments and conclusions while recognising the limitations in the approaches used, GC1
be resilient and equipped to engage in self-driven, continuous and reflective discipline and professional lifelong learning and development, demonstrating acquired discipline and entrepreneurship skills in fostering innovation in space and planetary science to creatively explore problems and drive positive change, GC2
effectively capacity build, communicate and promote the value of sharing scientific ideas, knowledge, approaches and solutions to a range of audiences (academia, industry, government and public), for a range of purposes in planetary and space exploration and discovery using a variety of oral, textual, visual or other modes, GC3

Career pathways

What jobs can the Space and Planetary Science (Advanced) course lead to?

Graduates will be well-positioned for careers in the commercial and government-sponsored space sector including space exploration and remote sensing, space-based Earth observation, access to space services such as satellite communication, global navigation, and other infrastructure operations. The World Economic Forum has reported that the space economy is "creating value for multiple industries and solutions to many of the world's most pressing challenges".�� Domestically, the Australian space sector is projected to grow significantly over the next 10 years.��

Careers

Planetary and space scientist
Space research and technology consultant
Space business developer and industry consultant
Geoscientist
Geoscience data analyst
Remote sensing scientist
Global navigation systems expert

Industries

Research, innovation and entrepreneurship
Space exploration
Space engineering
Remote sensing
Space-based Earth observation
Global navigation systems and operations
Defence science and technology
Space-enabled services
Access to space

Course structure

Course outline

Qualification: Space and Planetary Science Major (BAdvSci) (Honours)
Credit: A full-time study load usually consists of 200 credits (approximately eight units) per year, with 100 credits (approximately four units) in each semester.

800

You can study this course as part of the following degree

Bachelor of Advanced Science (Honours)

Visit the degree page for information on admission criteria, course fees and study locations.

Credit for prior study or work

Credit for recognised learning (CRL)

Use your experience to get credit towards your degree

Finish your course sooner with credit for your previous study or work experience.

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How to apply

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Curtin course code: MJRH-ADSPC
Last updated on: 14 October 2025