Bachelor of Science (Science) Majoring in Space and Planetary Science

3 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Curtin University Perth

Program Overview

If you’ve ever looked up at the stars and wondered how planets form, what lies beyond Earth, or how humanity might explore other worlds — the Space and Planetary Science major at Curtin offers you the chance to turn curiosity into real skills. It’s a hands‑on, horizon‑stretching program that blends geology, planetary science, remote sensing and space mission design, equipping you to explore planets, moons — even help plan future space missions.

Curriculum Structure

First Year
In your first year you’ll build a firm foundation in mathematics, physics and Earth/planetary science fundamentals — essential tools for understanding how planets and space systems work. Courses like Introductory Mathematics or Foundations of Calculus give you the quantitative backbone needed for later planetary geology or space environment studies, while basic Earth science units help you start thinking about planets (including our own Earth) in geological terms. It’s the launchpad where you get comfortable with data, theory and core scientific thinking.

Second Year
Once you’ve got the foundations, second‑year work begins to immerse you in space science and planetary topics. You might study units that explore space research and industry: perhaps delving into planetary geology, geochemistry, or remote sensing. This is where you start thinking about how we observe Earth and other planets, analysing remote-sensing data, and understanding the minerals and geophysics of worlds beyond Earth.

Third Year
By the final year you’ll be engaging with advanced ideas — things like how space environments affect equipment or life, what it would take to explore and use resources on the Moon or Mars, and even how to design or contribute to real space missions. You’ll have the chance to work with data analysis, AI or machine‑learning tools, and get hands‑on experience — maybe even contributing to research or industry‑relevant projects connected to lunar or planetary exploration.

(Optional) If you choose the Advanced/Honours route, the final phase includes a full research project: you’ll lead a study from design to conclusion, often working with experts in planetary science. That gives you a chance to explore your own questions — maybe about astrobiology, remote sensing, or space system design — and prepares you really well for a research‑oriented career or further studies.

Focus Areas: planetary geology, remote sensing & Earth observation, space mission design & operations, astrobiology

Learning Outcomes: ability to gather, analyse and interpret planetary and space data, design and evaluate space/planetary investigations, communicate science across media, and approach space exploration with ethical, global and sustainability awareness

Professional Alignment (Accreditation): This major gives you both the scientific depth and the technical/data‑analysis skills valued in the growing global space economy. Whether you’re drawn to space exploration, satellite‑based Earth observation, remote sensing, or planetary geology — you’ll leave ready for industry or research roles in the space sector (public or private), Earth sciences, data analysis or space systems operations.

Reputation (Employability Focus): Curtin stands out globally for its space and planetary research — it’s one of the few universities offering this kind of major (especially outside pure astrophysics), making its graduates rare and desirable. Its strong links with real-world space missions and remote‑sensing research make this a program with good prospects in a rapidly expanding space sector.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

If you join the Space and Planetary Science major at Curtin University, you don’t just learn about planets/the Solar System from textbooks — you build real, career‑ready skills by doing actual space science and engineering projects, analysing data, and thinking like a scientist or space‑industry professional. Throughout the degree you’ll get hands‑on experience in labs, data analysis, remote sensing and space systems — exactly the sort of background that employers in the space sector value. It’s a program designed to make you capable of meaningful contributions to real space missions, Earth observation, planetary geology or remote sensing operations.

Here’s a look at the concrete experiential learning opportunities you’ll get:

Laboratory work using computing, data analysis, remote sensing and space‑system tools, including techniques from machine learning and artificial intelligence.
Projects and research-based work, giving you the chance to engage with actual questions in space and planetary science (not just theory).
Study tracks that allow you to specialise — e.g. planetary geology, geochemistry, astrobiology, or more technical areas like remote sensing, Earth observation, space environment, space‑system design and even space‑mission design.
Exposure to the broader space sector: learning about space exploration, mission planning, the challenges of operating in space environments, and even resource assessment on the Moon and Mars.
Option to combine with another major (or a minor/specialisation) — for example mechatronic engineering, data science, software development, geospatial technology — giving you multidisciplinary skills useful in real‑world space industry contexts.
For high‑performing students: through the Advanced Science (Honours) pathway, a full embedded fourth year in which you lead a significant research or applied project, preparing you for research or industry roles.

Progression & Future Opportunities

If you complete this course, you’ll be well placed for a career in the growing space industry. Graduates commonly go on to work as planetary or space scientists, remote‑sensing or geoscience data analysts, space‑research or technology consultants, or even space‑industry business developers.

Here’s what this means for you:

You’ll study at a university whose space‑research credentials are strong: Curtin’s own Space Science and Technology Centre — home to the largest planetary research group in the Southern Hemisphere — works on real space missions, satellite development and planetary geology research.
Through the course, you’ll get exposure to real‑world tools and techniques: data analysis, remote sensing, space systems design — skills that are in demand not only in space research but also in Earth observation, environmental science, global navigation systems, and geoscience.
Curtin supports employability through work‑integrated learning and research‑based projects: many units and projects are designed with industry relevance, giving you hands‑on experience before you graduate.
The larger outlook is encouraging: the global space economy is forecast to grow substantially by 2035, which means demand for graduates in space, planetary science and related areas is likely to rise — giving you a broad base for future job security and growth.
Because you can combine this major with a second major, minor or specialisation (or even do a double‑degree with, say, engineering or innovation), you retain flexibility: you can pivot towards space‑technology, AI/data‑driven Earth observation, or planetary geology depending on what interests you most.

Further Academic Progression:
After finishing the BSc Space and Planetary Science, you could move into honours or higher degrees in planetary science, space systems, geoscience or related fields — for example through Curtin’s embedded honours track (in the “Advanced Science (Honours)” version of the course) if you want to deepen your research experience. From there, you could pursue master’s or PhD studies (in planetary science, remote sensing, astro‑geology, or space engineering), which would open doors to advanced research roles, mission planning and even academic careers.