Planetary Science with Astronomy with Foundation Year

Planetary science with astronomy sits at one of the most exciting frontiers of modern science. Spacecraft have transformed our understanding of the solar system over the past six decades, revealing the diversity of worlds that orbit our sun: volcanic moons, ocean worlds beneath ice, dusty red deserts, and gas giants with hundreds of times Earth's mass. Alongside these discoveries, the search for life elsewhere in the universe has become a serious scientific programme, drawing on geology, atmospheric science, astrobiology, and observational astronomy in equal measure.

This is a discipline in which new knowledge arrives regularly, and in which fundamental questions about our place in the cosmos are being actively addressed.

At Birkbeck College, this four-year programme, which includes a foundation year, offers a broad introduction to planetary science and exploration, encompassing its geological, astronomical, and astrobiological aspects. You will study the composition and structure of planets and moons, the processes that shape their surfaces and interiors, the principles of astronomical observation and instrumentation, and the scientific search for habitable environments beyond Earth. The foundation year builds the mathematical and scientific preparation you need before engaging with the main degree curriculum, ensuring you are fully equipped to engage with quantitative and conceptual material at degree level.

Graduates from planetary science and astronomy programmes go on to careers in space agencies, research institutions, university astronomy and planetary science departments, the aerospace and satellite industry, defence, science communication, and education. The analytical and quantitative skills the degree develops are also valued in data science, environmental science, and a range of technology roles. Many graduates pursue postgraduate study or research positions in planetary science, astrophysics, astrobiology, or space engineering.