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Studies & Degrees in Space Physics

Space physics studies the space environment of the Sun, the Earth and the other planets: the solar wind, magnetic fields, charged particles and the upper atmosphere, and the way they interact. NASA, which calls the field heliophysics, explains the starting point: space is not completely empty, and the Sun sends out a steady stream of particles and energy known as the solar wind, which carries the Sun's magnetic field. Typical topics are the magnetosphere, the radiation belts, the aurora and cosmic rays.

The subject has a practical side. According to NASA, studying this system helps protect technology and astronauts in space from the effects of space weather, and space weather events can interfere with communications, satellites and power grids. Students therefore learn plasma physics and electromagnetism together with data analysis and instrumentation, because the work relies on measurements from satellites and from instruments on the ground.

Qualifications and levels

  • Bachelor's degree. A named first degree in space physics is unusual; most students start with a degree in physics. One example of a dedicated degree is the Bachelor of Science in Space Physics at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, taught on its Daytona Beach and Prescott campuses with 120 credits. The university describes studies of the Earth-Sun environment, atmospheric sciences, aurorae, planetary sciences, space weather and laboratory plasma physics, among other areas.
  • Courses within a physics degree. At Uppsala Universitet, scientists of the Swedish Institute of Space Physics (IRF) teach courses in the bachelor's and master's programmes, among them Space Physics (5 hp, the Swedish credit unit) and Physics of Planetary Systems (10 hp). Bachelor's and master's students often do their final projects of 15 or 30 hp at the institute.
  • Master's degree and doctorate. Specialisation usually comes at graduate level. The University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) has a graduate programme in Geophysics and Space Physics, in which space physics covers the magnetosphere, radiation belts, solar wind, magnetic fields and cosmic rays. In Uppsala, IRF and the university cooperate in PhD education in physics with a specialisation in space and plasma physics; the university is responsible for the programme and the examination, and the research is usually carried out at IRF.

Where to study space physics

SpainExchange lists five active schools for space physics: two in the United States and one each in the United Kingdom, Sweden and Russia. They are the University of California Los Angeles and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in the United States, University College London in the United Kingdom, Uppsala Universitet in Sweden and Saint Petersburg State Polytechnical University in Russia.

Because the field is small, the research group matters more than the name of the degree. It is worth looking at which missions and instruments a department works with and whether a national research institute is nearby. IRF, for example, is a governmental research institute under the Swedish Ministry of Education that conducts basic research and postgraduate education in space physics, space technology and atmospheric physics. Teaching at the American and British schools is in English; master's and doctoral students normally need a first degree in physics or a closely related subject.

Careers

Space physics is a research field, so many graduates continue to a doctorate. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) states that physicists and astronomers typically need a Ph.D. for jobs in research and academia, while entry-level physicist jobs in the federal government typically require a bachelor's degree in physics. Embry-Riddle gives graduate student researcher and systems engineer as example roles for its space physics graduates. Outside research, the training in data analysis, modelling and instrumentation is used in the space industry and in space weather services.

In the United States, physicists and astronomers held 25,600 jobs in 2025. The BLS projects employment to grow 7 percent from 2025 to 2035, with about 1,500 openings a year on average. These figures cover all of physics and astronomy, not only space physics.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between space physics and astrophysics?

Space physics deals with the nearby space environment: the Sun, the solar wind and the magnetic fields and upper atmospheres of the planets, much of which can be measured directly by spacecraft. Astrophysics studies distant objects such as stars and galaxies.

Can I study space physics as a bachelor's degree?

A few universities offer one, for example the Bachelor of Science in Space Physics at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, which has 120 credits. More often, students take a physics degree and specialise at master's or doctoral level.

Do I need a doctorate to work in space physics?

For research and academic posts, usually yes. According to the BLS, physicists and astronomers typically need a Ph.D. for jobs in research and academia.

What is space weather?

It is the changing condition of the space environment caused by the Sun. According to NASA, space weather events can interfere with communications, satellites and power grids.