Bachelor of Science in Space Physics

Embry-Riddle’s Bachelor of Science in Space Physics is designed for students with superior math and science skills and who have a strong interest in space. Graduates emerge with the skills needed to excel in graduate studies, contribute to the growing commercial space movement in a meaningful way, or begin a career in applied physics. Students in the Space Physics program work under the direction of renowned physicists who share their passion for the universe. The Space Physics program at ERAU is designed to help students explore the physical phenomena observed in our universe, as well as to measure the physical parameters of nearby exoplanets using our campus observatories.

A Space Physics degree provides a strong experimental physics background, so graduates emerge from the program ready to work in research or within the burgeoning commercial space industry.

Program graduates are also well suited for pursuing careers in medical physics, biophysics, plasma physics, and in the military and security sectors.

Even as an undergraduate, students have the opportunity to be involved with a variety of faculty-sponsored research projects.

Students at ERAU can join a number of professional organizations and clubs to begin networking and fully immerse themselves in the field. Organizations of interest include the student chapter of the Mars Society, Society of Physics Students, and Sigma Pi Sigma, the national physics honors society.

About Space Physics at the Daytona Beach, FL Campus

Part of the Department of Physical Sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences, the B.S. in Space Physics degree program emphasizes the physics of the solar-terrestrial and distant-space environments.

Students learn how to study the magnetic and electric phenomena that occur in outer space, in the upper atmosphere of planets, and on the sun. In the field, space physicists use ground-based instruments, balloons, rockets, satellites, and deep space probes to study these phenomena.

This program is designed to produce graduates who want to pursue careers in space-related professions or who want to pursue advanced studies in diverse areas of science and engineering.

The College of Arts and Sciences building houses Florida’s largest university-based research telescope, an instrumented 1-meter, Ritchey-Chrétien reflecting telescope. Adjacent is a helioscope to observe solar activity.

ERAU’s Daytona Beach Campus is located just 50 miles north of Kennedy Space Center, which is the epicenter of Florida’s Space Coast. Students can witness launches from campus by just stepping outside and looking southward.

The Daytona Beach Campus location places ERAU in close proximity to much of the activity surrounding the next generation of space exploration missions.

A typical first year will include General Education courses plus core work, such as Current Topics in Space Science and Foundational Math and Science courses.

The program shares its facilities and some course work with the highly successful Engineering Physics program, one of the largest of its kind in the U.S.

Students can take courses at the Kennedy Space Center via the Florida Space Institute, of which ERAU is a member. Or take special tours of space facilities with classes or clubs, participate in co-ops or internships, and attend space launches.

About Space Physics at the Prescott, AZ Campus

The Bachelor of Science in Space Physics degree program lets students explore the fundamental forces in nature through investigating atomic, nuclear, and elementary particle systems. This applied physics program is designed to produce graduates prepared for space and aerospace-related careers. Working with a dedicated faculty with state-of-the-art labs and equipment, students graduate prepared to promote the exploration of space and add to the body of knowledge in science. Because of the strong emphasis on experimental physics, graduates are well-suited to enter a variety of fields in industry and graduate programs. In addition to employment in research and the space program, graduates with physics degrees will pursue diverse space physics careers in fields such as medical physics, biophysics, plasma physics, and other areas that utilize physicists, such as the military and security sector.

The Bachelor of Science in Space Physics degree is housed in the Department of Physics in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Students can choose from three areas of specialization:

• Astroparticle Physics
• Exotic Propulsion
• Gravitational Physics and Cosmology

At the Prescott Campus, students are immersed in designing experiments and building the equipment to conduct their research.

You’ll have extensive opportunities to work closely with dedicated faculty and participate in hands-on experiences at our state-of-the-art campus observatory and labs. The clear air of our mile-high campus provides excellent viewing capability from our 12-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope.

The Prescott Observatory Complex was ranked among the Top 25 Best College Astronomy Observatories according to CollegeRank.net. The Radio Observatory consists of several radio dishes and antennae, each connected to specialized receiving and analysis equipment.

Students also use specific labs for optics, exotic propulsion, and cosmic ray, as well as the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO).

Discover Our History

The Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University we know today is the product of a long and prestigious history.

In 1925, barnstormer John Paul Riddle met entrepreneur T. Higbee Embry, and together, they formed the Embry-Riddle Company to teach the adventurous to fly. This partnership was the beginning of a vision that has produced more than 137,000 alumni who drive innovation and keep the aerospace and related industries running safely and productively.

Get to Know Our Campuses

Embry-Riddle offers a first-rate education to recent high school graduates, working adults, active service members, veterans, classroom students, and online learners.

Our campuses in Daytona Beach, Florida , and Prescott, Arizona , feature a traditional residential experience, complete with classrooms and labs, dorms and clubs, sporting events, and performances.

Embry-Riddle Online and our Worldwide Campus feature state-of-the-art online technology that offers you the flexibility of learning whenever and wherever you want.

Learning from Leaders

At Embry-Riddle, our expert professors are leaders in the industry. They share the knowledge they’ve gained from decades of industry and higher-learning experience with our students to ensure graduates have a competitive edge in the workforce.

Diversity is Important to Us

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is committed to being a global leader in diversity and inclusion in higher education.

We continually strive to recognize, respect, and celebrate the differences and cultural identities among individuals as we recruit, support, and embrace our diverse community. We work to provide a safe environment where self-expression is welcome. We aim to create a campus free of discrimination, so that networks, partnerships, and cultural competency are fostered through leadership, integrity, care, and respect. We are Embry-Riddle.

It is All in Who You Know

Whichever campus or program you choose, you will meet lifelong friends in classes, dorms, and student organizations. Our graduates work for some of the world’s biggest companies, so the relationships you make on campus can continue throughout your career.

When you earn your degree from Embry-Riddle, you become part of a network of more than 137,000 alumni who will support you throughout your working life.

Once an Eagle, Forever an Eagle.