Planetary Science

College Majors Science Majors
1

<p>Which would be best for a potential career in planetary science?</p>

<p>Geology/Earth Sciences
Physics
Astronomy</p>

2

<p>Geology. If you want focus more on how a planet orbits its star, and how the chemical composition of a atmosphere affects the gravity of a planet, then physics/astronomy.</p>

3

<p>It depends on where your interest lies. Geology will always be applicable, but if you’re really more interested in other planets and moons, then astronomy will play a larger role. I don’t recommend astronomy as an undergraduate degree, however; if you want to go the astronomy route, I recommend physics as an undergraduate and astronomy in grad school. The reason for this is that a solid physics foundation is critical for a PhD in astronomy, and I’ve heard too many stories of astronomy grad students who struggle because they don’t have a strong enough grasp of physics. Any undergraduate physics department will probably have a planetary astronomer on the faculty, and possibly a deep space astronomer as well, so you’ll get some exposure to those fields even at the undergrad level.</p>

<p>BTW, here’s an amazing book about planetary science in our solar system: <a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Most-Extreme-Places-Solar-System/dp/0674049985/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1328240050&sr=8-1-spell[/url]”>http://www.amazon.com/Most-Extreme-Places-Solar-System/dp/0674049985/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1328240050&sr=8-1-spell&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

4

<p>A physics/math double major may also be a viable undergrad option. Astrophysics tends to get mathematically intense.</p>

5

<p>I recommend a Geophysics major, or if that is not available, a double major in Geology/ Physics or Geology with a Physics minor. Some U’s, such as UCB, do have tracks for Geophysics majors- which has many more math and physics classes.</p>

6

<p>Physics (unless you’re at Caltech or MIT, in which case you should do GPS or EAPS, respectively). And do research with a Planetary Science professor.</p>

<p>Most admission committees in planetary science actually prefer that you’re a Physics major, and the committees at top programs also ask for the Physics GRE.</p>