Undergraduate Certificate - Space Studies

The undergraduate certificate in Space Studies looks at spaceflight history, space policy, and planetary exploration. This online certificate also surveys the government and industry participants from the space race starting in the ‘60s through today. The curriculum for this online certificate was originally designed by former NASA astronaut and Dean of Science and Technology Dr. James Reilly, veteran of three shuttle missions and five spacewalks. You will have the opportunity to learn from leading practitioners working in national and private space, aerospace, and related organizations. This certificate is intended for undergraduate students who want to expand their knowledge of space studies without committing to one of our space studies degree programs.

Certificate Objectives

Upon completion of this program, the student will be able to:

• Describe the principles of manned and unmanned flight, both within and outside of Earth’s atmosphere.
• Categorize the history of space exploration, from early rocketry efforts to the International Space Station and beyond.
• Analyze space policies including the cooperation/diplomacy between various space faring nations.
• Diagram the history of planetary and space exploration, with emphasis on the role of unmanned and manned spacecraft.