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Course type
Certificate
Credits
60

Credits

  • Credits measure the student workload required for the successful completion of a module or qualification.
  • One credit represents about 10 hours of study over the duration of the course.
  • You are awarded credits after you have successfully completed a module.
  • For example, if you study a 60-credit module and successfully pass it, you will be awarded 60 credits.
How long it takes
1 year part-time study
Read more about how long it takes
Study method
Distance learning
Course cost
See Fees and funding
Entry requirements
Find out more about
Entry requirements

Postgraduate Certificate in Space Science

Course code: K28

Designed for those with an academic or professional interest in space science, this qualification provides you with a wide-ranging overview of scientific measurement in the space environment and equips you with the skills required to carry out scientific investigations using space-based instrumentation, both individually and as a team.

  • Develop skills in conducting science in the space environment through the use of remote experiments
  • Explore current debates in space and planetary sciences using data from space missions

This postgraduate certificate is the same as the first half of our Postgraduate Diploma in Space Science and Technology (E90) and the first third of our MSc in Space Science and Technology (F77).

Course type
Certificate
Credits
60

Credits

  • Credits measure the student workload required for the successful completion of a module or qualification.
  • One credit represents about 10 hours of study over the duration of the course.
  • You are awarded credits after you have successfully completed a module.
  • For example, if you study a 60-credit module and successfully pass it, you will be awarded 60 credits.
How long it takes
1 year part-time study
Read more about how long it takes
Study method
Distance learning
Course cost
See Fees and funding
Entry requirements
Find out more about
Entry requirements

How to register

Select the module you will study first, read the full description, and follow the instructions to register.

Modules

To gain this qualification, you need 60 credits as follows:

60 credits from:

Module Credits Next start
Space science (S818)

This module provides an in-depth introduction to the methods of conducting scientific measurements in the space environment and the technologies needed for space missions.

See full description

Register
 60 31 Jan 2026

You should note that the University’s unique study rule applies to this qualification. This means that you must include at least 20 credits from OU modules that have not been counted in any other OU qualification that has previously been awarded to you.

Learning outcomes, teaching and assessment

The learning outcomes of this qualification are described in four areas:

  • Knowledge and understanding
  • Cognitive skills
  • Practical and professional skills
  • Key skills
Read more detailed information about the learning outcomes.

Credit transfer

For this qualification, we do not allow you to count credit for study you have already done elsewhere.

On completion

On successfully completing this course, we’ll award you our Postgraduate Certificate in Space Science. You’ll be entitled to use the letters PG Cert SpS (Open) after your name.

Regulations

As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the qualification-specific regulations below and the academic regulations that are available on our Student Policies and Regulations website. 

We regularly review our curriculum; therefore, the qualification described on this page – including its availability, its structure, and available modules – may change over time. If we make changes to this qualification, we’ll update this page as soon as possible. Once you’ve registered or are studying this qualification, where practicable, we’ll inform you in good time of any upcoming changes. If you’d like to know more about the circumstances in which the University might make changes to the curriculum, see our Academic Regulations or contact us. This description was last updated on 18 March 2025.

You should typically have

  • a UK honours degree (or equivalent) in physics, astronomy, geosciences, chemistry, engineering or mathematics.

We’ll ask you to prove you have this when you register for Space science (S818). We will, however, consider applications from non-graduates with other relevant qualifications or experience.

We don’t require you to have previously studied space science or astronomy.

You can check if you’re ready for S818 with our self-assessed diagnostic – Are you ready for S818?

We recommend you have minimum IELTS (International English Language Testing System) scores of:

  • Reading: 5.5
  • Writing: 5.5
  • Speaking: 5.5
  • Listening: 5.5
  • Overall: 6.0.

Our free course, Succeeding in postgraduate study, helps you develop the skills and confidence to manage the requirements and demands of postgraduate study.

How long it takes

Most students study the Postgraduate Certificate in Space Science part-time, completing 60 credits over one year. Typically, this means 18 study hours each week.

You must complete the Postgraduate Certificate in Space Science within two years.

Career relevance

This qualification is directly relevant to scientific and technical careers in the space sector. It is particularly relevant to roles that are concerned with acquisition, handling and interpretation of data obtained by space-based instrumentation.

Careers and Employability Services have more information on how OU study can improve your employability.

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