Program Overview

New Master’s in Space Systems

A new Master’s degree programme in Space Systems will be launched at ETH Zurich in autumn 2024.

Programme Overview

The Master’s degree programme in Space Systems is an important milestone on the way to taking space science to a higher level at ETH, in Switzerland and in Europe. The programme is designed to provide students with an overview of complex space systems and understand the interdependencies of subsystems – from the propulsion and navigation of launch systems to scientific experiments.

Programme Structure

• The programme is a joint offering from the four departments of Earth Sciences, Physics, Mechanical and Process Engineering as well as Information Technology and Electrical Engineering.
• Students will gain knowledge of space systems – in other words, satellites, launch vehicles, telescopes and spacecraft – and learn the fundamentals of Earth and planetary sciences and astrophysics.
• Students will also choose from among space engineering, space communication, robotics, earth observation or planetary sciences as the subject of more in-depth studies.
• Team projects and case studies, in which students from different disciplines work together on solutions, are an integral part of the programme.

Admission Criteria

• The specialised Master’s degree is suitable for students of engineering and the natural sciences who excelled in their undergraduate degree programme and who have some experience in the subject.
• A solid grounding in mathematics and physics is also required, corresponding to the level of the Bachelor’s degree programmes at ETH.
• The Master’s programme is also explicitly open to applicants from other universities.
• Students who don’t fulfil the subject requirements may be admitted on the condition that they close the relevant gaps and sit additional examinations.

Application Process

• As of 1 April, students in possession of a Swiss Bachelor’s degree or nearing its completion will be able to apply for a place in its pilot year, which starts in September 2024.
• For international students, the application window for the second year of the course, starting in autumn 2025, will open in November 2024.

Research Areas

• The programme focuses on commercial space research and is consistently interdisciplinary, offering in-depth knowledge in engineering disciplines and natural sciences.
• Research areas include space systems, Earth and planetary sciences, astrophysics, space engineering, space communication, robotics, earth observation, and planetary sciences.

Collaboration with Industry

• Collaboration with industry plays an integral role in the programme.
• Partnerships with other universities are to be added.

Programme Launch

• The launch of the Master’s degree programme in Space Systems is one of the declared goals of the ETH Zurich Space initiative, which was launched in October 2022 with the aim of expanding space research and teaching at ETH and of strengthening collaboration with partners from science, industry and space agencies such as ESA and NASA.