Program Areas
Admissions to the LPL PhD program are directly tied to sponsoring advisors. Applicants are strongly encouraged to reach out to prospective advisors and confirm their ability to take a student prior to application.
Available Research Opportunities
Potential Areas of Specialization
- experimental, observational, and theoretical study of the atmospheres of planets in our solar system and other planetary systems
- interiors and surfaces of planets and planetary satellites
- asteroid and cometary astronomy and physics
- meteorites and sample returns
- problems of plasma physics associated with cosmic rays
- the solar wind and its interaction with solar system bodies
- celestial dynamics
- solar physics
- investigations of the formation of the solar system and other planetary systems
- studies of the habitability of planets and moons in our solar system and of exoplanets, and other investigations of astrobiological topics
Application Criteria
Applicants should have completed an undergraduate major in a physical science such as astronomy, atmospheric sciences, chemistry, geology, mathematics, or physics. However, admission is based on the overall demonstrated capability and preparation of the applicant, in conjunction with sponsorship from the prospective advisor.
To learn about required coursework and steps to degree, review the PTYS Ph.D. degree requirements and the PTYS core course requisites. Additional information about degree requirements and available courses and course descriptions is available from the Graduate Program page.
More information about admissions is available below and also from the Learn How To Apply site.
Student Funding and Support
It is the department's intention to provide up to five (5) years of financial support (fall and spring semesters) towards completion of the Ph.D., contingent upon availability of funding and the student's making satisfactory academic progress and remaining in good academic standing with the department and the Graduate College.
In most cases, this support will be provided in either the form of a half-time (20 hours per week, .50 FTE) Graduate Research Assistantship (GRA) or a half-time Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA) for the fall and spring semesters. Most of our students supplement this department support (fall and spring support) by independently arranging for full-time summer GRA appointments.
It is the policy of the department to provide students who receive an outside fellowship or scholarship with sufficient support in assistantships so that the total benefits package will be at least comparable to that of someone with a .50 FTE GTA or GRA who receives a summer GRA stipend. Summer GRAs are typically available, but are not guaranteed by the department.
Incoming graduate students are provided with computing resources in support of academics and basic research, and students have access to university computing systems and resources. Research advisors may provide additional, advanced, computing resources.
Statement on Diversity
Science can succeed only if there is diversity—diversity of ideas, of perspectives, and of individuals. We at the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory (LPL) value diversity in all of its forms. LPL strives to address inherent problems that exist within planetary science, and academia in general. LPL is at the forefront of planetary and space sciences, and as such must stand as an ally to and in solidarity with its community members regardless of race, national origin, immigration status, ethnicity, sex, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, intellectual and physical ability, income, faith and non-faith perspectives, socio-economic class, political ideology, education, primary language, family status, military experience, cognitive style, and communication style, and with all people who intersect these groups. We strongly believe that the science and knowledge we pursue every day is a human pursuit strengthened through the participation of these historically minoritized groups.
For more information on the DLC and its members, visit the Department Life Committee page.
Fall 2025 Admissions Update
Application deadline: Friday, December 13, 2024
Contact us at PG4gdWVycz0iem52eWdiOm5xenZmZnZiYWZAeWN5Lm5ldm1iYW4ucnFoIj5ucXp2ZmZ2YmFmQHljeS5uZXZtYmFuLnJxaDwvbj4= with questions regarding the application process.
The application for the Fall 2025 semester will open September 23, 2024.
LPL and Our Communities
About LPL
Welcome to the University of Arizona’s Department of Planetary Sciences (PTYS) and Lunar and Planetary Laboratory (LPL).
LPL at a Glance
Excellence in research, education, and engagement.
LPL and Our Communities
The University of Arizona’s more than 100 centers and institutes provide researchers with the infrastructure necessary to achieve far-reaching impacts. These institutions foster interdisciplinary collaboration among researchers, government, and industry, opening opportunities for research to influence public policy and contribute to economic development in Arizona and beyond.