For admittance to the master’s program applicants need to fulfill the following admission requirements:

• Higher education degree or professional qualification from a German, or comparable non-German, institution. The degree or qualification should be in the natural or engineering sciences, for which at least 36 credit points (CP) were awarded in the areas of geosciences, biology, physics, chemistry, mathematics, or computer sciences, including at least 8 CP in the area of physics and at least 10 CP in the area of mathematics and/or statistics.
• Applicants who have completed their university degree at an institution where English was not the teaching language must demonstrate proficiency in English to at least the B2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) or equivalent.

More information on admission criteria can be found in the Admissions Statute for the Master’s Degree Program in Planetary Sciences and Space Exploration:

• Admissions Statute (in English, unofficial preliminary translation)
• Zugangssatzung ("Admissions Statute", in German)
• Erste Satzung zur Änderung der Zugangssatzung ("First statute to amend the admission statute", in German)
• Bekanntmachung der Entfristung der Zugangssatzung ("Announcement of the de-termination of the admission statute, in German).

Students do not pay any tuition fees, the university only charges semester fees and contributions each semester.

The "Planetary Sciences and Space Exploration" Master's program is hosted by the three institutes of the Department of Earth Sciences, which includes professors and lecturers from the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and the Natural History Museum (MfN).

Since the program is accessible with a wide range of Bachelor degrees, the goals in the first semester are a) to equip all students with a ‘toolkit’ to successfully participate in the subsequent coursework and b) to bring all students to a common basic level in Planetary Sciences. Depending on their previous knowledge, students will have to take two out of three synchronization modules, which provide basic training in either geological foundations, computational methods, or physical and mathematical foundations.

Most core modules are taught in the first two semesters and - in addition to introductory courses in planetary sciences and remote sensing - encompass planetary physics as well as planetary atmospheres and climate. Starting in the second semester students can choose from modules from the specialization area. Here they benefit from the extraordinarily wide scope of expertise at FU Berlin and can choose between courses spanning a wide range of fields, such as:

• planetary exploration with space probes
• remote sensing of the Earth with satellites
• planetary geology
• planetary physics & dynamics
• computational modeling of planetary processes
• exoplanets and planetary habitability
• laboratory work and excursions

Students will gain insights into possible career pathways by attending research seminars together with a group of professional scientists, and undertaking their Master’s Thesis research in one of the world-leading groups at FU Berlin or nearby research institutions like the DLR Institute of Planetary Research. During an 8-week internship, students will get additional hands-on experience inside a university or non-university research institution or company in Germany or abroad.

The Department of Earth Sciences at Freie Universität Berlin offers comprehensive, broad training and exemplary fundamental research in almost all areas of terrestrial and planetary geosciences. The expertise of the three Institutes of Geological Sciences, Geographical Sciences and Meteorology is reflected in the interdisciplinary “Planetary Sciences and Space Exploration” Master's program. The planetary sciences and remote sensing research groups at the Institute of Geological Sciences are involved in several international programs of planetary exploration (Mars, Saturn, exoplanets) and collaborative research projects, such as the DFG-Collaborative Research Center-Transregio TRR 170 “Late accretion on terrestrial planets”.

Furthermore, the department is connected to numerous institutions in the metropolitan area of Berlin, most notably the Institute of Planetary Research of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and the Museum of Natural History (MFN), which participate in teaching, joint research projects and internships, and supervision of Master's theses.

The Institutes of Geological and Geographical Sciences are located on the green Freie Universiät Berlin GeoCampus in Lankwitz. The Institute of Meteorology is located in Dahlem on a separate campus.

The Planetary Sciences and Space Exploration Master's program (M.Sc.) usually takes four semesters. The modules are divided into compulsory and optional modules. The compulsory area consists of a synchronization area and a core area.

The Master's program comprises a total of 120 credit points (CP). In the synchronization area, modules amounting to 12 CP are to be selected, to achieve a suitable background competency for the later stages of the program. All core modules, amounting to 43 CP, must be successfully completed. Modules with a total of 35 CP are to be selected and completed from the specialization area.

With the final Master's thesis (30 CP), students demonstrate that they are able to independently work on, and present, a research task using scientific methods. After successful completion of the study program, the degree of Master of Science (M.Sc.) is awarded.

For information on the structure and order of the program, see the study and examination regulations, which specify the credit points for each module and each course.

Graduates of the Master’s degree have an advanced understanding of the problems and methods related to planetary sciences and remote sensing. They are aware of the current field of research in relation to planetary bodies within and our solar system and beyond. They are familiar with the multiple ways in which satellites and space probes are used for remote sensing of the Earth and other planets, and have the knowledge to employ these methods. Their subject-specific and interdisciplinary skills in theory and methodology meet internationally recognized standards. Graduates are equipped with subject-specific and conceptual strategies and are familiar with ways of working both in universities and non-university research institutes. Depending on their individual interests, graduates will also have gained specialized knowledge and skills in areas of their choice.

With this Master’s degree in hand, students are certified for independent research in planetary sciences and space exploration and with that are ideally prepared for a job at research institutions, space agencies (e.g., ESA, NASA), relevant industrial sectors with a focus on (aero)space and satellite technology, and Earth remote sensing. For those graduates who wish to continue with doctoral studies, the unique Berlin research landscape in planetary sciences and space exploration offers the best possibilities anywhere in Germany and is one of the few world class venues in Europe.