A Bachelor of Arts in Applied Humanities with an Astrobiology emphasis will be launched in the Fall 2026 semester through a partnership with The College of Humanities Department of Public and Applied Humanities (PAH), College of Science, and Arizona Astrobiology Center.Emphasis students earn a BA in Applied Humanities from the College of Humanities with an Astrobiology emphasis.
The curriculum combines conceptual, theoretical, and technical knowledge and skills in Astrobiology with the creative, global, interpersonal, and intercultural intelligences taught in the humanities.
Through the Astrobiology emphasis, students will gain fundamental knowledge in astrobiology through course on topics such as Alien Earths (ASTR/PTYS 170A1), Philosophy and History of Astronomical Thought (ASTR 320), Universe and Humanity: Exploring Our Place in Space (PTYS 170B2), and Life in the Cosmos (PTYS 214). Concurrently, they will develop a pragmatic knowledge base and skill set through applied humanities courses to include being immersed in:
- Philosophical and ethical issues related to dualism vs. materialism, humanism, climate change, and the potential discovery life on other planets;
- Cultural values that shape interpretations of life beyond Earth and generate diverse perspectives on topics like planetary stewardship, contact scenarios, and space colonization.
- Differences in how various societies frame astrobiological discovery and space exploration in similar and distinct ways, and how such frameworks influence global cooperation and responses to potential findings.
Students in the Astrobiology emphasis will enhance their understanding of the economic and human relations side of the high-growth space industry and adjacent fields and sectors (e.g., aerospace, data science/AI, biotechnology).
Graduates with a BA in Applied Humanities – Astrobiology emphasis will be well-prepared to pursue a wide range of career paths that include, as examples, environmental and space policy and law, museum and planetarium education, creative and science fiction writing, and science communication. Likewise, Astrobiology emphasis graduate will be uniquely prepared for graduate programs that align with burgeoning career paths such as planetary policy and space law, citizen centered science design, and astrobioethics.
For more information on the Astrobiology emphasis, please email Dr. Matthew Mars at mmars@arizona.edu.