Astrobiology and the Origins of Life
PostgraduateSWI-AST800012025
Navigate the origins and evolution of life on Earth. Study what matters in the universe and reach for the stars. Uncover the early Earth and the rise of life. Explore probabilities of life on other planets—what makes habitability and the signs of life.
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- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Entry requirements
- Part of a degree
- Duration
- 13 weeks
- Start dates
- 3 Mar 2025
- Loan available
- FEE-HELP available
Astrobiology and the Origins of Life
About this subject
Students who successfully complete this subject will be able to:
- Identify and describe current theories of Solar System formation, the various theories of how life began on Earth and the parallel evolution of life and the environment;
- Discuss and explain how our limited understanding of life influences current searches for life in the Solar System;
- Recognise how astrobiology relates to other sciences;
- Explain basic principles and concepts about the synthesis of complex molecules in a non-technical way understandable to the wider public;
- Use problem solving skills to explain solutions to problems in astrobiology and the origins of life;
- Design and create a research project using credible sources of astronomical information and research articles and/or observational means
- An introduction to astrobiology and its multi-disciplinary nature
- The early Earth and the rise of life
- The co-evolution of life and its environments
- Origin of the Solar System
- Molecular biology, the tree of life, and the search for the last universal common ancestor
- The synthesis of complex organic molecules on Earth and in space
- The possibility of life elsewhere in the Solar System
- Extrasolar planets, habitability and the signatures of life
This subject will provide an overview of the multi-disciplinary nature of astrobiology - combining geology, chemistry, biology and astronomy. It will investigate the origins and evolution of life on Earth, the interaction between life and its environment, and the search for life elsewhere in the Solar System and beyond
- Online tests (20%)
- Newsgroups (30%)
- Project (50%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
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Entry requirements
Part of a degree
To enrol in this subject you must be accepted into one of the following degrees:
Elective
- SWI-AST-GCE-2025 - Graduate Certificate of Science (Astronomy)
Prior study
You must have successfully completed the following subject(s) before starting this subject:
one of
- SWI-AST80005-Exploring the Solar System
SWI-HET602 (Not currently available)
and one of
- SWI-AST80004-Exploring Stars and the Milky Way
SWI-HET603 (Not currently available)
Equivalent subjects
You should not enrol in this subject if you have successfully completed any of the following subject(s) because they are considered academically equivalent:
SWI-HET618 (Not currently available)
Additional requirements
No additional requirements
Study load
- 0.125 EFTSL
- This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
Equivalent full time study load (EFTSL) is one way to calculate your study load. One (1.0) EFTSL is equivalent to a full-time study load for one year.
Find out more information on Commonwealth Loans to understand what this means to your eligibility for financial support.
Related degrees
Once you’ve completed this subject it can be credited towards one of the following courses
Graduate Certificate of Science (Astronomy)
PostgraduateSWI-AST-GCE