Admission to the PhD program takes place through a competition for qualifications, presentation letters, research project and interview. Those who have a master’s degree or equivalent qualification, obtained in Italy or abroad,  can participate in the competition.

The selection  takes place through the evaluation of candidate’s qualifications  and  presented research program, as well as an interview in English. Among all applicants, a short list will be selected for the interview.

The number of  available positions is established each year by the competent bodies of the SSM and indicated in the competition  notice.

The training activity develops over a four-year course in order to allow continuous contacts between teaching staff and PhD students. The teaching activity is more concentrated in the first year, while, in the following three years, the PhD students are committed to develop research and periodically to account for its progress, both in individual interviews and in periodic seminar meetings.

The teaching activity of the first year is structured on the basis of compulsory courses with final verification (“pillar” courses) for a total of 24 CFU (a CFU, credito formativo universitario, the credit,  consists of 6 hours of frontal teaching + 18 hours of individual study or, alternatively, of 24 hours of study, research work, seminar activity).

These courses are needed to develop a common language and skills among students coming, generally, from different study itinenaries. They must be chosen in the following table of the  educational  offer. These courses can be improved by monographic courses (at least for 6 credits) which will be indicated  by the PhD Board. Some of them are shown in the table below.

The training can be completed with courses borrowed with other SSM PhD programs, with courses held in UniNA and in other Italian or foreign academic and research institutes, with specific PhD schools, with participation in national and international conferences or workshops, subject to the approval by the Coordinator and / or the PhD Board.
The total amount of credits, for each student, must be 240 CFU to be achieved in the four years of the PhD.

 There are also seminar activities during which students have to be able to discuss specific aspects of doctoral work, lectures held by invitation from teachers outside the PhD  board and activities of scientific training and management.

The admission  to the second year is decided on the basis of the presentation of a detailed research project including a three-year work plan and an activity report discussed in an interview in which at least three members of the Board have to participate for each PhD student.  

The admission from the second to the third year  takes place on the basis of the discussion and approval of an indicative but detailed outline of the thesis, which the PhD student proposes to elaborate, and the possible discussion of the articles submitted or published.

The admission from the third to the fourth year will take place on the basis of the presentation and discussion, and therefore of the approval by the supervisor, of the thesis which will be  finalized during the fourth year.

The teaching activity of the first year is spread over two quarter terms: November-January and March-May.

The teaching and training activity (for a total of 80 CFU + 160 CFU for the thesis) must have an advanced character. Participation in seminars, workshops and research groups is widely favored and encouraged. The training activity is organized as follows

1st year: attendance of all PILLAR (4 CFU) and monographic (2 CFU) courses in the SPACE area. Attainment of at least 24 CFU in the PILLAR courses of SPACE and 36 CFU among all SSM PhD courses offered is required. Active participation in conferences and seminars organised by SSM or other universities (10 CFU) and preparation of the articulated research project for the passage to the 2nd year of the course (14 CFU) are also recognised – Tot. 60 CFU.

2nd year: active participation in conferences and workshops organized by the SSM or by other universities and research institutions (6 credits); a 2-days mini-workshop of the PhD Program (6 CFU) – research work in preparation for the thesis (48 credits) Tot. 60 CFU.

III year: Seminars for the presentation of ongoing research in the presence of the tutors and the PhD Board and active participation in conferences and workshops (6 credits); thesis research work (48 CFU) –Tot. 60 CFU;

IV year: completion and writing of the thesis (60 CFU).

The research and teaching topics are the following:

• Theoretical and observational cosmology
• Physics of Elementary Particles in Astrophysics and Cosmology
• General Relativity and Relativistic Astrophysics
• Applied Mathematics to Celestial Mechanics and Positioning Systems
• Multi-messenger Astronomy
• Development of technologies and devices for space exploration
• Development of innovative materials for extraterrestrial environments, launch and   re-enter
• Data Analysis techniques in space science, astrophysics and cosmology
• Microgravity and Fluid Physics
• Remote Sensing and related applications
• Planetary Exploration
• Aerothermodynamics
• Aerospace propulsion and re-enter
• Space Systems
• Swarms and formation flying
• On-orbit servicing
• Debris detection and removal

The research activity is carried out by each PhD student under the supervision of a thesis director chosen  among the members of the PhD Board.
The thesis directors (or supervisors) are required to confirm, in the annual report sent to the Coordinator, the data relating to the training and research activities declared by each PhD student.

The fulfillment of  each PhD student obligations is approved by the PhD Board when evaluating the annual report on the activity carried out.
The thesis director, designated by the PhD Board, can be supported by  a second thesis director chosen both inside or outside the PhD Board.

The PhD in “Cosmology, Space Science and Space Technology” is an innovative PhD program with an international and interdisciplinary characterization. The aim is  attracting the best students and  involving outstanding international experts in the teaching  activity inside and outside the PhD Board.

It is mandatory, for each PhD student, to spend at least one year (even divided into several quarters or semesters) in foreign universities and research institutions.
The languages of the PhD are Italian and English. Courses and seminars may be held in both languages.

SSM organizes transversal activities for PhD courses on the main IT systems.
In addition, computer skills will be the subject of courses and seminars dedicated to sources and methodology. SSM will  be equipped  with a Computer Center.

The PhD program provides and promotes a wide mobility of teachers and students, also stimulated by the scientific collaborations of the Board members with several foreign institutions. In particular:

1. European Center for Nuclear Research (CERN), Geneve (Switzerland)
2. European Space Agency (ESA), Noordwijk (Netherlands)
3. Gravitation AstroParticle Physics Amsterdam GRAPPA (Netherlands)
4. Institute for Space Physics – ICREA, Barcellona (Spain)
5. Kobayashi‐Maskawa Institute, Nagoya (Japan)
6. Joint Institute for Nuclear Research JINR, Dubna (Russia)
7. Johns Hopkins University, Baltimora (USA)
8. Departamento de Fisica Teorica, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid (Spain)
9. Fudan University, Shangai (China)
10. Kazan Federal University, Kazan (Russia)
11. Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics, Moscow State University (Russia)
12. Institute for Astrophyscs, Harvard University (USA)
13. Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, University of Florida (USA)