Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology

Overview

Atmospheric sciences and meteorology prepares people to study weather processes and climate trends.

Atmospheric sciences and meteorology programs include topics such as:

Atmospheric chemistry and physics
Climatology and climate change
Weather forecasting
Weather phenomena including clouds, weather systems, storms, and precipitation patterns
Physical meteorology
Operational meteorology

Concentrations

In atmospheric sciences and meteorology programs, students may be able to specialize in:

Atmospheric chemistry and climatology
Atmospheric physics and dynamics

Schools

Community colleges and other two-year schools offer associate degree programs in atmospheric sciences and meteorology. An associate degree usually takes two years to complete. After earning an associate degree students can transfer to a college or university for further study.

Many colleges and universities offer bachelor's degrees in atmospheric sciences and meteorology. A bachelor's degree usually takes about four years of full-time study.

Many universities offer graduate degrees in atmospheric sciences and meteorology. A master's degree typically requires two years of study beyond a bachelor's degree. Doctoral (PhD) degree programs usually require two or more years of study beyond the master's degree.

See schools that offer this program.

Related Educational Programs

Related Careers

Careers Directly Related to this Program of Study

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Program Admission

You can prepare for this program by taking courses in high school that prepare you for college. This typically includes four years of English, three years of math, three years of social studies, and two years of science. Some colleges also require two years of a second language.

Below is a list of high school courses that will help prepare you for this program of study:

Calculus
Chemistry
Computer Science and Programming
Earth Science
Environmental Science
General Computer Applications
Physics
Pre-Calculus
Technical Writing
Trigonometry

Graduate Admissions

Admission to graduate programs is competitive. You need a bachelor's degree in atmospheric science or related field, good grades, and good test scores.

Additional requirements at some schools include:

Graduate Record Exam (GRE) General
Letters of recommendation

Typical Course Work

Program Courses

This undergraduate program typically includes courses in the following subjects:

Atmospheric Dynamics
Atmospheric Thermodynamics
Calculus
Chemistry
Computer Science
Differential Equations
Earth Processes
English Composition
Mesoscale Meteorology
Meteorology
Physical Meteorology
Physics
Remote Sensing
Statistical Methods
Synoptic Meteorology

Graduate Program Courses

Students planning to go on to graduate school usually take more mathematics and physics courses. Those planning to go into broadcasting should take public speaking. A list of common graduate requirements is below:

Required courses
Field or lab work
Thesis (some master's degrees)
Preliminary exams (doctoral degree only)
Dissertation and dissertation defense (doctoral degree)

Things to Know

A PhD degree is required for most advanced research positions and some government agencies.

The largest employer of meteorologists is the U.S. government. If you plan to work for the National Weather Service, be sure the undergraduate program you choose is accredited.

Many science jobs require a lot of writing and clear communication. Taking writing and speech courses will develop your communication skills.