Requirements for the Meteorology Degree

For Students in the Class of 2027 and Beyond
Photo: Ice Storm.

Course Requirements for students in the Class of 2026 or earlier

To serve as prerequisites for meteorology courses at the 300 and 400 level and to satisfy the major requirements, students must achieve a grade of C or better in the following courses:

  • 11:670:101 Introduction to Meteorology
  • 11:670:102 Introduction to Climate Science
  • 01:640:151–152 Calculus for Mathematical and Physical Sciences
  • 01:640:251 Multivariable Calculus
  • 01:750:203–204 General Physics
  • 01:760:205–206 General Physics Laboratory

Graduation Requirements for the Meteorology Major (120 credits)

  1. SEBS CORE CURRICULUM (24 credits; other parts of SEBS Core satisfied by major requirements)

    • Contemporary Challenges (6 credits), in these categories:
      • Diversities and Social Inequalities [CC-D] (3 credits)
      • Our Common Future [CC-O] (3 credits)
    • Historical Analysis [HST] (3 credits)
    • Social Analysis [SCL] (6 credits), in these categories:
      • Social/Cultural or Economic (3 credits)
      • Government/Regulatory (3 credits)
    • Arts and Humanities [AH] (3 credits)
    • Writing and Communication (6 credits):
      • [WC101]01:355:101 Expository Writing I (3), and
      • [WCD]01:355:302 Scientific and Technical Writing (3) or
      • 01:355:201 Research in the Disciplines (3) or
      • 01:355:301 College Writing and Research (3)

  2. PROFICIENCY IN METEOROLOGY (75 or 76 credits)

    1. Quantitative Skills (22)

      • 01:640:151-152 Calculus for Mathematical and Physical Sciences (4,4)[1]
      • 01:640:244 Differential Equations for Engineering and Physics (4)
      • 01:640:251 Multivariable Calculus (4)
      • 11:670:212 Computational Methods for Meteorology (3)
      • 11:375:303 Numerical Methods in Environmental Science (3) or
      • 01:960:401 Basic Statistics for Research (3) or
      • 01:960:379 Basic Probability and Statistics (3)

    2. Physical Sciences (13)

      • 01:160:161 General Chemistry (4)
      • 01:160:171 Introduction to Experimentation (1)
      • 01:750:203-204 General Physics (3,3)
      • 01:750:205-206 General Physics Laboratory (1,1)

    3. Meteorology Fundamentals (31)

      • 11:670:101 Introduction to Meteorology (3)[2]
      • 11:670:102 Introduction to Climate Science (3)[3]
      • 11:670:211 Meteorological Analysis (3)
      • 11:670:323 Thermodynamics of the Atmosphere (3)
      • 11:670:324 Dynamics of the Atmosphere (3)
      • 11:670:431 Physical Meteorology (3)
      • 11:670:433 Weather Analysis and Forecasting I: Synoptic Meteorology (4)[4]
      • 11:670:434 Weather Analysis and Forecasting II: Mesoscale Meteorology (3)
      • 11:670:451 Remote Sensing of the Ocean and Atmosphere (3)
      • 11:670:461 Climate Dynamics (3)

    4. Meteorology Electives (6 or 7)

      Choose at least two of the following courses:

      • 11:375:346 Introduction to Atmospheric Chemistry (3)
      • 11:628:451 Physical Oceanography (4)
      • 11:670:414 Hydrologic Processes (3)
      • 11:670:444 Tropical Meteorology (3)
      • 11:670:453 Air Quality Modeling (3)

    5. Capstone Experience (3)

      Complete at least three credits in any combination of the following courses:

      • 11:554:298 Honors Tutorial II (1)
      • 11:554:301/2 Aresty Research Assistantship (1.5)
      • 11:554:397/8 Honors Tutorial III/IV (arr)
      • 11:554:487/8 GH Cook Scholars Program (arr)
      • 11:670:334 Severe Weather Forecasting Field Trip (3)
      • 11:670:493/4 Research Problems in Meteorology (arr)
      • 11:902:300 SEBS Internship I (3)
  3. ELECTIVES (20 or 21 credits)
    • In addition to courses meeting the above requirements, students must take any other courses offered by the University for which they meet the course eligibility requirements, to bring their total number of credits to the minimum of 120 required for graduation. Although not required, many Meteorology students use these electives to complete a Minor. A Minor in Mathematics, requiring only four more Mathematics courses, is the most popular. Students also consider other fields, including Oceanography, Physics, Environmental Sciences, Environmental Geomatics, Science Communication, and Environmental and Business Economics. Students are strongly encouraged to do internships, which provide valuable career-related experience and contacts, and to pursue research with faculty members. Both can be taken for academic credit.

Students preparing for graduate study in meteorology or atmospheric science are encouraged to consider additional meteorology elective courses, as well as courses in computer science, mathematics, and statistics such as:

  • 01:198:323 Numerical Analysis and Computing (4)
  • 01:640:250 Intro to Linear Algebra (3)
  • 01:640:423 Elementary Partial Differential Equations (3)
  • 01:640:477 Mathematical Theory of Probability (3)
  • 01:960:463 Regression Methods (3)
  • 01:960:467 Applied Multivariate Analysis (3)
  • 01:960:486 Applied Statistical Learning (3)

[1] Satisfy SEBS Quantitative [QQ] and Formal Reasoning [QR] requirement

[2] Satisfies SEBS Natural Sciences [NS] (Physical) requirement

[3] Satisfies SEBS Natural Sciences [NS] (Environmental) requirement

[4] Satisfies SEBS Experiential Learning [EL] requirement