General degree requirements
An overview of degree requirements for a Bachelor of Science
in atmospheric sciences or meteorology is provided here (courtesy
of the American Meteorological Society).
Specific degree requirements
Requirements of specific degree-granting
institutions are listed to provide a sample of the similarities
and differences in the Bachelor of Science in atmospheric sciences
or meteorology. This list is not intended to be complete and
the inclusion (or exclusion) of a given institution should not
be considered as an endorsement by the Oklahoma Climatological
Survey. |
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| American
Meteorological Society Recommendations |
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According to the American Meteorological Society, a
curriculum leading to a bachelor of science degree (or
a bachelor of arts degree) in atmospheric science should
contain the following:
- at least 24 semester hours (or 36 quarter hours)
of credit in atmospheric science that includes 12 semester
hours of lecture and laboratory courses, with calculus
as a prerequisite or corequisite, in atmospheric thermodynamics
and dynamics and synoptic meteorology that provide
a broad treatment of atmospheric processes at all scales,
3 semester hours of atmospheric physics with emphasis
on cloud/precipitation physics and solar and terrestrial
radiation, 3 semester hours of atmospheric measurements,
instrumentation, and remote sensing, including both
lecture and laboratory components, and an additional
6 semesters hours in atmospheric science electives;
- calculus through ordinary differential equations
in courses designed for majors in either mathematics,
physical science, or engineering;
- a one-year sequence in physics, with laboratory,
with calculus as a prerequisite or corequisite;
- a course in chemistry appropriate for physical science
majors;
- a course in computer science appropriate for physical
science majors; and
- a course in statistics appropriate for physical
science majors.
As in any science curriculum, students should have the
opportunity and be encouraged to supplement minimum requirements
with additional course work in the major or any supporting
areas, including not only courses in the basic sciences,
mathematics, and engineering but also courses designed
to broaden the student's perspective on the environmental
sciences (e.g., hydrology, oceanography, and solid earth
sciences) and science administration and policy making.
Also, students should be strongly urged to give considerable
attention to course work or other activity designed to
develop effective communications skills, both written
and oral. |
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| Federal Civil Service Requirements |
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According to federal civil service requirements, a degree
in meteorology, atmospheric science, or other natural science
should include the following:
- at least 24 semester hours (36 quarter hours) in meteorology/atmospheric
science, including
- * 6 semester hours in atmospheric dynamics,
- 6 semester hours in analysis and prediction of weather
systems (synoptic/mesoscale),
- 3 semester hours of physical meteorology, and
- 2 semester hours of remote sensing of the atmosphere
and/or instrumentation;
- * 6 semester hours of physics with at least one course
that includes laboratory sessions;
- 3 semester hours of ordinary differential equations;
and
- at least 9 semester hours of course work for a physical
science major in any combination of three or more of
the following: physical hydrology, chemistry, physical
climatology, aeronomy, computer science, advanced electricity
and magnetism, statistics, physical oceanography, radiative
transfer, advanced thermodynamics, and light and optics.
* Prerequisite or corequisite of calculus for course work
in atmospheric dynamics and thermodynamics, physics, and
differential equations. Calculus courses must be appropriate
for a physical science major.
Reference: Information from this page was obtained from
the home page of the American Meteorological Society (http://www.ametsoc.org/AMS/). |
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