Earth Sciences B.S. – Meteorology Emphasis

College of Natural and Health Sciences

Contact: William H. Hoyt, Ph.D., Department Chair

Location: Ross Hall 3235

Telephone: [phone]

Website: esci.unco.edu 

Advising Information:

Students must consult with their assigned major advisor each semester prior to registering.

Assigned advisor is available through the Ursa login; ursa.unco.edu; under Student tab Academic Profile channel and is term specific. If no advisor is listed, contact the major program for advisor information.

The program consists of three parts:

1. Liberal Arts Core (LAC) Credits
2. Required Major Credits
3. University-Wide Credits

Program Description:

The UNC meteorology program has two goals: a strong foundation in the sciences preparing students for graduate school and providing the experience necessary to be ready to take a job in weather forecasting.

The science of meteorology seeks to understand the atmosphere and its phenomena by considering the forces that act on it, the processes that determine its behavior and the interaction between it and the earth beneath. This program provides a broad background in meteorology and stresses practical interpretation of weather data and the importance of meteorology to many aspects of human endeavor.

Graduates of the meteorology program will be prepared for entry-level positions as meteorologists with government agencies and private companies, as weather forecasters with the United States Air Force and as team members with firms concerned with environmental monitoring. Meteorology is also an excellent major for individuals planning careers in either civilian or military aviation. The program provides the background necessary for admission to graduate programs in the atmospheric sciences.

The course requirements assure that our graduates meet all of the requirements for certification with the American Meteorology Society (AMS) and the National Weather Association (NWA).

Program Admission Requirements:

Academic Good Standing

Program Requirements:

• The course of study for this major, including both required and elective courses, must total at least 60 credits and must be developed in consultation with and be approved by the student's academic advisor.
• At least one half of the credits in AST, ESCI, GEOL, MET and OCN courses must be numbered 300 or above. No more than 8 credits of AST, ESCI, GEOL, MET and OCN courses numbered below 200 may be counted toward the major.
• Science and mathematics courses approved for the Liberal Arts Core that are taken as part of this major may also be used to satisfy Liberal Arts Core requirements.
• A 2.0 grade point average in the courses taken as part of this major is required for graduation. (Secondary Teaching Emphasis: a 2.5 GPA is required in all major courses.)

• In accordance with University Policies, coursework earned more than 10 years prior to the date of matriculation to UNC may not be used to satisfy any major or minor requirements.  Any exception to this policy is at the discretion of the academic program.

Degree Requirements — 120 Credits

Degree Requirements

1. Required Specified LAC — 34 credits

LAC area 1.a. — Elementary Composition

ENG 122

College Composition

3

LAC area 1b. Intermediate Composition

SCI 291

Scientific Writing

3

LAC area 2 — Mathematics

MATH 131	Calculus I	4
MATH 132	Calculus II	4
STAT 150	Introduction to Statistical Analysis	3

LAC area 6 — Physical and Life Sciences

CHEM 111	Principles of Chemistry I	4
CHEM 111L	Principles of Chemistry I Laboratory	1
MET 205	General Meteorology	4
PHYS 240	General Physics I	5

LAC — Electives

CS 101

Introduction to Computer Science

3

Remaining LAC — 15 credits

See “Liberal Arts Core”.

NOTE: Students need to select courses from Areas 7 and 8 that also count in Areas 3, 4, or 5.

2. Required Major — 47 credits

Take all of the following courses:

MET 215	Introduction to Meteorological Analysis	2
MET 315	Physical Meteorology I	3
MET 320	Physical Meteorology II	3
MET 401	Dynamic Meteorology	3
MET 402	Synoptic Meteorology	4
MET 420	Advanced Weather Prediction	4
MET 451	Climatology	3
MET 460	Mesoscale Meteorology	4
CS 102	Structured Programming	3
MATH 233	Calculus III	4
PHYS 241	General Physics II	5

Choose nine credit hours from the following courses:

Must be selected in consultation with the student’s advisor.

MET 452	Paleoclimatology	3
MET 465	Radar and Satellite Meteorology	3
MET 495	Special Topics in Meteorology	1-4
OCN 301	Physical and Chemical Oceanography	4
ESCI 474	Principles of Hydrology	3

3. University-Wide Credits — 24 credits

Complete additional credits to achieve the minimum credits needed for this degree at UNC; for this degree, that will typically be 24 credits.

NOTE: Federal government requirements for employment as meteorologists and Graduate School admission in the atmospheric sciences usually require MATH 335.