Atmospheric Science

What it’s about:

In the atmospheric science major, you gain a broad understanding of the Earth’s atmosphere, including its composition, structure, processes, and weather systems. Most programs are highly interdisciplinary and rely heavily on math, physics, and chemistry to develop the underlying theories and principles governing atmospheric behaviour.

What the study of this major is like:

The major in atmospheric science builds on a core of mathematics, physics, and chemistry. (In fact, you might be required to take enough math courses to earn a math minor.) Your first two years generally include math every semester, a two-semester sequence in chemistry, and a two-semester sequence in physics. In some colleges, you take descriptive, introductory-level meteorology courses during your first few semesters. Other programs may hold off on meteorology until you complete the required math and sciences courses. In your third and fourth years, you apply math, physics, and chemistry to gain a scientific understanding of how the atmosphere works. Most weather analysis and forecasting courses are offered at this level. Many programs also offer internships, practicums, and research opportunities.

Although some meteorology courses are primarily in a lecture format, most of them usually have associated laboratories. As with other science and engineering majors, you can expect to spend more time in classes than students in nonscience disciplines, because of longer laboratory courses. Nonscience majors may spend 15 hours per week in class; science and/or engineering majors probably spend closer to 20 hours.

At first, many students are challenged by the math and chemistry requirements, especially if their backgrounds are weak in these areas. Perhaps the biggest hurdle to clear, though, is calculus-based physics, which is the most time-consuming course many students have taken. A solid understanding of physics takes patience and commitment-you should expect to do a great deal of work in this area. But once these potential stumbling blocks have been passed, most students can complete a meteorology program if they remain focused and continue to work hard.

A few colleges emphasize a particular area of atmospheric science, such as weather analysis and forecasting, theoretical meteorology, physical meteorology, or climatology. If you are interested in becoming a weather forecaster, choose a college that emphasizes weather analysis and instrumentation. If you might like to become a broadcast meteorologist for radio or TV, look for programs that will help you develop strong communication skills, with courses in speech, journalism, and related areas.

Career options and trends:

Operational meteorologist*; certified consulting meteorologist (CCM); broadcast meteorologist*; researcher*; forensic meteorologist.

To be a CCM, you must be certified by the American Meteorological Society (AMS), which requires at least a B.S. degree, experience, a passing grade on AMS exams, and professional references.

Most atmospheric scientists work as weather forecasters, known professionally as operational meteorologists. As long as you are willing to relocate and be flexible, entry-level jobs in forecasting are generally available. A master’s degree will improve your job prospects and chances for advancement; it is usually required for positions involving research and development.

Opportunities in broadcasting are rare and highly competitive. The federal government is the largest employer of atmospheric scientists, mostly to staff National Weather Service stations throughout the country. However government hiring overall is expected to decline.

This situation should be offset by increased opportunities in private industry, spurred by continuing improvements in weather forecasting. Demand is projected to grow for consulting firms that can give weather-sensitive industries more detailed and closely targeted information than the National Weather Service.

Source: CollegeBoard 2012 Book of Majors