Current Course Rotation

Our graduate courses and electives are typically offered on a two-year rotation, per the schedule below. This rotation is subject to change, and current and prospective graduate students are encouraged to contact the Atmospheric Science Program Chair with any questions regarding specific course availability.

Courses Offered

ATM SCI 330G Air-Pollution Meteorology

3 cr. Undergraduate/Graduate.
Pollutant sources and sinks, fundamental pollutant chemistry, monitoring techniques, averaging boundary layers and turbulence, diffusion theories, diffusion models, regional and global-scale pollution problems.

Prerequisites: Atm Sci 240(P); Chem 102(P); stats course recom.

ATM SCI 350G Atmospheric Thermodynamics

3 cr. Undergraduate/Graduate.
Radiant energy, sensible heat, and atmospheric thermodynamics; the gas laws; hydrostatic and psychrometric equations; dry and moist convection; clouds and their physical and energy relations. Optional field exercise.

Prerequisites: jr st; Physics 210(P); Math 232(P); Atm Sci 240(P).

ATM SCI 351G Dynamic Meteorology I

3 cr. Undergraduate/Graduate.
The role of dynamics in atmospheric physics; equations of motion; symmetric circulation models; gravity waves; Rossby waves, quasi-geostrophy; introduction to instability of atmospheric flows.

Prerequisites: jr st; Atm Sci 240(P); Math 233(P).

ATM SCI 352G Dynamic Meteorology II

3 cr. Undergraduate/Graduate.
Circulation, vorticity, potential vorticity; shallow water equations: Poincare, Kelvin, and Rossby waves, energy and enstrophy; quasi-geostrophy for a stratified atmosphere; barotropic and baroclinic instability.

Prerequisites: jr st; Atm Sci 351(P); Math 234(P).

ATM SCI 360G Synoptic Meteorology I

4 cr. Undergraduate/Graduate.
Fundamental principles; synoptic-scale structure and dynamics; equivalent barotropic model; vertical motions; introduction to and application of quasi-geostrophic theory.

Prerequisites: jr st; Math 232(P); Physics 210(P); Atm Sci 240(P).

ATM SCI 361G Synoptic Meteorology II

4 cr. Undergraduate/Graduate.
Extension of quasi-geostrophic theory to Q-vectors; isentropic potential vorticity applied to mid-latitude weather systems; fronts and jets.

Prerequisites: jr st; Atm Sci 360(P).

ATM SCI 460G Mesoscale Circulations

3 cr. Undergraduate/Graduate.
Theory, analysis and forecasting of mesoscale flows, including convective systems, polar lows, terrain and surface-forced flows, jet streams and hurricanes.

Prerequisites: jr st; Atm Sci 360(R) or cons instr.

ATM SCI 464G Physical Meteorology: Cloud Physics

3 cr. Undergraduate/Graduate.
Formation of cloud droplets, droplet growth by condensation, formation of ice crystals, precipitation processes, weather radars, cloud models.

Prerequisites: jr st; Physics 210(P); Math 232(P); Atm Sci 350(P).

ATM SCI 470G Tropical Meteorology

3 cr. Undergraduate/Graduate.
Dynamics and energetics of tropical circulations. Origins and evolution of equatorial disturbances and easterly waves. Structure and dynamics of tropical cyclones. Hurricane modeling and prediction.

Prerequisites: Atm Sci 351(P) or 360(P).

ATM SCI 480G The General Circulation and Climate Dynamics

3 cr. Undergraduate/Graduate.
Historical overview, the zonally symmetric circulation, momentum, heat and water budgets, stationary waves, the El Nino Southern oscillation, global warming, interpentadal variability in the North Atlantic.

Prerequisites: jr st; Atm Sci 351(P).

ATM SCI 497G Study Abroad:

1-12 cr. Undergraduate/Graduate.
Designed to enroll students in UWM sponsored program before course work level, content, and credits are determined and/or in specially prepared course work.

Prerequisites: jr st; acceptance for Study Abroad Prog.

General Education Requirements: NS

Course Rules: May be retaken w/chg in topic.

ATM SCI 500G Statistical Methods in Atmospheric Sciences

3 cr. Undergraduate/Graduate.
Mathematical and statistical tools applicable to the investigation of atmospheric problems; the nature and treatment of atmospheric data.

Prerequisites: jr st; Atm Sci 240(P) or 350(P), & Math 232(P) or cons instr.

ATM SCI 505G Micrometeorology

3 cr. Undergraduate/Graduate.
Surface energy budget; radiation balance and heat transfer; boundary-layer profiles of wind, temperature and moisture; turbulence and boundary-layer fluxes; evapotranspiration; special topics.

Prerequisites: jr st; Atm Sci 351(P) & 330(P).

ATM SCI 511G Seminar in Atmospheric Radiation and Remote Sensing

3 cr. Undergraduate/Graduate.
Basic laws of radiation, absorption and scattering, weather radar, retrieval of soundings, remote sensing and climate, weather satellites.

Prerequisites: jr st; Math 232(P); Atm Sci 350(P) & Physics 210(P).

ATM SCI 600G Data Analytics

3 cr. Undergraduate/Graduate.
overs techniques used to analyze data and test scientific hypotheses for both diagnostic/understanding and prognostic/prediction applications, particularly in the atmospheric and related sciences.

Prerequisites: junior standing, or graduate standing, or consent of instructor.

Course Rules: Counts as repeat of ATM SCI 690 with same topic.

ATM SCI 690G Seminar in Atmospheric Sciences:

1-3 cr. Undergraduate/Graduate.
Intensive topical studies of currently active problem areas.

Prerequisites: jr st; cons instr.

Course Rules: May be retaken w/chg in topic to 9 cr max. Satisfies L&S Seminar req.

ATM SCI 700 Statistical Methods in Atmospheric Sciences II: Signal Detection

3 cr. Graduate.
Fundamentals of signal detection in noisy multivariate space-time data sets; empirical orthogonal functions, singular value decomposition, maximum covariance analysis and canonical correlation analysis; Fourier analysis; singular and multivariate spectrum analysis.

Prerequisites: graduate standing in physical sciences or engineering.

Course Rules: Counts as a repeat of ATM SCI 950 with the same topic.

ATM SCI 705 Air Pollution Modeling

3 cr. Graduate.
Computational techniques for determining surface fluxes of heat and momentum. Numerical methods for solving advection and diffusion problems; statistical diffusion modeling.

Prerequisites: grad st; cons instr.

ATM SCI 711 Cloud Dynamics

3 cr. Graduate.
Atmospheric applications of turbulent flow theory. Nonprecipitating clouds: structure of individual cumulus clouds, stratocumulus and cumulus boundary layers. Precipitating clouds: thunderstorms, squall lines, hurricanes.

Prerequisites: grad st; cons instr.

ATM SCI 730 Numerical Weather Prediction

3 cr. Graduate.
Numerical methods for predicting atmospheric phenomena; numerical stability and dispersion; implicit and explicit damping methods; physical process parameterization; ensemble data assimilation techniques.

Prerequisites: graduate standing in physical sciences or engineering.

Course Rules: Counts as a repeat of ATM SCI 950 with the same topic.

ATM SCI 750 Nonlinear Time Series Analysis

3 cr. Graduate.
Phase space reconstruction; singular spectrum analysis; prediction; dimension estimation; application of nonlinear time series analysis techniques to selected data sets.

Prerequisites: grad st; cons instr.

ATM SCI 761 Advanced Synoptic/Mesoscale Meteorology

3 cr. Graduate.
Advanced analysis techniques for synoptic/mesoscale diagnoses, case studies of relevant circulation systems; role of planetary, synoptic, and mesoscale flows in system development.

Prerequisites: grad st; cons instr.

ATM SCI 888 Candidate for Degree

0 cr. Graduate.
Available for graduate students who must meet minimum credit load requirement.

Prerequisites: graduate standing.

Course Rules: Fee for 1 cr assessed; unit does not count towards credit load for Fin Aid. Repeatable. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory only.

ATM SCI 950 Seminar on Topics in Atmospheric Sciences:

3 cr. Graduate.
Selected topics in atmospheric dynamics, satellite meteorology, atmospheric & oceanic convection, air & water pollution, numerical prediction remote sensing, & others.

Prerequisites: grad st in physical sciences or engineering. Retakable w/ chg in topic to 9 cr max.

ATM SCI 990 Master’s Thesis

1-8 cr. Graduate.

Prerequisites: grad st; cons instr & completed thesis proposal.

ATM SCI 997 Doctoral Externship

1-12 cr. Graduate.
Externship for students enrolled in the Atmospheric Science PhD program.

Prerequisites: grad st; admis to candidacy for the PhD.

Course Rules: Retakeable to 12 cr max.

ATM SCI 998 Doctoral Dissertation

1-12 cr. Graduate.

Prerequisites: grad st; admis to candidacy for PhD.

ATM SCI 999 Advanced Independent Reading

1-12 cr. Graduate.
Independent meteorological study.

Prerequisites: grad st & cons instr.

Course Rules: Retakable to 12 cr max.