Current Course Rotation
Apart from Atm Sci 240, which is offered every spring, our core and elective courses are typically offered on a two-year rotation per the schedule below. This rotation is subject to change, and current and prospective undergraduate students are encouraged to contact the Atmospheric Science Program Chair with any questions regarding specific course availability.
2021-2022 |
2022-2023 |
||
| Fall | Spring | Fall | Spring |
| AtmSci 330 | AtmSci 464 | AtmSci 351 | AtmSci 352 |
| AtmSci 350 | AtmSci 470 | AtmSci 360 | AtmSci 361 |
| AtmSci 480 | AtmSci 511 | AtmSci 505 | AtmSci 460 |
| AtmSci 500 | AtmSci 600 | ||
Concepts and principles of meteorology; cyclones, fronts, thunderstorms, tornadoes, air pollution, and climate. Interpretation of weather maps, charts, and forecasts. 2 hrs lec, 2 hrs lab-dis.
Prerequisites: none.
General Education Requirements: NS+
Course Rules: Counts as repeat of 3 cr Atm Sci 100 taken for 4 cr.
Last Taught: Spring 2021, Fall 2020, Spring 2020, Fall 2019.
What makes the weather, general circulation of the atmosphere, analysis of meteorological data and their use in predicting the weather.
Prerequisites: none.
General Education Requirements: NS
Last Taught: UWinteriM 2013, Summer 2012, UWinteriM 2012, Summer 2011.
Study of precipitation properties and processes in the atmosphere. Structure of precipitating systems ranging from small to large scale.
Prerequisites: none.
General Education Requirements: NS
Last Taught: Fall 1998, Fall 1997, Summer 1997, Spring 1997.
The study of basic processes that lead to dry and moist convection. Characteristic atmospheric structure and cloud microphysical processes that produce thunderstorms, tornadoes and hurricanes.
Prerequisites: none.
General Education Requirements: NS
Last Taught: Summer 2021, Spring 2021, UWinteriM 2021, Fall 2020.
Origin of the solar system, its planets, and planetary atmospheres.
Prerequisites: none.
General Education Requirements: NS
Last Taught: Spring 2021, Fall 2020, Summer 2020, Spring 2020.
Specific topics are announced in the Schedule of Classes each time the class is offered.
Prerequisites: none.
General Education Requirements: NS
Course Rules: Open only to freshmen. Students may earn cr in just one L&S First-Year Sem (course numbers 192, 193, 194).
Last Taught: Spring 2019, Fall 2016, Fall 2014, Fall 2012.
For further information, consult dept chair.
Prerequisites: 2.0 GPA; consent of instructor, department chair, and Assistant Dean for Student Academic Services.
Course Rules: May be retaken to 6 cr max.
Last Taught: Fall 2013, Spring 2013, Spring 2006, Fall 2005.
Quantitative approach to understanding fundamental concepts in meteorology. Radiation, heat balance of the atmosphere, thermodynamics, horizontal motion, general circulation, atmospheric observations, clouds, weather map analysis.
Prerequisites: Physics 209(P) & 214(P); Math 232(C).
Course Rules: Not open for cr to students with Atm Sci 201.
Last Taught: Spring 2021, Spring 2020, Spring 2019, Spring 2018.
Application of basic knowledge of Atmospheric Sciences in business, organizational, educational, political or other appropriate setting.
Prerequisites: soph st.; 2.50 gpa; cons supervising faculty member.
Course Rules: One cr earned for academic work based on 40 hrs in internship. May be retaken to 6 cr max.
Last Taught: Spring 2015, Fall 2013, Fall 2012, Fall 2011.
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: acceptance for Study Abroad Prog.
General Education Requirements: NS
Course Rules: May be retaken w/chg in topic.
Last Taught: UWinteriM 2019, UWinteriM 2018, UWinteriM 2015, UWinteriM 2014.
Course created expressly for offering in a specified enrollment period. Requires only dept & assoc dean approval. In exceptional circumstances, can be offered in one add'l sem.
Prerequisites: none; add'l prereqs may be assigned to specific topic.
Course Rules: May be retaken w/chg in topic.
Last Taught: Spring 2019, Fall 2013, Fall 1994, Fall 1992.
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.
Last Taught: Fall 2019, Fall 2017.
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).
Last Taught: Fall 2019, Fall 2017.
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).
Last Taught: Fall 2020, Fall 2018.
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).
Last Taught: Spring 2021, Spring 2019.
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).
Last Taught: Fall 2020, Fall 2018.
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).
Last Taught: Spring 2021, Spring 2019.
Selected topics.
Prerequisites: soph st; Honors 200(P); cons Honors College dir.
General Education Requirements: NS
Course Rules: May be retaken w/chg in topic to 9 cr max.
Last Taught: Spring 2020, Fall 2018, Spring 2018, Fall 2007.
Basic, advanced or new topics in atmospheric sciences for in-service teachers.
Prerequisites: in-service teacher; add'l prereqs depending on topic.
Course Rules: May be retaken w/chg in topic to 9 cr max.
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.
Last Taught: Spring 2021.
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).
Last Taught: Spring 2020, Spring 2018.
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).
Last Taught: Spring 2020.
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).
Last Taught: Spring 2020.
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.
Last Taught: UWinteriM 2020, UWinteriM 2019.
Course created expressly for offering in a specified enrollment period. Requires only dept & assoc dean approval. In exceptional circumstances, can be offered in one add'l sem.
Prerequisites: jr st; add'l prereqs may be assigned to specific topic.
Course Rules: May be retaken w/chg in topic.
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.
Last Taught: Fall 2019.
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).
Last Taught: Fall 2020.
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).
Last Taught: Spring 2020.
Properties of atmospheric sound, gravity, Rossby waves. Baroclinic instability, cyclogenesis, frontogenesis, and the general circulation. Introduction to numerical prediction.
Prerequisites: jr st; Math 234(P), Atm Sci 350(P) & 351(P) or equiv.
Student writes a paper under supervision of an advisor on an approved topic not covered in the student's regular course work.
Prerequisites: sr st; cons instr.
Course Rules: May be retaken w/chg in topic to 2 cr max.
Last Taught: Spring 2021, Spring 2020, Fall 2019, Spring 2018.
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.
Last Taught: Fall 2020.
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.
Last Taught: Fall 2018, Fall 2016.
Application of advanced principles of atmospheric sciences in a business, organizational, educational, political or other appropriate setting.
Prerequisites: jr st; 300-level or above course in atm sci; 3.0 gpa in the major; cons supervising faculty.
Course Rules: One cr earned for 40 hrs work. May be retaken to 6 cr max.
Last Taught: Fall 2019, Summer 2019, Fall 2017, Spring 2017.
Independent meteorological study.
Prerequisites: jr st, 2.0 GPA, consent of instructor, Department Chair, and Assistant Dean for Student Academic Services.
Course Rules: May be retaken with change in topic to 3 cr max.
Last Taught: Fall 2008, Spring 2007, Spring 2005, Spring 2004.