Major in Atmospheric Sciences
Students must take 38 preparatory credits and 33 credits from the core curriculum. To accommodate students with varying interests and to represent the breadth of the field, atmospheric science majors also choose at least 9 elective credits from a set of courses covering specialties in atmospheric sciences (such as microscale, mesoscale, and tropical meteorology, or data analytics), applied mathematics, and statistics. We invite you to learn more about the requirements for the Atmospheric Science major.
In addition to the major’s requirements, students must also satisfy all of the university general education requirements and the College of Letters & Science breadth and other degree requirements. Degree requirements will vary depending on when you first enroll at UWM. You are strongly advised to consult regularly with your Atmospheric Science faculty advisor and College of Letters & Science advisor to ensure you stay on track towards your degree. Read more about College of Letters and Science Degree Requirements.
To clarify any requirements, contact the Atmospheric Science Program Chair.
Atmospheric Science (BS) Major Requirements
Preparatory Curriculum
Students in this major must complete MATH 231, MATH 232, and MATH 233 (or equivalents). MATH 221 and MATH 222 are equivalent to the sequence of MATH 231, MATH 232, and MATH 233. All majors must take either MATH 234 or MATH 240. Atmospheric Science majors must complete additional preparatory curricula, as indicated below.
Capstone Experience
Students in all majors and major options in the Department of Mathematical Sciences must complete a "Capstone Experience." The aim of the department's capstone experience is to encourage independent learning. Students complete a research paper in the context of this course, which satisfies the L&S research requirement. For Atmospheric Science majors, the capstone is ATM SCI 599. Students must obtain consent of a professor to enroll in ATM SCI 599.
Requirements
Students must complete at least 15 upper-division (numbered 300 and above) credits in the major in residence at UWM. The College of Letters & Science requires that students attain at least a 2.0 GPA on all credits in the major attempted at UWM. In addition, students must attain a 2.0 GPA on all major credits attempted, including any transfer work. The following courses are required for the atmospheric science major:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Additional Preparatory Curriculum 1 | ||
| CHEM 102 | General Chemistry | 5 |
| PHYSICS 209 & PHYSICS 214 | Physics I (Calculus Treatment) and Lab Physics I (Calculus Treatment) | 5 |
| PHYSICS 210 & PHYSICS 215 | Physics II (Calculus Treatment) and Lab Physics II (Calculus Treatment) | 5 |
| COMPSCI 202 | Introductory Programming Using Python | 3 |
| Core | ||
| ATM SCI 240 | Introduction to Meteorology | 3 |
| ATM SCI 330 | Air-Pollution Meteorology | 3 |
| ATM SCI 350 | Atmospheric Thermodynamics | 3 |
| ATM SCI 351 | Dynamic Meteorology I | 3 |
| ATM SCI 352 | Dynamic Meteorology II | 3 |
| ATM SCI 360 | Synoptic Meteorology I | 4 |
| ATM SCI 361 | Synoptic Meteorology II | 4 |
| ATM SCI 464 | Physical Meteorology: Cloud Physics | 3 |
| ATM SCI 511 | Seminar in Atmospheric Radiation and Remote Sensing | 3 |
| ATM SCI 599 | Capstone Experience | 1 |
| MATH 320 | Introduction to Differential Equations | 3 |
| Electives | ||
| Select at least 9 credits of the following: | 9 | |
| Mesoscale Circulations | ||
| Tropical Meteorology | ||
| The General Circulation and Climate Dynamics | ||
| Study Abroad: | ||
| Statistical Methods in Atmospheric Sciences | ||
| Micrometeorology | ||
| Data Analytics | ||
| Seminar in Atmospheric Sciences: | ||
| Linear Programming and Optimization | ||
| Mathematical Programming and Optimization | ||
| Vector Analysis | ||
| Introduction to Partial Differential Equations | ||
| Mathematical Models and Applications | ||
| Introduction to Numerical Analysis | ||
| Introduction to Scientific Computing | ||
| Computational Linear Algebra | ||
| Advanced Calculus I | ||
| Advanced Calculus II | ||
| Linear Algebra | ||
| Introduction to Probability Models | ||
| Introduction to the Theory of Chaotic Dynamical Systems | ||
| Advanced Engineering Mathematics I | ||
| Advanced Engineering Mathematics II | ||
| Numerical Solution of Partial Differential Equations | ||
| Optimization | ||
| Introduction to Mathematical Statistics I | ||
| Introduction to Mathematical Statistics II | ||
| Introductory Statistics for Physical Sciences and Engineering Students | ||
| Regression Analysis | ||
| Time Series Analysis | ||
| Total Credits | 60 | |
| 1 | In addition to the preparatory curriculum required of all mathematical sciences majors, these courses are required, but do not count in calculating the major GPA. |