The Department offers an undergraduate degree program in Meteorology, which has at its core an emphasis on weather and weather-related topics. In addition to weather, the curriculum also features courses in climatology, air quality, radar observations, remote sensing from satellites, cloud physics, and computer applications. Courses in oceanography, hydrology, and climate policy are also encouraged. Each of these subjects rests on a firm foundation in the physical sciences, with required coursework in physics, chemistry, and mathematics during the first two years.
Students in Meteorology enjoy many of the advantages found at much smaller schools, including small class sizes, low student-to-teacher ratios, and opportunities for individual instruction. At the same time, students have numerous opportunities to participate in faculty research projects, including regional, national, and international field programs, with roughly two-thirds of students engaging in research as part of their degree program. Students interested in careers in forecasting or broadcasting are encouraged to pursue internships, either with government or private sector forecasting offices, or with broadcast TV stations.