B.S. in Meteorology

The Applied Aviation Sciences Department offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Meteorology. This program offers students with a passion for weather the opportunity to study, observe, and research atmospheric phenomena ranging from tornadoes to climate change in our computer-equipped classrooms and state-of-the-art Weather Center, which receives over one terabyte of real-time meteorological data each day. Students will master the essentials of meteorology by incorporating foundational calculus, physics, and computer science concepts into real-world atmospheric applications. The goal of the Meteorology program is to offer coursework, laboratory, and research experiences that prepare students for immediate productivity and career growth. Graduates are competitive for professional careers working as: National Weather Service meteorologists, TV broadcast meteorologists, aviation meteorologists, private industry meteorologists, emergency managers, and military weather officers. Students completing this degree will meet all American Meteorological Society guidelines for a degree in meteorology as well as all U.S. Office of Personnel Management Qualification Standards for a Meteorologist. Graduates will also be prepared to pursue advanced degrees that will qualify them for careers as research meteorologists or university faculty.

Students will:

• Apply equations that govern physical atmospheric processes and responses to explain fundamental principles and behaviors of the atmosphere across spatial and temporal scale.
• Demonstrate integrated understanding of the linked Earth–atmosphere–ocean system.
• Investigate problems in the atmospheric sciences, analyze data, and create relevant visualizations using one or more computer programming languages.
• Evaluate atmospheric processes, features, and phenomena across a multitude of spatial scales by utilizing diagnostic, prognostic, and technological tools such as surface observations (including METARs and TAFs), satellite data, upper air data, radar data, thermodynamic soundings, numerical weather model output, etc.
• Apply numerical methods, guidance, and manual techniques to predict the future state of the atmosphere.
• Analyze meteorological and climatological data using relevant statistical methods and tools.
• Effectively communicate scientific information and its uncertainties in oral, written, and visual form while adhering to the principles of proper ethical behavior within the atmospheric sciences.

Degree Requirements

The Bachelor of Science degree in Meteorology requires successful completion of a minimum of 120 credit hours and can typically be attained in eight semesters. All students entering the Meteorology program must take a math placement test or show suitable advanced placement. Because many courses have prerequisites or co-requisites, students should prepare to begin the required calculus sequence and physics sequence as soon as they are eligible.  All students must complete a capstone course (WX 482) during their senior year. The student must meet all requirements in the five program areas to graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in Meteorology. These include: General Education, Program Support, Meteorology Core, Specified Electives and Open Electives.

General Education		38
Program Support		14
Meteorology Core		48
Specified Electives		6
Open Electives		14
Total Credits		120

General Education Requirements

For a full description of Embry-Riddle General Guidelines please see the General Education section of the catalog.

Communication Theory and Skills (COM 221 recommended)		9
Lower-Level Humanities		3
Lower-Level Social Sciences		3
Lower or Upper-Level Humanities or Social Sciences		3
Upper-Level Humanities or Social Sciences		3
Computer Science/Information Technology (CS 118 recommended)		3
Mathematics (MA 241 and MA 242 recommended)		8
Physical and Life Sciences (PS 150 and PS 160 recommended)		6
Total Credits		38

Program Support Requirements

Program support courses are intended to provide foundational concepts to enhance college success or to prepare students for advanced meteorology courses.

MA 243	Calculus and Analytical Geometry III	4
MA 345	Differential Equations and Matrix Methods	4
CHM 110	General Chemistry I	3
CHM 110L	General Chemistry I Laboratory	1
PS 113L	Introductory Physics I Laboratory	1
UNIV 101	College Success	1
Total Credits		14

Meteorology Core Requirements

GEO 215	Introduction to Geoscience	3
WX 201	Survey of Meteorology	3
WX 272	Meteorological Instruments and Data Analysis	3
WX 325	General Meteorology	3
WX 327	Operational Analysis and Forecasting	3
WX 367	Thermodynamic Meteorology	3
WX 368	Physical Meteorology	3
WX 374	Dynamic Meteorology I	3
WX 375	Dynamic Meteorology II	3
WX 378	Synoptic Analysis	3
WX 381	Climate Dynamics	3
WX 422	Meteorological Statistics and Data Analysis	3
WX 462	Numerical Weather Prediction	3
WX 466	Advanced Synoptic Analysis and Forecasting	3
WX 478	Mesoscale Meteorology	3
WX 482	Research Methods in Meteorology	3
Total Credits		48

Specified Electives

Choose one Upper Level Specified Elective		3
CIV 417	Air Pollution
GEO 310	Advanced Geographic Information Systems
WX 301	Aviation Weather
WX 305	Weather Support Operations
WX 340	Severe Weather Field Forecasting
WX 360	Hurricanes and Tropical Meteorology
WX 361	Global Climate Change
WX 365	Satellite and Radar Weather Interpretation
WX 380	Advanced Broadcast Meteorology
WX 399	Special Topics in Applied Meteorology
WX 410	Weather for Commercial Air Transport
WX 475	Video Production
WX 499	Special Topics in Applied Meteorology
Choose one Lower Level or Upper Level Specified Elective		3
CIV 417	Air Pollution
GEO 210	Introduction to Geographic Information Systems
GEO 310	Advanced Geographic Information Systems
WX 261	Applied Climatology
WX 280	Introduction to Broadcast Meteorology
WX 299	Special Topics in Applied Meteorology
WX 301	Aviation Weather
WX 305	Weather Support Operations
WX 340	Severe Weather Field Forecasting
WX 360	Hurricanes and Tropical Meteorology
WX 361	Global Climate Change
WX 365	Satellite and Radar Weather Interpretation
WX 380	Advanced Broadcast Meteorology
WX 399	Special Topics in Applied Meteorology
WX 410	Weather for Commercial Air Transport
WX 475	Video Production
WX 499	Special Topics in Applied Meteorology
Total Credits		6

Specified Electives allow the student more breadth in the atmospheric and geosciences.

Open Electives

Open Electives

14

Open Electives allow the student, with the guidance of an academic advisor, to select from a wide range of possible courses, which would help prepare for their individual career path. Suggested electives include additional WX courses, AS courses, BA courses, CS courses, COM courses, MA courses, and PS courses. Students will select at least 14 credits of open electives. Students seeking graduate school in meteorology or atmospheric science should consider a minor in mathematics (applied or computational) or computer science. Students seeking to become a broadcast meteorologist should consider a minor in Communication and Broadcast Media.

Total Degree Credits

Total Degree Credits

120

Suggested Plan of Study

Students should be aware that several courses in each academic year may have prerequisites and/or co-requisites. Please check the course descriptions at the back of this catalog before registering for classes to ensure requisite sequencing.

Year One
		Credits
WX 201	Survey of Meteorology	3
UNIV 101	College Success	1
MA 143	Precalculus Essentials	3
COM 122	English Composition	3
CHM 110	General Chemistry I	3
CHM 110L	General Chemistry I Laboratory	1
COM 219	Speech	3
MA 241	Calculus and Analytical Geometry I	4
	HU 14X Lower-Level Elective	3
	WX Lower or Upper-Level Elective	3
CS 118	Fundamentals of Computer Programming	3
	Credits Subtotal	30.0
Year Two
MA 242	Calculus and Analytical Geometry II	4
PS 150	Physics for Engineers I	3
	SS Lower-Level Elective	3
PS 113L	Introductory Physics I Laboratory	1
WX 325	General Meteorology	3
MA 243	Calculus and Analytical Geometry III	4
PS 160	Physics for Engineers II	3
WX 367	Thermodynamic Meteorology **	3
WX 272	Meteorological Instruments and Data Analysis **	3
GEO 215	Introduction to Geoscience	3
	Credits Subtotal	30.0
Year Three
WX 374	Dynamic Meteorology I *	3
WX 368	Physical Meteorology *	3
COM 221	Technical Report Writing	3
WX 327	Operational Analysis and Forecasting *	3
MA 345	Differential Equations and Matrix Methods	4
WX 375	Dynamic Meteorology II **	3
WX 378	Synoptic Analysis **	3
	WX Upper-Level Elective	3
	Open Elective	3
	HU/SS Lower or Upper-Level Elective	3
	Credits Subtotal	31.0
Year Four
WX 422	Meteorological Statistics and Data Analysis *	3
WX 462	Numerical Weather Prediction *	3
WX 466	Advanced Synoptic Analysis and Forecasting *	3
	Open Elective	3
	HU/SS Upper-Level Elective	3
WX 381	Climate Dynamics **	3
WX 482	Research Methods in Meteorology **	3
WX 478	Mesoscale Meteorology **	3
	Open Elective	5
	Credits Subtotal	29.0
	Credits Total:	120.0

*

Offered in the Fall semester only.

**

Offered in the Spring semester only.

Suggested Plan of Study

Students should be aware that several courses in each academic year may have prerequisites and/or co-requisites. Please check the course descriptions at the back of this catalog before registering for classes to ensure requisite sequencing.

Year One
		Credits
WX 201	Survey of Meteorology	3
UNIV 101	College Success	1
MA 241	Calculus and Analytical Geometry I	4
COM 122	English Composition	3
CHM 110	General Chemistry I	3
CHM 110L	General Chemistry I Laboratory	1
PS 150	Physics for Engineers I	3
MA 242	Calculus and Analytical Geometry II	4
	HU 140X Elective	3
	WX Lower or Upper-Level Elective	3
CS 118	Fundamentals of Computer Programming	3
	Credits Subtotal	31.0
Year Two
MA 243	Calculus and Analytical Geometry III	4
PS 160	Physics for Engineers II	3
	SS Lower-Level Elective	3
PS 113L	Introductory Physics I Laboratory	1
WX 325	General Meteorology *	3
MA 345	Differential Equations and Matrix Methods	4
COM 219	Speech	3
WX 367	Thermodynamic Meteorology **	3
WX 272	Meteorological Instruments and Data Analysis **	3
GEO 215	Introduction to Geoscience	3
	Credits Subtotal	30.0
Year Three
WX 374	Dynamic Meteorology I *	3
WX 368	Physical Meteorology *	3
COM 221	Technical Report Writing	3
WX 327	Operational Analysis and Forecasting *	3
	HU/SS Lower or Upper-Level Elective	3
WX 375	Dynamic Meteorology II **	3
WX 378	Synoptic Analysis **	3
	WX Upper-Level Elective	3
	Open Electives	6
	Credits Subtotal	30.0
Year Four
WX 422	Meteorological Statistics and Data Analysis *	3
WX 462	Numerical Weather Prediction *	3
WX 466	Advanced Synoptic Analysis and Forecasting *	3
	Open Elective	3
	HU/SS Upper-Level Elective	3
WX 381	Climate Dynamics **	3
WX 478	Mesoscale Meteorology **	3
WX 482	Research Methods in Meteorology **	3
	Open Elective	5
	Credits Subtotal	29.0
	Credits Total:	120.0

*

Offered in the Fall semester only. 

**

Offered in the Spring semester only.