The UWM Atmospheric Science Program is a group of scholars who engage in a wide array of distinguished, societally-relevant research currently supported by over $3 million in external funding. Their specializations include climate variability, cloud physics and numerical modeling, atmospheric dynamics, mesoscale and synoptic meteorology, air pollution meteorology, and data analytics. The Atmospheric Science graduate programs are focused on student-led research under the direction of one or more faculty advisors.
Over its twenty-plus years of existence, the program has a history of innovation in both education and research, with the Innovative Weather program and first-of-its-kind “Air Pollution and Ancient Cultures” faculty-led study abroad course being two representative examples of innovative educational opportunities. Students graduating from the program have a long history of acquiring gainful employment with top-tier public and private sector institutions in Wisconsin and beyond.
Admission Requirements
Application Deadlines
Application deadlines vary by program, please review the application deadline chart for specific programs. Other important dates and deadlines can be found by using the One Stop calendars.
Admission
An applicant must meet Graduate School requirements plus these departmental requirements to be considered for admission to the program:
- A general background in both physics and mathematics, including calculus and ordinary differential equations. Students who lack this background may be admitted if the deficiencies amount to no more than two courses. Deficiencies must be made up within the first three enrolled semesters of graduate study.
Optional
Submission of scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).
Credits and Courses
Students enrolled in the MS in Atmospheric Science degree program must complete a total of thirty (30) credits.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select 12 credits at the ATM SCI 700-level or greater | 12 | |
| Select 6 credits in approved graduate elective courses | 6 | |
| Select one of the following: | 6 | |
| Advanced Engineering Mathematics I and Advanced Engineering Mathematics II | ||
| Statistical Methods in Atmospheric Sciences and Statistical Methods in Atmospheric Sciences II: Signal Detection | ||
| ATM SCI 990 | Master's Thesis | 6 |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
Students receiving financial support from the School of Freshwater Sciences must enroll in a minimum of fifteen (15) credits offered by the department during each academic year.
Courses in Atmospheric Science that may be taken for graduate credit are listed below.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| 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 460 | Mesoscale Circulations | 3 |
| ATM SCI 464 | Physical Meteorology: Cloud Physics | 3 |
| ATM SCI 470 | Tropical Meteorology | 3 |
| ATM SCI 480 | The General Circulation and Climate Dynamics | 3 |
| ATM SCI 497 | Study Abroad: (subtitled) | 3 |
| ATM SCI 500 | Statistical Methods in Atmospheric Sciences | 3 |
| ATM SCI 505 | Micrometeorology | 3 |
| ATM SCI 511 | Seminar in Atmospheric Radiation and Remote Sensing | 3 |
| ATM SCI 600 | Data Analytics | 3 |
| ATM SCI 690 | Seminar in Atmospheric Sciences: | 3 |
| ATM SCI 700 | Statistical Methods in Atmospheric Sciences II: Signal Detection | 3 |
| ATM SCI 705 | Air Pollution Modeling | 3 |
| ATM SCI 711 | Cloud Dynamics | 3 |
| ATM SCI 730 | Numerical Weather Prediction | 3 |
| ATM SCI 750 | Nonlinear Time Series Analysis | 3 |
| ATM SCI 761 | Advanced Synoptic/Mesoscale Meteorology | 3 |
| ATM SCI 950 | Seminar on Topics in Atmospheric Sciences: | 3 |
| ATM SCI 990 | Master's Thesis | 1-8 |
| ATM SCI 997 | Doctoral Externship | 1-12 |
| ATM SCI 998 | Doctoral Dissertation | 1-12 |
| ATM SCI 999 | Advanced Independent Reading | 1-4 |
Additional Requirements
Major Professor as Advisor
The student must have a major professor to advise and supervise the student’s studies as specified in Graduate School regulations.
Thesis
Prior to graduation, students, under the direction of a major professor and supervision of a three-member evaluation committee comprised of Atmospheric Science graduate faculty, must complete and orally defend an acceptable thesis. An acceptable thesis is defined as one representing an original contribution in the atmospheric science of sufficient caliber for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.
Time Limit
Entering full-time students without deficiencies are expected to complete all degree requirements within two years of first enrollment. All degree requirements must be completed within five years of first enrollment.