Atmospheric Science Certificate

Description of the Program

The undergraduate Certificate Program in Atmospheric Sciences is designed for students who wish to supplement their majors with an in-depth understanding of the atmosphere. This program is open to any undergraduate or post-baccalaureate student meeting the entrance requirements outlined below. (Post-baccalaureate students are college graduates taking additional undergraduate courses, but not for a UGA undergraduate degree. Contact the admissions office for post-baccalaureate admission requirements.) Common majors for atmospheric sciences students include, but are not limited to, agricultural engineering, biological engineering, computer science, crop science, environmental health, environmental soil science, forest environmental resources, geography, marine sciences, mathematics, physics, physics and astronomy, statistics, and telecommunications.

The certificate requires 21 semester hours of upper-level atmospheric sciences or related courses. Students choose either an operational meteorology track or a general atmospheric sciences track. Both tracks require a core of 15 semester hours. The remaining six hours are selected from the approved list of courses with the approval of the student's atmospheric sciences advisor.

The operational meteorology track meets the educational requirements for employment as a meteorologist by the National Weather Service, other civil service agencies, and many companies. The operational meteorology track also meets the recommended curriculum standards set by the American Meteorological Society and is the recommended track for students interested in operational meteorology or related fields.

The general atmospheric sciences track is designed for students wishing an in-depth understanding of the atmosphere tailored to personal interests and career ambitions. Both tracks provide students with a strong foundation in the atmospheric sciences necessary for graduate study in meteorology, climatology, or related fields.

The Certificate Program in Atmospheric Sciences is sponsored by the Departments of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Crop and Soil Sciences, Environmental Health Science, Geography, Marine Sciences, Physics and Astronomy, Statistics, and the School of Forest Resources.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of UGA's Atmospheric Sciences Program are more broadly educated than many graduates of traditional atmospheric sciences programs, thus providing greater career choices. Students selecting either track will find many carrier opportunities. Many companies are hiring atmospheric scientists with diverse backgrounds to assist in their operations. A few examples include the aviation industry, commodity groups, commodity traders, electric and natural gas utilities, engineering firms, food processing companies, and transportation companies. Other areas of employment growth are meteorological, environmental, and agricultural consulting companies.

Program Requirements

The undergraduate Certificate in Atmospheric Sciences requires 21 semester hours of upper level (3000/4000) courses in atmospheric or related sciences. A student must choose either the operational meteorology track or the general atmospheric sciences track. A student must earn a grade of "C" or better in all certificate courses. A minimum certificate grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 is required in order to earn the certificate. The certificate is awarded only in conjunction with the completion of baccalaureate requirements at UGA. This stipulation is waived for post-baccalaureate students.

Common Core Required in Both Tracks

GEOG 3120-3120L: Weather Analysis and Forecasting
ENGR (GEOG) 4111/6111-4111L/6111L : Atmospheric Thermodynamics
GEOG (ENGR) 4112/6112 : Atmospheric Dynamics
ENGR 4131/6131-4131L/6131L : Introductory Atmospheric Physics
A 3000/4000 level course in Climatology (see climatology list below)

Operational Meteorology Track

Students choosing the operational meteorology track must take:
GEOG 4120/6120: Synoptic Meteorology/Climatology
and
GEOG 4140/6140 : Satellite Meteorology/Climatology

General Atmospheric Sciences Track

Choose 6 additional hours of related atmospheric science work from participating departments. The selected courses must present a coherent whole and be approved by the student's atmospheric sciences advisor. The following are examples of possible programs:

Atmospheric Chemistry and Air Quality

EHSC 4080/6080: Environmental Air Quality
EHSC 4100/6100-4100L/6100L: Industrial Hygiene
EHSC 4350/6350-4350L/6350L: Environmental Chemistry
ENGR 4480/6480 Instrumentation for Environmental Quality

Climatology

ENGR(GEOG) 4161/6161-4161L/6161L: Environmental Microclimatology
GEOG 3110: Climatology
GEOG 4160/6160 : Applied Climatology

Hydrology

CRSS(FORS) 3060-3060L: Soils and Hydrology
ENGR 3050: Soil and Water Conservation
FORS 4110/6110-4110L/6110L: Forest Hydrology
FORS 4120/6120: Quantitative Methods in Hydrology
FORS 4130L/6130L: Field Methods in Hydrology
GEOG 4020/6020 : Fluvial Geomorphology

Ocean-Atmosphere Continuum

MARS 4100/6100: Physical Processes of the Ocean
MARS 4500/6500 : Field Study in Oceanography and Marine Methods

Plant-Soil-Atmosphere Continuum

BTNY 3830-3830L: Plant Physiology
CRSS 3300: Physiology of Crop Growth and Management
CRSS 4600/6600-4600L/6600L: Soil Physics
ENGR 4940 : Introductory Systems Modeling

Contact Person

Thomas L. Mote
Department of Geography
tmote@uga.edu
706.542.2856

Website: http://www.uga.edu/atsc