Meteorology, BS

The BS Meteorology degree program, offered by the Department of Meteorology and Climate Science , is designed to develop meteorologists who, upon graduation, are ready to begin professional practice in the private sector or in government, or are ready to enter graduate programs in atmospheric science.

Program Learning Outcomes

Program Roadmaps

The 4-Year Roadmap is available online. Roadmaps should be used in consultation with the catalog and your advisor to identify additional requirements for completing the major (for example, course grade minimums). Associate Degrees (ADT) Pathways are also available online.

Major-Specific Graduation Requirements

All Preparation and Required in the Major courses must be completed with a “C- or better”.

1. Complete the Baccalaureate Degree Requirements

Students must satisfy the specific degree requirements for their undergraduate major and fulfill the following University degree requirements:

Academic (program total units with an average 2.0 GPA - “C” or better)
General Education (GE) (34 Lower Division + 9 Upper Division)
American Institutions (AI) (0-6 units) (may be satisfied in GE Areas 3A, 3B, 4, UD 3, or UD 4)
Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) 3 units (see Writing in the Disciplines)
Physical Education (PE) (0-2 units)
Units in Residence (30 units, including 24 upper division and 12 in major)
Upper Division Units (40 units, including 12 upper div in major for BA, 18 upper div in major for BS)
Undergraduate Policies & Procedures

Apply for Graduation
Information about the Commencement Ceremony and Conferral of the Degree

Summary of Degree Units

Core Lower Division General Education: 18 (10 units may be satisfied by major coursework)

American Institutions/ US123 Requirements: 6 (Note: may be satisfied by GE coursework)

Upper Division General Education: 9

Physical Education: 0 (waived)

Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR): 0 (3 units satisfied by METR 100W)

Major Preparation: 27

Major Requirements: 60

Total: 120

2. Major Preparation (27 units)

A minimum grade of “C-” must be attained in all major and preparation courses.

CHEM 1A - General Chemistry 5 unit(s) (GE Area 5A and 5C / Formerly Area B1 and B3)
MATH 30 - Calculus I 3 unit(s) (GE Area 2 / Formerly Area B4)
MATH 31 - Calculus II 4 unit(s) (GE Area 2 / Formerly Area B4)
MATH 32 - Calculus III 3 unit(s) (GE Area 2 / Formerly Area B4)
PHYS 50 - General Physics I: Mechanics 4 unit(s) (GE Area 5A and 5C / Formerly Area B1 and B3)
PHYS 51 - General Physics II: Electricity and Magnetism 4 unit(s) (GE Area 5A and 5C / Formerly Area B1 and B3)
PHYS 52 - General Physics III: Waves, Light, Heat 4 unit(s) (GE Area 5A and 5C / Formerly Area B1 and B3)

3. Major Requirements (60 units)

Core Courses (48 units)

METR 10 - Weather and Climate 3 unit(s) (GE Area 5A / Formerly Area B1)
METR 40 - Weather Seminar 1 unit(s)
METR 50 - AI-Powered Programming for Science and Society I 2 unit(s)
METR 51 - AI-Powered Programming for Science and Society II 2 unit(s)
METR 60 - Meteorology and Climate Science I 3 unit(s)
METR 61 - Meteorology and Climate Science II 2 unit(s)
METR 100W - Writing Workshop: Meteorological Reports 3 unit(s) (WID)
METR 121A - Dynamic Meteorology 4 unit(s)
METR 121B - Dynamic Meteorology 3 unit(s)
METR 123 - Advanced Climatology 3 unit(s)
METR 125 - Physical Meteorology 3 unit(s)
METR 136 - Applied Statistics and Analysis in Meteorology 3 unit(s)
METR 150 - Computers in Meteorology III 3 unit(s)
METR 163 - Meteorological Instrumentation 3 unit(s)
METR 170A - Weather Briefing 1 unit(s)
METR 170B - Weather Briefing 1 unit(s)
METR 171A - Synoptic Weather Analysis and Forecasting 3 unit(s)
METR 172 - Mesoscale Meteorology 3 unit(s)
METR 179 - Topics in Senior Thesis 1-2 unit(s) (2 units required)

Major Electives (12 units)

Complete four courses from:

METR 130 - Boundary Layer Meteorology 3 unit(s)
METR 131 - Air Pollution Meteorology 3 unit(s)
METR 155 - Remote Sensing 3 unit(s)
METR 161 - Introduction to Hydrometeorology 3 unit(s)
METR 164 - Introduction to Fire Weather 3 unit(s)
METR 165 - Mountain Meteorology 3 unit(s)
METR 170C - Weather Briefing III 1 unit(s)
METR 173 - Global Climate Modeling 3 unit(s)
METR 174 - Climate Change Capstone 3 unit(s)
METR 185 - Special Topics 1-3 unit(s)

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