Meteorology (BS): Marine Sciences Concentration
The degree of Bachelor of Science in Meteorology is offered in the Department of Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. A concentration in Marine Science may also be chosen.
Meteorologists study a diverse array of topics, including climate, air pollution, environmental impacts, weather analysis and forecasting, remote sensing, atmospheric physics and interactions between the atmosphere and other components of the earth system. Our undergraduate students pursue careers in air quality, weather forecasting, meteorological research, broadcast meteorology and positions with the armed forces. The proximity of the Environmental Protection Agency center in nearby Research Triangle Park, the NC Department of Air Quality, a strong working relation with the local media, and the presence of the State Climate Office and a NWS forecast office on the NC State campus all provide our students with a broad range of internship and employment possibilities.
Contact
For more information about our meteorology programs, visit our听听or contact:
Maggie Puryear
Associate Director of Undergraduate Programs
919.513.1093
mwpollar@ncsu.edu鈥�
Plan Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orientation | |||
| 颁翱厂听100 | Science of Change 1 | 2 | |
| English / Communication | |||
| 贰狈骋听101 | Academic Writing and Research 2 | 4 | |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | ||
| Communication for Engineering and Technology | |||
| Communication for Business and Management | |||
| Communication for Science and Research | |||
| Math / Statistics | |||
| 惭贰础听217 | Introduction to Computing in the Geosciences 2 | 3 | |
| 辞谤听惭础听116 | Introduction to Scientific Programming (Math) | ||
| 辞谤听笔驰听251 | Introduction to Scientific Computing | ||
| 辞谤听颁厂颁听113 | Introduction to Computing - MATLAB | ||
| 惭础听141 | Calculus I 2 | 4 | |
| 惭础听241 | Calculus II 2 | 4 | |
| 惭础听242 | Calculus III | 4 | |
| 惭础听341 | Applied Differential Equations I | 3 | |
| Statistics Option | 3 | ||
| Chemistry / Physics | |||
| 颁贬听101 | Chemistry - A Molecular Science 2 | 3 | |
| 颁贬听102 | General Chemistry Laboratory | 1 | |
| 笔驰听205 &补尘辫;听笔驰听206 | Physics for Engineers and Scientists I and Physics for Engineers and Scientists I Laboratory 2 | 4 | |
| Chemistry Option | 4 | ||
| Meteorology Core | |||
| 惭贰础听100 | Earth System Science: Exploring the Connections | 4 | |
| 惭贰础听215 | Introduction to Atmospheric Sciences | 4 | |
| 惭贰础听312 | Atmospheric Thermodynamics 2 | 4 | |
| 惭贰础听315 | Mathematics Methods in Atmospheric Sciences 2 | 4 | |
| 惭贰础听321 | Fundamentals of Air Quality and Climate Change 2 | 3 | |
| 惭贰础听412 | Atmospheric Physics 2 | 3 | |
| 惭贰础听421 | Atmospheric Dynamics I 2 | 3 | |
| 惭贰础听422 | Atmospheric Dynamics II 2 | 3 | |
| 惭贰础听443 | Synoptic Weather Analysis and Forecasting | 4 | |
| 惭贰础听495 | Junior Seminar in the Marine, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences | 1 | |
| Marine Science Concentration | |||
| 惭贰础听200 | Introduction to Oceanography | 3 | |
| 惭贰础听210 | Oceanography Lab | 1 | |
| 惭贰础听455 | Micrometeorology | 3 | |
| 惭贰础听460 | Principles of Physical Oceanography | 3 | |
| 惭贰础听462 | Observational Methods and Data Analysis in Marine Physics | 3 | |
| 惭贰础听467 | Marine Meteorology | 3 | |
| Major Electives | |||
| Geophysical Science Option | 3 | ||
| Approved Electives 3 | 9 | ||
| GEP Courses | |||
| GEP Humanities | 6 | ||
| GEP Social Sciences | 6 | ||
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 2 | ||
| GEP Elective | 3 | ||
| GEP Global Knowledge (verify requirement) | |||
| World Language Proficiency (verify requirement) | |||
| Total Hours | 120 | ||
- 1
COS 100 is for new freshmen only.听 Transfer students will need to select a course from the GEP Interdisciplinary Perspectives course list
- 2
A grade of C- or higher is required.
- 3
Approved Electives should be selected in consultation with advisor. In order to qualify for federal civil servant meteorologist positions (i.e. National Weather Service), you must satisfy the GS 1340 requirements. As a result the following courses are strongly recommended: PY208/209, MEA 443, MEA 444, and MEA 511.
听Chemistry Option
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| 颁贬听201 | Chemistry - A Quantitative Science | 4 | |
| 颁贬听220 &补尘辫;听颁贬听222 | Introductory Organic Chemistry and Organic Chemistry I Lab | 4 | |
| 颁贬听221 &补尘辫;听颁贬听222 | Organic Chemistry I and Organic Chemistry I Lab | 4 |
Geophysical Science Option
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| 惭贰础听101 | Geology I: Physical | 3 | |
| 笔驰听123 | Stellar and Galactic Astronomy | 3 | |
| 笔驰听124 | Solar System Astronomy | 3 | |
| 厂厂颁听200 | Soil Science | 3 |
Statistics Option
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| 厂罢听311 | Introduction to Statistics | 3 | |
| 厂罢听370 | Probability and Statistics for Engineers | 3 | |
| 厂罢听371 | Introduction to Probability and Distribution Theory | 3 |
Semester Sequence
Critical Path Courses -Identify using the code (CP) which courses are considered critical path courses which represent specific major requirements that are predictive of student success in a given program/plan. Place the (CP) next to the credit hours for the course.
This is a sample.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Hours | |
| 颁贬听101 | Chemistry - A Molecular Science (CP) 2 | 3 |
| 颁贬听102 | General Chemistry Laboratory | 1 |
| 惭础听141 | Calculus I (CP) 2 | 4 |
| 惭贰础听100 | Earth System Science: Exploring the Connections (CP) | 4 |
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 1 | |
| 颁翱厂听100 | Science of Change 1 | 2 |
| 听 | Hours | 15 |
| Spring Semester | ||
| Chemistry Option | 4 | |
| 贰狈骋听101 | Academic Writing and Research (CP) 2 | 4 |
| 惭础听241 | Calculus II (CP) 2 | 4 |
| 惭贰础听215 | Introduction to Atmospheric Sciences (CP) | 4 |
| 听 | Hours | 16 |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| 惭础听242 | Calculus III | 4 |
| 惭贰础听321 | Fundamentals of Air Quality and Climate Change 2 | 3 |
| 笔驰听205 | Physics for Engineers and Scientists I (CP) 2 | 3 |
| 笔驰听206 | Physics for Engineers and Scientists I Laboratory | 1 |
| 惭贰础听217 | Introduction to Computing in the Geosciences 2 | 3 |
| 听 | Hours | 14 |
| Spring Semester | ||
| 惭础听341 | Applied Differential Equations I | 3 |
| 惭贰础听312 | Atmospheric Thermodynamics 2 | 4 |
| 惭贰础听315 | Mathematics Methods in Atmospheric Sciences 2 | 4 |
| Approved Electives 3 | 3 | |
| 听 | Hours | 14 |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| 惭贰础听200 | Introduction to Oceanography | 3 |
| 惭贰础听210 | Oceanography Lab | 1 |
| 惭贰础听421 | Atmospheric Dynamics I 2 | 3 |
| Geophysical Science Option | 3 | |
| GEP Elective | 3 | |
| Statistics Option | 3 | |
| 听 | Hours | 16 |
| Spring Semester | ||
| Advanced Writing Elective | 3 | |
| Approved Elective 3 | 3 | |
| 惭贰础听412 | Atmospheric Physics 2 | 3 |
| 惭贰础听422 | Atmospheric Dynamics II 2 | 3 |
| 惭贰础听495 | Junior Seminar in the Marine, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences | 1 |
| GEP Social Sciences | 3 | |
| 听 | Hours | 16 |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| 惭贰础听460 | Principles of Physical Oceanography | 3 |
| 惭贰础听455 | Micrometeorology | 3 |
| GEP Humanities | 3 | |
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 1 | |
| 惭贰础听443 | Synoptic Weather Analysis and Forecasting 1 | 4 |
| 听 | Hours | 14 |
| Spring Semester | ||
| Approved Elective 3 | 3 | |
| 惭贰础听462 | Observational Methods and Data Analysis in Marine Physics 2 | 3 |
| 惭贰础听467 | Marine Meteorology 2 | 3 |
| GEP Humanities | 3 | |
| GEP Social Sciences | 3 | |
| 听 | Hours | 15 |
| 听 | Total Hours | 120 |
- 1
COS 100 is for new freshmen only.听 Transfer students will need to select a course from the GEP Interdisciplinary Perspectives course list.
- 2
A grade of C- or higher is required.
- 3
Approved Electives should be selected in consultation with advisor. In order to qualify for federal civil servant meteorologist positions (i.e. National Weather Service), you must satisfy the GS 1340 requirements. As a result the following courses are strongly recommended: PY208/209, MEA 443, MEA 444, and MEA 511.
Career Opportunities
MEAS undergraduate degree programs provide talented students with the foundation of scientific knowledge required for careers in government, industry, or academia. Many students pursue graduate degrees after completion of an undergraduate degree in Meteorology.
Meteorology graduates enjoy careers in weather forecasting, air quality assessment, development of weather products and services, broadcast communications, and advanced research. Marine meteorologists study ocean-generated weather systems. Their research is yielding practical benefits such as refined prediction of storm surge, which has streamlined evacuation efforts during severe storms along the Carolina coast. Meteorology graduates with an air quality emphasis work for environmental firms, regulatory agencies, and in applied research. Study of air quality and how air pollution is transported and dispersed is a rapidly expanding field in the atmospheric sciences.
MEAS graduates play a key service role for the State of North Carolina, assisting in everything from forecasting severe storms and analyzing the impact of atmospheric pollutants on agriculture and our estuaries, to determining the effects of toxic waste disposal on quality of surface and ground water.
Career Titles
- Air Traffic Controller
- Airfield Operations Specialist
- Astronomer
- Atmospheric and Space Scientist
- Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers
- Environmental Science and Protection Technician
- Geophysicist
- Meteorologist
- Oceanographer
- Outdoor Education Teacher
- Park Naturalist
- Pilot
- Postsecondary Teacher
- Technical & Scientific Publications Editor
- Weather Forecaster
Learn More About Careers
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