Master of Science in Atmospheric Sciences

Admission Requirements

  1. A four-year bachelor’s degree from a recognized college or university. For U.S. degrees, accreditation must be by one of the six regional accrediting associations.
  2. Completion of a minimum of 20 semester credits of appropriate undergraduate work, e.g., physics, mathematics, chemistry, engineering, and/or atmospheric science.
  3. A cumulative GPA of at least 2.75 for all undergraduate work or a GPA of at least 3.00 for the last two years.
  4. For international applicants only: Scores on the general portion of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).
  5. Satisfy the School of Graduate Studies’ English Language Proficiency requirements as listed in the graduate catalog.

Applicants will be evaluated on an individual basis and those with limited backgrounds in the aforementioned areas (physics, mathematics, chemistry, and atmospheric science) but with a distinguished record in other disciplines may be accepted on a qualified basis with the understanding that deficiencies would be remedied early in the program.

Degree Requirements

Students seeking the Master of Science degree through the Department of Atmospheric Sciences at the University of North Dakota must satisfy all general degree requirements set forth by the School of Graduate Studies as well as particular requirements set forth by the Department of Atmospheric Sciences. The Master of Science program requires that students complete a minimum of 30 credit hours. All thesis and non-thesis students are required to take ATSC 500 Introduction to Atmospheric Research and ATSC 505 Advanced Atmospheric Dynamics.

Thesis Option

Approval of the thesis option will be granted based upon alignment of research interests with departmental faculty’s research interests and faculty availability. To maintain status within the thesis program, a topic proposal must be submitted by conclusion of the third academic semester. Students that do not meet this requirement will be placed into the non-thesis track.

Thesis students are required to complete at least one course from each of the core areas. A minimum of 21 credits must be from classroom courses (ATSC 575 or lower). With Graduate Program Committee (GPC) approval, students may take up to 3 credits of ATSC 594 Independent Studies in lieu of a classroom course. Students must also complete 4-9 credits of ATSC 998 Thesis.

Non-Thesis Option

The non-thesis option requires the student to independently investigate a topic related to the major field and successfully complete an oral comprehensive examination consisting of a public seminar and closed door meeting with the student’s advisor and the GPC. A written summary of the project must be submitted to the Department of Atmospheric Sciences. Non-thesis investigations may be an original contribution to knowledge, computing project, or discussion of ideas already in the literature. These requirements ensure that students can investigate and communicate a scholarly project.

Non-thesis option students are required to complete at least one course from three of the four core areas. They must also complete two credits of ATSC 997 Independent Study Report. A minimum of 24 credits must be from classroom courses (ATSC 575 or lower). With Graduate GPC approval, students may take up to 3 credits of ATSC 594 Independent Studies in lieu of a classroom course.

ATSC 500
Introduction to Atmospheric Research
ATSC 594
Independent Studies
Select one of the following (Dynamics):
ATSC 505
Advanced Atmospheric Dynamics
ATSC 518
Advanced Synoptic Meteorology
ATSC 548
Advanced Mesoscale Dynamics
Select one of the following (Physical):
ATSC 450
Introduction to Cloud Physics Meteorology **
ATSC 520
Atmospheric Chemistry
ATSC 525
Atmospheric Radiation
ATSC 532
Cloud Microphysics Parameterization Simulation
ATSC 560
Boundary Layer Meteorology
ATSC 565
Air Quality
Select one of the following (Climate Systems):
ATSC 510
General Circulation
ATSC 515
Advanced Climatology
ATSC 545
Hydrometeorology
ATSC 550
Tropical Meteorology
ESSP 507
Earth Systems Processes and Vulnerability Analysis
Select one of the following (Tools):
ATSC 420
Advanced Weather Forecasting **
ATSC 441
Radar Meteorology **
ATSC 456
Introduction to Professional Meteorology **
ATSC 528
Atmospheric Data Analysis
ATSC 530
Numerical Weather Prediction
ATSC 535
Measurement Systems
ATSC 540
Statistical Methods in Atmospheric Science
ATSC 552
Satellite Meteorology
ATSC 553
Advanced Satellite Meteorology
Select one of the following (Thesis or Independent Study):
ATSC 997
Independent Study Report (Non-Thesis Option)
ATSC 998
Thesis
**

Courses taken at the undergraduate level cannot be repeated for graduate credit.

Combined Degree Program B.S./M.S. in Atmospheric Sciences

The Atmospheric Sciences program offers a combined B.S./M.S. in Atmospheric Sciences program. The intent of the combined program is to allow qualified students to complete the requirements for both degrees in one year beyond that required to receive the Baccalaureate degree. Students may be accepted into this program upon completion of 90 credits toward the Bachelor’s degree and must apply prior to their fourth year of academic work. All requirements for both degrees must be met, and up to eight credits of prior-approved coursework may be double-counted toward each of the two degrees. Double-counted credits may not include required courses for the B.S. degree, but may include appropriate elective coursework. Combined degree students are placed within the non-thesis track of the MS degree.

 Admission Requirements

Admission requirements for the M.S. in Atmospheric Sciences, with the following additional criteria:

1.  3.0 GPA overall.

2.  Completion of 90 credit hours prior to year four, including a course in dynamic meteorology.

Degree Requirements

Degree requirements for the M.S. in Atmospheric Sciences, with the following additional criteria:

1. Up to 8 credits of graduate-level coursework can be double counted for the B.S. and M.S. degrees. These credits can only be taken after admission to the graduate program.

2. The B.S. and M.S. degrees will be awarded sequentially upon completion of the degree requirements.