Bachelor of Science in
Applied Meteorology

In this respected program, students can grasp the intricacies of weather forecasting to prepare for immediate careers in meteorology or move on to an advanced degree.

Accurate weather forecasting saves lives. Hurricane hunting, severe storm prediction, providing expert guidance to emergency response teams, and mitigating communications problems caused by space weather are a few of the ways in which meteorologists play an important role in today’s society.

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's Bachelor of Science in Applied Meteorology program prepares students for fascinating careers in the U.S. military, the National Weather Service, commercial operations, aviation companies, or for graduate school for advanced studies in atmospheric sciences.

The program meets the guidelines set by the American Meteorological Society (AMS), National Weather Service, and U.S. Air Force, ensuring our graduates have the professional skills necessary for immediate productivity. Military ROTC is an important part of our program, with many students gaining scholarships and earning coveted rated slots with the US Air Force.

Our students combine theory with valuable hands-on experience to ensure they’re career-ready. They use interactive graphics software to visualize and apply concepts taught in class to today’s weather forecast or tomorrow’s climate. They benefit from direct access to experienced faculty in a small class setting, along with state-of-the-art weather forecasting and observing equipment.

Students also team up with a faculty member to complete a capstone research project in a subject of mutual interest to the student and the faculty member. Students can complement their studies with certifications in Emergency Response Meteorology or Airline Dispatching. Minors are available in Mathematics, Computer Science, Flight, Defense Studies, Unmanned Aircraft Systems and Air Traffic Control, to name a few.

DETAILS

About Applied Meteorology at the Prescott, AZ Campus

The Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Meteorology provides a practical understanding of the physics and dynamics of the atmosphere. Emphasis is placed on applying theory to operational weather forecasting and decision-making for weather-sensitive industries, including possible hands-on experience as a meteorology intern.

Video: Applied Meteorology at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Prescott

The Bachelor of Science in Applied Meteorology degree is housed in the Department of Applied Aviation Sciences in the College of Aviation, and prepares graduating students for careers as meteorologists with the government, military, television, or the private sector, as dispatchers, or for graduate studies toward a career in research or academia.

The program meets all the requirements for undergraduate study in meteorology recommended by the American Meteorological Society, the National Weather Service, and the U.S. Air Force. All graduates also meet U.S. Office of Personnel Management Qualification Standards for the position of meteorologist.

Students use a state-of-the-art Meteorology Lab and computer-equipped classrooms to understand and forecast complex atmospheric phenomena ranging from severe thunderstorms and tornadoes, to cyclones, fronts, and jet streams, to global climate and how it is changing.

With some additional coursework, students in the Applied Meteorology degree program may choose to pursue an Emergency Response Meteorologist Certification, Aircraft Dispatch Certification, Fixed-wing or Helicopter Flight minor (leading to Commercial Pilot Certification), or a Defense Studies minor.

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University has one of the largest and highest rated Air Force ROTC programs in the country. Since Applied Meteorology is a technical degree, substantial scholarships are available to eligible students through Air Force ROTC and the Army Cadet Command.

The program also routinely provides opportunities for students to study abroad every year, bringing meteorology out of the classroom and onto the world stage. International curriculum allows students to investigate, discover, and study unique weather conditions on a global scale and see first-hand the multitude of ways culture interacts with climate. In recent years, our students have studied mountain meteorology in the Swiss Alps and tropical meteorology in the Amazon basin.

The student-led Weather Club is a student chapter of the American Meteorological Society and features valuable networking opportunities at professional meetings, along with more social activities like kayaking and hiking, with faculty often joining in the fun.

Learn more about the Meteorology Lab

Learn more about the Prescott, AZ Campus

High School Students: Apply for our Storm Science & Monsoon Meteorology Summer Camp

Degree Requirements

The Bachelor of Science in Applied Meteorology requires successful completion of a minimum of 120 credit hours. Students should be aware that many courses have prerequisites and/or corequisites and should plan to begin the required math-calculus sequence as soon as they are eligible. In addition, all meteorology (WX) classes, except WX 201, WX 203L, and WX 301, are offered only once per year, although some additional summer classes may be offered.

Program Requirements

General Education

Embry-Riddle degree programs require students to complete a minimum of 36 hours of General Education coursework. For a full description of Embry-Riddle General Education guidelines, please see the General Education section of this catalog.

Students may choose other classes outside of their requirements, but doing so can result in the student having to complete more than the degree's 120 credit hours. This will result in additional time and cost to the student.

Communication Theory and Skills		9
Computer Science/Information Technology		3
Mathematics		6
Physical and Life Sciences (Natural Sciences)		6
Humanities and Social Sciences		12
3 hours of Lower-Level Humanities
3 hours of Lower-Level Social Science
3 hours of Lower-Level or Upper Level Humanities or Social Science
3 hours of Upper Level Humanities or Social Science
Total Credits		36

Applied Meteorology Core (110 Credits)

The following course of study outlines the quickest and most cost-efficient route for students to earn their B.S. in Applied Meteorology. Students are encouraged to follow the course of study to ensure they complete all program required courses and their prerequisites within four years.

Courses in the core with a # will satisfy your general education requirements.

CHM 110 & 110L	General Chemistry I and General Chemistry I Laboratory ^#	4
COM 122	English Composition ^#	3
General Education - Communication Theory and Skills ^#		6
General Education - Computer Science/Information Technology ^#		3
General Education - Humanities Lower-Level Elective ^#		3
General Education - Social Science Lower-Level Elective ^#		3
General Education - Humanities or Social Science Lower-Level Elective ^#		3
General Education - Humanities or Social Science Upper-Level Elective ^#		3
GEO 210	Introduction to Geographic Information Systems	3
MA 222	Business Statistics ^#	3
or PSY 226	Statistics for Organizational Analysis and Research
MA 241	Calculus and Analytical Geometry I ^#	4
MA 242	Calculus and Analytical Geometry II ^#	4
MA 243	Calculus and Analytical Geometry III	4
MA 345	Differential Equations and Matrix Methods	4
MA 441	Mathematical Methods for Engineering and Physics I	3
or GEO 310	Advanced Geographic Information Systems
or WX 312	Mountain Meteorology
or WX 322	Space Weather
PS 215	Physics I ^#	3
PS 216	Physics I Laboratory ^#	1
or PS 253	Physics Laboratory for Engineers
PS 208	Physics II	3
UNIV 101	College Success	1
WX 201	Survey of Meteorology	3
WX 203L	Survey of Meteorology Laboratory	1
WX 261	Applied Climatology ^*	3
WX 270	Weather Information Systems ^**	3
WX 301	Aviation Weather	3
WX 353	Thermodynamics of the Atmosphere ^**	3
WX 354	Dynamics of the Atmosphere ^*	3
WX 363	Thunderstorms ^**	3
WX 365	Satellite and Radar Weather Interpretation ^*	3
WX 390	Atmospheric Physics ^**	3
WX 391	Applied Synoptic Meteorology ^*	3
WX 420	Advanced Atmospheric Thermodynamics ^*	3
WX 427	Forecasting Techniques ^*	3
WX 490	Advanced Dynamic Meteorology I ^*	3
WX 491	Advanced Dynamic Meteorology II ^**	3
WX 492	Advanced Synoptic Meteorology ^**	3
WX 493	Senior Research Thesis (WX 458 Capstone if earning ERM Cert.) ^**	3

Open Electives (10 Credits)

Open Electives

Total Credits

120

*

Offered in Fall Only

Offered in Spring Only

PSY 226 Spring Offering Only

#

General Education Course

All Army ROTC students are required to complete SS 321 - U.S. Military History 1900-Present (3 credits) in order to commission.

Applied Meteorology - General

Freshman Year
Fall		Credits
COM 122	English Composition	3
MA 241	Calculus and Analytical Geometry I	4
PS 215	Physics I	3
PS 216	Physics I Laboratory	1
or PS 253	Physics Laboratory for Engineers
WX 201	Survey of Meteorology	3
WX 203L	Survey of Meteorology Laboratory	1
UNIV 101	College Success	1
	Credits Subtotal	16.0
Spring
	Communications Elective	3
MA 242	Calculus and Analytical Geometry II	4
PS 208	Physics II	3
WX 301	Aviation Weather	3
WX 353	Thermodynamics of the Atmosphere	3
	Credits Subtotal	16.0
Sophomore Year
Fall
	Computer Science/Information Technology Elective	3
MA 243	Calculus and Analytical Geometry III	4
WX 261	Applied Climatology	3
WX 354	Dynamics of the Atmosphere	3
WX 365	Satellite and Radar Weather Interpretation	3
	Credits Subtotal	16.0
Spring
CHM 110 & 110L	General Chemistry I	4
	Humanities Lower-Level Elective	3
MA 441	Mathematical Methods for Engineering and Physics I	3
or GEO 310	Advanced Geographic Information Systems
or WX 312	Mountain Meteorology
or WX 322	Space Weather
WX 270	Weather Information Systems	3
WX 363	Thunderstorms	3
	Credits Subtotal	16.0
Junior Year
Fall
	Communications Elective	3
MA 345	Differential Equations and Matrix Methods	4
	Social Science Lower-Level Elective	3
WX 391	Applied Synoptic Meteorology	3
WX 420	Advanced Atmospheric Thermodynamics	3
	Credits Subtotal	16.0
Spring
GEO 210	Introduction to Geographic Information Systems	3
	Humanities or Social Science Upper-Level Elective	3
	Social Science Lower-Level Elective	3
WX 390	Atmospheric Physics	3
WX 492	Advanced Synoptic Meteorology	3
	Credits Subtotal	15.0
Senior Year
Fall
MA 222	Business Statistics	3
or PSY 226	Statistics for Organizational Analysis and Research
	Open Elective	3
WX 427	Forecasting Techniques	3
WX 490	Advanced Dynamic Meteorology I	3
	Credits Subtotal	12.0
Spring
	Open Electives	7
WX 491	Advanced Dynamic Meteorology II	3
WX 493	Senior Research Thesis ^*	3
or WX 458	All Hazards Support, Modeling and Mapping.
	Credits Subtotal	13.0
	Credits Total:	120

*: WX 458 will be used to replace WX 493 for those students completing the Emergency Response Meteorology certificate program.

Emergency Response Meteorologist Certification

The Emergency Response Meteorologist (ERM) Certificate* prepares graduates for employment as an ERM or Incident Meteorologist. This certification is only available to students who complete a B.S. in Applied Meteorology. It gives students additional knowledge and skill to provide decision support services more effectively to meteorology customers. This additional training will prepare graduates to work in emergency operations centers for national or local government agencies and help guide decisions related to meteorology.

Students in this certification program learn about the U.S. incident command structure, gaining official National Incident Management System (NIMS) certification issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and Intermediate and Advanced Incident Command Certification through local emergency management personnel.

Students will also achieve familiarity with geographic information systems (GIS) as essential for mapping geophysical datasets and visualizing emergency plans and incident response operations. Then, the capstone experience (WX 458) gives students the opportunity to configure and operate various hazard models used in emergency management scenarios to predict the impacts of floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, wildfire behavior, and the spread of hazardous materials.

Certification Requirements

The ERM Certificate is only available at the Prescott Campus to students majoring in Applied Meteorology. It requires the successful completion of the IS-100.C, IS-200.B, IS-700, IS-703, IS-706, and IS-800.C NIMS certificates as well as ICS-300 and ICS-400. It also requires satisfactory performance in all required courses, which must be completed with a “C” grade or better.

Cooperative Education/Internship		3
GEO 310	Advanced Geographic Information Systems	3
or GEO 350	Introduction to Remote Sensing with GIS
SIS 499 Directed Study ^*		3
WX 458	All Hazards Support, Modeling and Mapping.	3

It is highly recommended (but not required) that students complete an internship as part of their cooperative education during the year preceding graduation. Students may earn credit for their internship activities. This will provide practical on-the-job experience while shadowing real emergency response meteorologists at various locations around the country. Internships also provide valuable networking opportunities and open doors to future employment.

*SIS 499 - is a directed study and will need Department approval

**This program is offered within the Applied Meteorology program at ERAU and not as separate training. To complete the Emergency Response Certification program, the student must also complete the Applied Meteorology degree and must earn a “C” grade or higher in all required courses. For more information, contact the Chair of the Applied Aviation Sciences Department.

For course descriptions, education requirements, curriculum, and suggested plan of study, please see the Bachelor of Science in Applied Meteorology in the Prescott Catalog.

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Summary

120 Credits

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Spotlight

NSF Funds Study of Southwest Wildfires

Embry-Riddle Department of Applied Aviation Sciences faculty members Dr. Dorothea Ivanova and Dr. Michael Kaplan have been awarded National Science Foundation (NSF) funding of up to $102,000 over the next three years to study wildfires and other climate events in collaboration with researchers at North Carolina A&T University.

Bachelor of Science in Applied Meteorology