Atmospheric Science

University of British Columbia

Canada, Vancouver

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University of British Columbia

Canada , Vancouver

Key Facts

Program Level

Bachelor

Study Type

Full Time

Delivery

On Campus

Application Fee

CAD 125

Campuses

Vancouver

Program Language

English

Start & Deadlines

Next Intake Deadlines15-May-2023

Apply to this program

Go to the official application for the university

Duration 4 year(s)

Tuition Fee

CAD 46,296 / year

Next Intake 15-May-2023

Atmospheric Science

About

You can study intense specialization in a single field.

Atmospheric Science is the study of weather and climate. The undergraduate specialization is highly interdisciplinary with a focus on numerical problem solving/computation, the atmospheric boundary layer, and physical climatology.

Courses focus on meteorological fields including air quality, environment, climate change, weather monitoring and instrumentation, and consulting. The program has deemphasized traditional weather forecasting to reflect changing industry demands.

The program's strong emphasis on computation equips students with the computation and mathematical knowledge for data analysis and atmospheric modelling. The program's interdisciplinary nature emphasis the integration of meteorological knowledge with issues such as air quality, environmental sustainability, and renewable energy.

Atmospheric Science has integrated modern pedagogical practices into its curriculum such as flipped classrooms, just-in-time-teaching (JiTT) and two-phase exams.

Campus features

Undergraduates in this specialization make use of many modern facilities. The Earth Sciences Building includes a weather-instrument platform for research and teaching, modern labs for oceanographic research, wet labs, and two PC classrooms. There are extensive hands-on labs and equipment to introduce students to biometeorology, micrometeorology, urban meteorology, weather instruments (including LIDAR), and atmospheric chemistry. Data from second climate station at Totem field is used regularly.

The Pacific Museum of the Earth includes a green screen that students use for mock TV weather briefings, a "weather lane"‌ of displays including a tornado machine, and an OmniGlobe for display of weather and other geophysical data.

Students use Mechanical Engineering's Aerodynamics Laboratory in the specialization's instruments course, and the Engineering Design Center enables creative instrument development.

The Atmospheric Science faculty also owns cluster computers for numerical weather and climate simulations.

Pacific Museum of the Earth
UBC Earth Sciences Building
UBC Aerodynamics Laboratory

Atmospheric Science is the study of weather and climate. This highly interdisciplinary specialization focuses on meteorological fields including air quality, environment, climate change, weather monitoring & instrumentation, and consulting.

Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4

CHEM 121 - Structure and Bonding in Chemistry
Fundamentals of bonding theories and structural chemistry, with applications relevant to modern society.
PHYS 109 - Enriched Experimental Physics
A laboratory course accompanying PHYS 108 with emphasis on data collection and analysis and experimental techniques.
CPSC 110 - Computation, Programs, and Programming
Fundamental program and computation structures. Introductory programming skills. Computation as a tool for information processing, simulation and modeling, and interacting with the world.
MATH 100 - Differential Calculus with Applications to Physical Sciences and Engineering
Derivatives of elementary functions. Applications and modeling: graphing, optimization. Consult the Faculty of Science Credit Exclusion List: www.calendar.ubc.ca/vancouver/index.cfm?tree=12,215,410,414.

ATSC 201 - Meteorology of Storms
Characteristics and physical processes of thunderstorms, tornadoes, lightning, hail, hurricanes, blizzards, cyclones and other storms.
EOSC 211 - Computer Methods in Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences
Mathematical computer-based problem solving in the physical, chemical, and biological sciences. Problems drawn from studies of the earth, the oceans and the atmosphere.
CPSC 103 - Introduction to Systematic Program Design
Computation as a tool for systematic problem solving in non-computer-science disciplines. Introductory programming skills. Not for credit for students who have credit for, or exemption from, or are concurrently taking CPSC 110 or APSC 160. No programming experience expected.
CPSC 110 - Computation, Programs, and Programming
Fundamental program and computation structures. Introductory programming skills. Computation as a tool for information processing, simulation and modeling, and interacting with the world.
MATH 200 - Calculus III
Analytic geometry in 2 and 3 dimensions, partial and directional derivatives, chain rule, maxima and minima, second derivative test, Lagrange multipliers, multiple integrals with applications.

ATSC 301 - Atmospheric Radiation and Remote Sensing
Energy transfer at infrared, visible, and microwave wavelengths. Analysis of satellite measurements of the atmosphere and surface.
ENVR 300 - Introduction to Research in Environmental Science
Environmental research. Students investigate research methodologies and reporting in a range of scientific disciplines and fields.
GEOB 300 - Microscale Weather and Climate
Meteorology and climatology at the micro-, local, and meso-scales. Interactions between land surfaces and atmosphere. Basics of atmospheric turbulence and transfer processes. Microclimates on scales of a leaf to those of a large valley.
CHEM 304 - Fundamentals of Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics
Principles of chemical thermodynamics; introduction to statistical mechanics; phase equilibria; electrochemistry.

ATSC 405 - Cloud Physics and Chemistry
Cloud thermodynamics, chemistry and microphysics. Computer modelling of droplet growth, convection, and mixing. Application of differential equations to atmospheric problems.
ATSC 404 - Dynamic Meteorology
Dynamic principles governing atmospheric motions on a rotating planet. Simplified mathematical models of atmospheric flow based on scale analysis. Application to synoptic-scale and general circulation of the troposphere.
ATSC 449 - Honours Project
Honours students must submit a graduating report based on a project undertaken with the approval of the Associate Chair of the Atmospheric Science Program.
ATSC 406 - Operational Meteorology
Introduction to meteorological prediction, meteorological data analysis, prognosis of weather systems, motion and development, satellite imagery, Doppler radar, numerical weather prediction, synoptic and mesoscale forecasting, applied laboratory exercises.

Disciplines

Faculty of Science

Requirements

Entry Requirements

Graduation from a university-preparatory program at a senior secondary school: General Secondary Education Certificate (Tawjihi). Certificates must be official. Photocopies are acceptable if certified by school principal, head, or counsellor. Notarized copies are not acceptable.

Career

A BSc in Atmospheric Sciences qualifies students for work in air quality meteorology or environmental consulting, as well as for further study in graduate programs.

Many graduates are employed as weather forecasters for government weather services, with an increasing number finding employment with weather-forecast companies that tailor forecast for agriculture, aviation, and air quality.

Program graduates

Operational meteorologist, Environment Canada
Weather specialist, BC Public Service
Consultant, Environmental Resources Management
Air quality specialist, WSP in Canada

Related programs

- - Name
  - Campus
  - Length
- - Earth and Ocean Sciences
    - Vancouver
    4 years
  - Environmental Chemistry
    - Okanagan
    4 years
  - Environmental Engineering (joint UNBC/UBC)
    - Vancouver
    4.5 years
  - Environmental Sciences
    - Vancouver
    4 years

Fee Information

Tuition Fee

CAD 46,296 / year

Application Fee

CAD 125

How to Apply

As you complete the online application, keep the following tips in mind:

Start early and take your time. Once you begin the application, you will be able to save it and return to it later – but only up until the deadline. Once you have submitted your application to UBC, you will not be able to edit it. Since the online application can sometimes time out if left open for too long, we recommend working on your personal profile questions outside of the application (where you can run them through a spell-checker) then copy and paste them into your application.
Let the online application guide you. You’ll be asked to provide only the information we need based on your degree choice(s), your previous education, and other factors.
Tell us your full academic history. It’s important to include all of the high schools, colleges, and/or universities you have attended. Don’t leave anything out!
Be accurate. UBC has a number of methods in place to authenticate information provided in the application. These methods include, but are not limited to, contacting references, verifying academic records, and requesting additional documentation to verify your personal profile. If an application is found to contain untrue or incomplete information, UBC may, at its discretion: withdraw an offer of admission; require you to withdraw from UBC; subject you to academic discipline; or share the information provided with other post-secondary institutions, law enforcement agencies, or other third parties.
Use an email address you check frequently. Once you have submitted your application, UBC will communicate with you primarily by email.
Note your UBC student number. Write down your UBC student number somewhere safe. You’ll need it in future correspondence with UBC.