The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree is primarily a research degree. The candidate must complete at least 36 units of graduate course credit in the major field, including a core of 6 units of dynamic meteorology and 6 units of physical meteorology. An additional 18 units of other graduate-level atmospheric sciences courses and 6 units of graduate-level elective coursework completes the 36 credit requirement. In addition, the candidate must complete 18 units of dissertation credit, 2 units of ATMO seminar, and fulfill the minor requirement (typically 12 units, depending on the minor Department). All Ph.D. students must pass a written and oral Comprehensive Examination, and complete and defend a dissertation based on original research.
Students accepted into the graduate program without a Master's of Science (M.S.) degree must first successfully complete the M.S. program before proceeding with the Ph.D. Students entering the Ph.D. program with an M.S. degree in another field are permitted to minor within the department with the approval of their committee. This minor will consist of 12 units of atmospheric sciences at the graduate level in subjects other than those directly related to their area of research.
The program is highly quantitative, it is required for applicants to have a strong background in physics and calculus.
Active research in the following areas:
- Atmospheric Chemistry & Aerosols
- Changes in Hydrologic Extremes Under a Warmer Climate
- Climate & Global Change
- COSMOS Soil Moisture Measurement
- Improving Monsoon Predictability
- Integrated Evaluations and Applications of the NASA MERRA Reanalysis Data
- Land Processes in the NCAR CCSM
- Land Processes in the NCEP Weather Forecasting Model
- Radiation & Remote Sensing
- Tropical Meteorology and Tropical Cyclones
- Weather Analysis & Predictability