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Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Science Minor Program

The Undergraduate Minor Program is a University wide program for undergraduate students. A college or several colleges jointly, may award an Undergraduate Minor to students that undertake concentrated study in a selected field. This will be noted on the student's transcript at the time of graduation. A Minor Program requires at least fifteen hours of study but no more than twenty four hours in a specific field. At least six of the required hours must be at the 300 level or above, and no more than six of the required credits may be taken at an institution other than the University of Maryland,College Park

Under the guidelines of the University Minor Program, the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Science developed several such areas of concentration, to meet a wide range of student interests. The following programs will be available, starting Spring 2005, and additional tracks are under development.

Minor will provide a general background in meteorology, as offered by the lower level courses, and a solid background in Atmospheric Physics and Atmospheric Dynamics, as offered by two required courses. It is aimed at students that might consider graduate work in Meteorology, or prepare them for the very favorable job market in the Washington area, where a background in Meteorology can be an asset. This Minor will provide the students with a general background in Meteorology, as offered by the lower level courses, and a broader background on a wide range of sub-fields in Meteorology and on current issues in Climate Research, as provided by the two required courses. This Minor track is aimed at students who wish to be informed about this field, who do not have an a priori interest to pursue graduate work in this field, but who might pursue careers where background in Meteorology is important, such as environmental policy, government, and industry. This Minor will provide the students with a general background in Meteorology, as offered by the lower level required courses, and a background on issues in Atmospheric Chemistry. This Minor track is intended for students who might pursue careers where background in Atmospheric Chemistry is needed, such as Air Pollution, Atmospheric Chemistry, and environmental issues.