Sample Four-Year Plans

The plans on this page will allow you to graduate in four years. Each student's plan is laid out after careful collaboration with an academic advisor, as certain career plans will require different course selections. 

A word to the wise: THESE ARE SAMPLE PLANS ONLY! If you follow them, you will miss out on some of our very best courses, will take some too early, others too late, and might miss something you will wish you had taken! Please use the full requirements page for planning purposes!

The following are two potential courses of study for students (these are not formal areas of concentration). The first assumes the student is prepared to take MATH 140, while the second begins with MATH 115. Both course plans satisfy the guidelines given by the American Meteorological Society for the B.S. degree in Atmospheric Science, as well as the Federal Civil Service GS 1340 requirements for ‘meteorologist’, and the GS 1360 requirements for ‘oceanographer’.

Any student who wishes to be recommended for a research-oriented graduate program should maintain at least a B average.


Sample Plan #1

Beginning with MATH 140 allows students to complete required courses earlier. With this plan, the Master of Professional Studies (MPS) program in atmospheric and oceanic science could be completed in one additional year following the BS degree.

Freshman Sophomore

Fall (14 credits)
MATH 140 (4)
CHEM 135 (3) &
CHEM 136 or 132 (1)
ENGL 101 (3)
GenEd/CORE (3)

Spring (15 credits)
MATH 141 (4)
PHYS 171 (3)
PHYS 174 (1)
AOSC 200 & 201 (4)
GenEd/CORE (3)

Fall (15 credits)
MATH 241 (4)
PHYS 272 (3)
PHYS 275 (1)
CMSC106/131/AOSC358L 4/4/3
AOSC400 (3)

Spring (16 credits)
MATH 246 (4)
PHYS 273 (3)
AOSC 401 (3)
GenEd/CORE (3)
GenEd/CORE (3)

Junior Senior

Fall (16 credits)
AOSC 431 (3)
AOSC 494 (1)
STAT 400 (3)
ENGL 390 (3)
GenEd/CORE (3)

Spring (15 credits)
AOSC 401 (3)
AOSC 432 (3)
AOSC 433/434 (3)
GenEd/CORE (3)
Elective (3)

Fall (15 credits)
AOSC 424 (3)
AOSC 470 (3)
AOSC 493 (3)
AOSC 375 (3)
Elective (3)

Spring (15 credits)
AOSC 498 (3)
MATH 462 (3)
GenEd/CORE (3)
Elective (3)
Elective (3)

Sample Plan #2

Beginning with MATH 115 precalculus, this plan offers a broader survey of geoscience while still satisfying GS requirements. 

Freshman Sophomore

Fall (15 credits)
MATH 115 (3)
GEOL 120 (3)
GenEd/CORE (3)
GenEd/CORE (3)
Elective (3)

Spring (15 credits)
MATH 140 (4)
AOSC 200 & 201 (4)
CHEM 135 (3)
CHEM 136 or 132 (1)
GenEd/CORE (3)

Fall (15 credits)
MATH 141 (4)
PHYS 161 (3)
PHYS 174 (1)
CMSC 106 (4)
Elective (3)

Spring (14 credits)
MATH 241 (4)
PHYS 260 (3)
PHYS 261 (1)
GenEd/CORE (3)
Elective (3)

Junior Senior

Fall (16 credits)
MATH 246 (3)
PHYS 270 (3)
PHYS 271 (1)
AOSC 400 (3)
AOSC 431 (3)
GenEd/CORE (3)

Spring (16 credits)
AOSC 401 (3)
AOSC 432 (3)
AOSC 494 (1)
GenEd/CORE (3)
STAT 400 (3)
Elective (3)

Fall (15 credits)
AOSC 424 (3)
AOSC 470 (3)
AOSC 493 (3)
AOSC 375 (3)
Elective (3)

Spring (15 credits)
AOSC 498 (3)
AOSC 433/434 (3)
GenEd/CORE (3)
Elective (3)
Elective (3)