Curriculum

Required Classes

The required classes for all entering graduate students are:

ATMOS 501 (5) Fundamentals of Physical Meteorology (Aut)
ATMOS 502 (3) Introduction to Synoptic Meteorology (Spr or sometimes Aut)
ATMOS 532 (3) Atmospheric Radiation: Introductory (Win)
ATMOS 535 (3) Cloud Physics (Spr)
ATMOS 558 (3) Atmospheric Chemistry(Spr)

and either of the following sequences

ATMOS 503 (3) Atmospheric Motions I (Aut)
ATMOS 504 (5) Atmospheric Motions II (Win)

or

ATMOS 505 (4) Introduction to Fluid Dynamics (Aut)
ATMOS 509 (4) Geophysical Fluid Dynamics (Win)
ATMOS 542 (3) Synoptic and Mesoscale Dynamics (Spr)

Students should discuss with their advisors which of the above dynamics sequences is most appropriate for their research.

The total units for these required courses is 25 or 28.

A grade of 2.7 or higher is required in each course used to satisfy degree requirements with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 required to graduate.

Students who have already taken equivalents of some of the required graduate courses may petition to replace these courses with other offerings.

Credit Requirements

M.S. Degree

Master’s students need a minimum of 36 credits to graduate, which must include:

*Students intending to pursue a Ph.D should take all required courses.

UW Graduate School Master’s Degree Policies

PhD Degree

PhD students need a minimum of 90 credits to graduate, which must include:

  • 36 graded course credits (excludes seminars & colloquia):
    • 25-28 credits in ATMOS core courses total credits depend on choice of dynamics sequence)
    • at least 8-11 credits in ATMOS 5XX electives in student’s area of interest (total credits depend on choice of dynamics sequence)
    • at least 6 credits in related coursework outside of the department
  • 27 credits (minimum) ATMOS 800 Doctoral Dissertation
  • Quarterly seminar and colloquia

PhD Data Science and Advanced Data Science Option

Learn more about these options here.

UW Graduate School PhD Degree Policies

First Two Years

The required courses are distributed over a student’s first two years as follows:

YEAR 1:

AUTUMN QUARTER YEAR 1 (18 credits total):

  1. ATMOS 501 Intro to Atmospheric Physics & Chem (5 cr)
  2. ATMOS 505 Fluid Dynamics (4 cr)
    (or ATMOS 503 Atmos Motions I (3 cr))
  3. ATMOS 520 Atmos and Climate Sci Colloquium(1 cr)
  4. One of the following seminars:
    ATMOS 521 Seminar-Atmos & Climate Dynamics (1 cr)
    ATMOS 523 Seminar-Atmos Physics & Chem (1 cr)
  5. One research methods course from the recommended list, or see your faculty adviser for the recommendation that fits your research project. (This course does not have to be taken in the first quarter, but it is suggested that the student complete it in their first year.)
  6. ATMOS 600 Independent Study/Research (Cr vary; up to 10 credits, to bring total quarter credits to 18 – contact Student Services for a faculty code.)

WINTER QUARTER YEAR 1 (18 credits total):

  1. ATMOS 532 Atmospheric Radiation: Introductory (3 cr)
  2. ATMOS 509 Geophysical Fluid Dynamics (4 cr)
    (or ATMOS 504 Atmos Motions II (5 cr))
  3. ATMOS 520 Atmos and Climate Sci Colloquium (1 cr)
  4. ATMOS 558 Atmospheric Chemistry (3 cr)
  5. One of the following seminars:
    ATMOS 521 Seminar-Atmos & Climate Dynamics (1 cr)
    ATMOS 523 Seminar-Atmos Physics & Chem (1 cr)
  6. ATMOS 600 Independent Study/Research (Cr vary; up to 10 credits, to bring total quarter credits to 18 – contact Student Services for a faculty code.)
  7. Optional Elective: One ATMOS or Non-ATMOS elective, to satisfy credit requirements

SPRING QUARTER YEAR 1 (18 credits total):

  1. For those who took ATMOS 503, 504:
    ATMOS 535 Cloud Physics (3 cr)
    ATMOS 502 Intro to Synoptic Meteorology (3 cr)
  2. For those who took ATM S 505, 509:
    ATMOS 542 Synoptic & Mesoscale Dynamics (3)
    And one of *:
    ATMOS 535 Cloud Physics (3 cr)
    ATMOS 502 Intro to Synoptic Meteorology (3 cr)
  3. ATMOS 520 Atmos and Climate Sci Colloquium (1 cr)
  4. One of the following seminars:
    ATMOS 521 Seminar-Atmos & Climate Dynamics (1 cr)
    ATMOS 523 Seminar-Atmos Physics & Chem (1 cr)
  5. ATMOS 600 Independent Study/Research (Cr vary; up to 10 credits, to bring total quarter credits to 18 – contact Student Services for a faculty code.)
  6. Optional Elective: One ATMOS or Non-ATMOS elective, to satisfy credit requirements.
    *NOTE: Students interested in numerical modeling should take ATMOS 581 (Numerical Analysis for Time Dependent Problems) as an elective in the spring of their first year and take either 535 or 558 in the spring quarter of their second year.

SUMMER QUARTER YEAR 1:

  1. ATMOS 700 Masters Thesis (2 cr – contact Student Services for a faculty code.)


YEAR 2:

AUTUMN QUARTER YEAR 2 (total credits not to exceed 18):

  1. ATMOS 700 Masters Thesis (10 cr)
  2. ATMOS 520 Atmos and Climate Sci Colloquium (1 cr)
  3. One of the following seminars:
    ATMOS 521 Seminar-Atmos & Climate Dynamics (1 cr)
    ATMOS 523 Seminar-Atmos Physics & Chem (1 cr)
  4. Optional Elective: One ATMOS or Non-ATMOS elective, to satisfy credit requirements

WINTER QUARTER YEAR 2 (total credits not to exceed 18):

  1. ATMOS 700 Masters Thesis (10 cr)
  2. ATMOS 520 Atmos and Climate Sci Colloquium (1 cr)
  3. One of the following seminars:
    ATMOS 521 Seminar-Atmos & Climate Dynamics (1 cr)
    ATMOS 523 Seminar-Atmos Physics & Chem (1 cr)
  4. Optional Elective: One ATMOS or Non-ATMOS elective, to satisfy credit requirements

SPRING QUARTER YEAR 2 (total credits not to exceed 18):

  1. ATMOS 700 Masters Thesis (10 cr)
  2. ATMOS 520 Atmos and Climate Sci Colloquium (1 cr)
  3. One of the following seminars:
    ATMOS 521 Seminar-Atmos & Climate Dynamics (1 cr)
    ATMOS 523 Seminar-Atmos Physics & Chem (1 cr)
  4. Optional Elective: One ATMOS or Non-ATMOS elective, to satisfy credit requirements

SUMMER QUARTER YEAR 2:

  1. ATMOS 700 Masters Thesis (2 cr)

 

All Subsequent Quarters/Years

In general, students who have completed all required core coursework should register for the following (at minimum) each quarter:

AUTUMN/WINTER/SPRING:

  1. ATMOS 700 Masters Thesis (10 cr)
    or
    ATMOS 800 Doctoral Dissertation (10 cr; post-COGS students only)
  2. ATMOS 520 Atmos and Climate Sci Colloquium (1 cr)
  3. One of the following seminars:
    ATMOS 521 Seminar-Atmos & Climate Dynamics (1 cr)
    ATMOS 523 Seminar-Atmos Physics & Chem (1 cr)
  4. Optional Elective: One ATMOS or Non-ATMOS elective, to satisfy credit requirements

SUMMER:

  1. ATMOS 700 Masters Thesis (2 cr)
    or
    ATMOS 800 Doctoral Dissertation (2 cr; post-COGS students only)

Recommended research methods courses:

AMATH 501 Vector Calculus and Complex Variables (5 cr) For students who have not yet taken vector analysis
AMATH 581 Scientific Computing (5 cr) For students who have had vector analysis
AMATH 503 Methods for Partial Differential Equations (5)
AMATH 583 High-Performance Scientific Computing (5)
AMATH 584 Applied Linear Algebra and Introductory Numerical Analysis (5)
ATMOS 552 Objective Analysis (3)

There are many other courses in AMATH and other departments that may satisfy non-ATMOS elective requirements – check with faculty adviser, GPC or Student Services Coordinator to confirm.

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