Atmospheric Sciences

College of the Environment

Atmospheric sciences is a wide-ranging discipline that includes topics as diverse as weather forecasting, global warming, air quality, Pacific Northwest weather and climate, mountain weather, marine weather, El Nino, the ozone hole, ice ages, and the weather of Mars. It considers problems that are both scientifically challenging and critical for the welfare of modern society. These problems are addressed with theory, measurements, and computer simulations.

Minor available.

Major category: Minimum requirements

Topic: Natural sciences, Engineering-option

website   Degree requirements

Applicant type

Freshman

Freshmen can apply to the UW to begin autumn quarter or winter quarter (U.S. applicants only)

Read more about applying to the UW as a freshman, including details for programs that provide high school students with college credit (like Running Start).


Transfer

Quarters of general admission to UW: autumn / winter (U.S. applicants only) / spring

Preparation for the major is a factor in transfer admission.

  • Use the information below to help you prepare for this degree
  • Visit MyPlan to run a degree audit.
  • Use the UW Equivalency Guide to find out how courses taken at a Washington state community or technical college will transfer to the UW.
  • UW college and school graduation requirements

Department admission information

  • Departmental application deadline:
  • Please contact the department for details about the application process.

This is a minimum requirements major. Students can declare this major once they have completed prerequisite courses with a minimum grade of 2.0 in each course and a minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA.

Students interested in the major are encouraged to contact the advisor: advise@atmos.washington.edu

Read more about applying to the UW as a transfer student.

Courses required for the major:

  • CSE 142 NSc RSN – Computer Programming I
  • ATM S 220 NSc – Exploring the Atmospheric Sciences
  • MATH 124 NSc RSN – Calc with Analytical Geometry
  • MATH 125 NSc – Calc with Analytical Geometry II
  • MATH 126 NSc – Calc with Analytical Geometry III
  • PHYS 121 NSc RSN – Mechanics
  • PHYS 122 NSc – Electromagnetism
  • PHYS 123 NSc – Waves, Light, and Heat

 

Entering transfer information:

Total undergraduates: 62
Total from Washington community colleges: 8

Entering transfer GPA (from WA community colleges):

3.75 – 4.00: 2
3.50 – 3.74: 3
3.25 – 3.49: 1
3.00 – 3.24: 0
2.75 – 2.99: 1
2.50 – 2.74: 1
2.49 and below: 0


Career outcomes