Approved by: Undergraduate Course and Curriculum Committee
Implementation Date: Summer 2016
Note: Deletions are strikethroughs. Insertions are underlined.
Catalog Copy
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN METEOROLOGY
The primary goal of the Bachelor of Science in Meteorology is to advance our understanding of the atmospheric processes that influence weather and climate. This pursuit inherently involves an interdisciplinary approach through the combination of advanced coursework in mathematics, chemistry, physics, statistics, computer science, geology, earth science, and meteorology with emphasis on recent basic and applied research. The program is designed to provide the next generation of meteorologists with sufficient knowledge and skills to: (1) effectively monitor and analyze the atmospheric state across a spectrum of temporal and geospatial scales; (2) provide accurate and timely forecasts of ordinary and severe weather; and (3) address relevant contemporary challenges such as global and region climate change, human interactions with the natural environment, and the development of resilient and sustainable communities. To this end, the core meteorological curriculum is composed of courses that collectively provide a broad treatment of multi-scale atmospheric processes, including atmospheric thermodynamics and physics as well as synoptic, dynamic, and mesoscale meteorology. The major comprises a minimum of 70 71 total hours with 31 35 hours of required departmental courses, 9 hours of elective departmental courses, and 30 27 hours of required extra-departmental courses. An outline of the program appears below. Students are also encouraged to take additional coursework in related disciplines. Students enrolled in the program must complete a total of 120 hours, and fulfill the general education requirements applicable to all baccalaureate degrees at UNC Charlotte.
Degree Requirements:
Required Courses (31 35 hours)
ESCI 1101 Earth Sciences – Geography (3)
ESCI 1101L Earth Sciences – Geography Lab (1)
ESCI 3101 Global Environmental Change (3)
GEOL 1200 Physical Geology (3)
GEOL 1200L Physical Geology Lab (1)
METR 3140 Introduction to Meteorology and Climatology (3)
METR 3140 Fundamentals of Meteorology (3)
METR 3210 Atmospheric Thermodynamics (3)
METR 3220 Physical Meteorology (3)
METR 3245 Synoptic Meteorology (4)
METR 3250 Dynamic Meteorology (4) (3)
METR 4105 Meteorological Computer Applications (3)
METR 4205 Climate Dynamics (3)
METR 4245 Advanced Synoptic Meteorology (3)
METR 4250 Advanced Dynamic Meteorology (3)
Elective Courses (Select 9 hours)
ESCI 3105 Oceanography (3)
ESCI 3205 Water Resources (3)
ESCI 4140 Hydrological Processes (4)
ESCI 4155 Fluvial Processes (4)
ESCI 4170 Fundamentals of Remote Sensing (4)
ESCI 4180 Advanced Remote Sensing (4)
ESCI 4180 Digital Image Processing in Remote Sensing (4)
ESCI 4222 Watershed Science (3)
GEOG 2103 Elements of GIScience & Technologies (4)
GEOG 3165 Environmental Planning (W) (3)
GEOG 4110 GIS for Non-Majors (4)
GEOG 4120 Fundamentals of GIS (4)
GEOG 4131 Environmental Modeling with GIS (4)
METR 3252 Weather Analysis Laboratory (1)
METR 3330 Weather Forecasting (W) (3)
METR 3340 Weather Communications (3)
METR 4110 Atmospheric Instrumentation (3)
METR 4150 Applied Climatology (W) (3)
METR 4220 Atmospheric Chemistry (3)
METR 4240 Boundary Layer Meteorology (3)
METR 4320 Tropical Meteorology (3)
METR 4350 Mesoscale Meteorology (3)
Required Extra-Departmental Courses (30 27 hours)
CHEM 1251 General Chemistry I (3)
CHEM 1251L General Chemistry I Lab (1)
ITCS 1212 Introduction to Computer Science (3)
ITCS 1212L Introduction to Computer Science Lab (0)
MATH 1241 Calculus I (3)
MATH 1242 Calculus II (3)
MATH 2171 Differential Equations (3)
MATH 2241 Calculus III (3)
PHYS 2101 Physics for Science I (3)
PHYS 2101L Physics for Science I Lab (1)
PHYS 2102 Physics for Science II (3)
PHYS 2102L Physics for Science II Lab (1)
STAT 2122 Introduction to Probability and Statistics (3)
Course Descriptions:
METR 3140. Introduction to Fundamentals of Meteorology. & Climatology (3) Prerequisite: ESCI 1101-1101L, or permission of instructor. Fundamental physical principles of meteorology: analysis of atmospheric behavior, the governing forces and map contouring are all introduced. Specific topics include solar radiation, temperature, moisture, wind and pressure, synoptic systems, jet streams, local weather, thunderstorms, and tropical systems. weather and climate. Analysis of short and long term atmospheric behavior are introduced. Topics include solar radiation, temperature, moisture, wind and pressure, synoptic systems, regional climates, paleoclimates, climatic change, and applied climatology. (Fall)
METR 3210. Atmospheric Thermodynamics. (3) Prerequisites: METR 3140 with a grade of C or above and MATH 1241; or permission of instructor. The study of the physical processes associated with atmospheric thermodynamics and stability. Topics include: atmospheric composition, equation of state, hydrostatics, first and second laws of thermodynamics for dry, moist, and saturated air, atmospheric stability, parcel buoyancy, and thermodynamic diagrams. Three hours of combined lecture and lab per week. (Spring)
METR 3220. Physical Meteorology. (3) Prerequisites: CHEM 1251 and METR 3210 with grades of C or above; or permission of instructor. Fundamentals of cloud and precipitation physics, atmospheric electricity, atmospheric chemistry and physics, atmospheric radiation, and radiative transfer. Three hours of combined lecture and lab per week. (Fall)
METR 3245. Synoptic Meteorology. (4) Prerequisite: METR 3210 with a grade of C or above, or permission of instructor. Principles of meteorological analysis; fundamental concepts of meteorology, thermodynamics, and kinematics are integrated to understand the structure and evolution of mid-latitude cyclones and fronts. Three hours of lecture and one three-hour lab per week. (Fall)
METR 3250. Dynamic Meteorology. (4) (3) Prerequisites: METR 3245 with a grade of C or above, MATH 1242, and PHYS 2101; or permission of instructor. Principles of atmospheric dynamics including the equations of motion, circulation, vorticity, divergence, balanced and unbalanced flows, and the general circulation. Three hours of combined lecture and one three-hour lab per week. (Spring)
METR 3252. Weather Analysis Laboratory. (1) Pre- or corequisite: METR 3245 and permission of instructor. Topics related to atmospheric observation, data collection, analysis, and techniques of weather forecasting. May be repeated for credit. (On demand)
METR 3330. Weather Forecasting. (3) (W) Prerequisite: METR 3245 or permission of instructor. Focuses on weather forecasting: real-time, short-term, and long-term. Verification techniques will be studied. Three hours of combined lecture and lab per week. (Spring, On demand)
METR 3340. Weather Communications. (3) Pre- or corequisite: METR 3245 or permission of instructor. A survey of the field of weather communications covering weather forecasting principles, television and radio broadcasting, science writing, forensic meteorology, and forecasting for business applications. Three hours of combined lecture and lab per week. (Fall, On demand)
METR 4000. Selected Topics in Meteorology. (1-4) Prerequisite: METR 3140 or permission of the instructor. In-depth treatment of specific topics selected from meteorology. May be repeated for credit with change of topic. (On demand)
METR 4105. Meteorological Computer Applications. (3) Prerequisites: METR 3140 and MATH 1241 with a grade of C or above, or permission of instructor. Principles of computer programming applied to the analysis of meteorological data. Students will become familiar with the Unix environment, learn programming basics, and create programs to analyze various meteorological datasets. Topics include program composition, compiling, data types, mathematical operators, selective execution, repetitive execution, arrays, functions, and subroutines. Three hours of combined lecture and lab per week. (Spring)
METR 4110. Atmospheric Instrumentation. (3) Prerequisite: METR 3210 with a grade of C or above, or permission of the instructor. An overview of common atmospheric measurements systems and their applications. Particular attention is paid to surface, sounding, radar, and satellite systems. Three hours of combined lecture and lab per week. (Fall, On demand)
METR 4150. Applied Climatology. (3) (W) Prerequisite: METR 3250 or permission of instructor. Methods of acquiring and analyzing climactic data in various types of applied problems. Emphasis on methods to assess and reduce the impact of weather and climate upon human activities. Three hours of combined lecture and lab per week. (Spring On demand)
METR 4205. Climate Dynamics. (3) Prerequisites: ESCI 3101 and METR 4105 with a grade of C or above; Pre- or corequisite: METR 3250; or permission of instructor. Topics include global climate, climate variability, and dynamics within the climate system, with a focus on the role of the atmosphere in the climate system. El Niño provides the main example of how climate variability can affect weather, and seasonal weather forecasting. Three hours of combined lecture and lab per week. (Spring)
METR 4220. Atmospheric Chemistry. (3) Prerequisites: CHEM 1251 and MATH 1242 with grade of C or above; or permission of instructor. Basic physical chemistry and a survey of major topics in atmospheric chemistry including fundamental properties of the atmosphere, tropospheric chemistry, air pollution, acid rain, stratospheric chemistry and the ozone hole, and the role of chemistry in the Earth’s climate. Three hours of combined lecture and lab per week. (Spring, On demand)
METR 4240. Boundary-Layer Meteorology. (3) Prerequisite: METR 3210 or permission of instructor. Examines the flow of mass, energy, and moisture within the planetary boundary layer including their exchange at the earth’s surface and theories of interaction. Principles of air pollution including sources, sinks, and controls. Interaction of the atmosphere with underlying surfaces (i.e. soils, vegetation, oceans, glaciers). Design and operation of instruments used to monitor the atmosphere with an emphasis on practical application. Three hours of combined lecture and lab per week. (Fall, On demand)
METR 4245. Advanced Synoptic Meteorology. (3) Prerequisite: METR 3250 with a grade of C or above, or permission of instructor. An integrated view of synoptic and dynamic meteorology focusing on advanced conceptual models and analysis techniques for mid-latitude weather systems and regional precipitation events. Three hours of combined lecture and lab per week. (Fall)
METR 4250. Advanced Dynamic Meteorology. (3) Prerequisites: METR 3250 with a grade of C or above, MATH 2171, and MATH 2241; or permission of instructor. An in-depth examination of atmospheric dynamics, focusing on the structure and evolution of synoptic and mesoscale weather systems, wave dynamics (Rossby, topographic, inertia-gravity, etc.), scale-analysis, non-dimensional numbers, and atmospheric modeling. Three hours of combined lecture and lab per week. (Fall)
METR 4320. Tropical Meteorology. (3) Prerequisite: METR 3250 or permission of instructor. A comprehensive study of the tropical atmosphere, including climatology, mean structure and circulation, air-sea energy exchange, cumulus transport, synoptic waves, and tropical storms. Special attention is paid to the formation, evolution, motion, and societal impacts of hurricanes. Three hours of combined lecture and lab per week. (Fall, On demand)
METR 4350. Mesoscale Meteorology. (3) Pre- or corequisite: METR 3250 or permission of instructor. A comprehensive study of the structure, evolution, and dynamics of atmospheric phenomena having spatial scales between 2 and 2000 km. Topics include: fronts, convective initiation, mesoscale convective systems, severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, low-level jets, drylines, land-sea breezes, shallow convection, and terrain effects. Three hours of combined lecture and lab per week. (Spring, On demand)
METR 4400 Internship in Meteorology (3-6) Prerequisite: Permission of the department. Research and/or work experience designed to be a logical extension of a student’s academic program. The student must apply to department for an internship by submitting a proposal which specifies the type of work/research experience preferred and how the internship will complement his or her academic program. The department will attempt to place the selected students in cooperating community organizations to complete specified research or work-related tasks which are based on a contractual arrangement between the student and community organization. The student can receive three to six hours credit, depending on the nature and extent of the internship assignment. (On demand)
METR 4800. Individual Study in Meteorology. (1-4) Prerequisites: Permission from the department and credit hours established in advance; and, when taken for honors credit, approval of a proposal through the Honors College Application to Candidacy process the semester prior to taking the course. Tutorial study or special research problems. Students must request permission for independent study from an individual faculty member. May be repeated for credit with change of topic. (On demand)