Atmospheric and Oceanic Science (AOSC)

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Abstract

The Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Science offers graduate study leading to the Master of Professional Studies, Master of Science, and Doctor of Philosophy degrees. Course work in atmospheric and oceanic sciences is also offered at the upper division and graduate level as a service to other campus graduate programs. The educational program is broadly based and involves many applications of the mathematical, physical and applied sciences that characterize modern atmospheric sciences and physical oceanography, including climate and earth system science, and multidisciplinary studies of the interrelationship among the atmosphere, the oceans, the land, and the biota. The Department's advanced degree programs are designed to prepare students for participation in contemporary research in the atmospheric and oceanic science. Research specializations include: atmospheric dynamics; atmospheric chemistry; physical oceanography; air pollution; atmospheric radiative transfer; remote sensing of the atmosphere, ocean, and land; climate variability and change; data assimilation; numerical weather prediction; severe storms; surface-atmosphere, ocean-atmosphere and biosphere-atmosphere interactions; and earth system modeling. The curriculum includes a set of Core courses to provide a fundamental background in atmospheric and oceanic dynamics, physical meteorology and atmospheric chemistry, earth system science and climate, as well as advanced specialized courses. Supervised research using state-of-the-art facilities then prepares the students for future contributions in their chosen field.

The Department's close association with federal agencies in the Washington area provides graduate students with good training and opportunities in atmospheric and oceanic science. As a research assistant, the student has the opportunity to develop a close working relationship with one or more of the scientific agencies.

Admissions Information

In addition to the requirements of the Graduate School, the department requires a Bachelors or higher degree in meteorology, oceanography, physics, chemistry, mathematics, biology, engineering or other program with suitable emphasis in the sciences. We welcome applications from those with no background in atmospheric sciences. The Core courses offered in the first year of study present students with the necessary background in atmospheric and oceanic science for the more advanced courses. The minimum undergraduate background includes 3 semesters of calculus, differential equations, linear algebra, 3 semesters of calculus-based physics, and 2 semesters of chemistry, one semester of computer programming. Scores from the GRE General Examination are also required.

The application deadline for domestic students is January 15 if applicants are competing for funding. Otherwise, if applicants are self funded, applications can be submitted through May 15.

Note: Applicants must get approval from the AOSC Department to apply to the Spring semester.

Application Deadlines

Type of Applicant	Fall	Spring
Domestic Applicants; US Citizens and Permanent Residents with foreign credentials; International Applicants seeking admissions under A, E, G, H, I and L visas and immigrants	Deadline: February 1 Preferred: January 15	Deadline: October 15
International Applicants seeking admission under F (student) or J (exchange visitor) visas	Deadline: February 1 Preferred: January 15	Deadline: June 1

Application Requirements

PhD and MS Program

1. Application
2. Research Interests
3. GRE Scores
4. TOEFL Scores (International Only)
5. Official Transcripts
6. 3 Letters of Recommendation
7. Resume/Publications (Optional)

Master of Professional Studies

1. Application
2. Official Transcripts
3. 3 Letters of Recommendation
4. Statement of Purpose

Degree Requirements

Masters of Professional Studies (M.P.A.O.)
Master of Professional Studies (MPAO) The Master of Professional Studies in Atmospheric and Oceanic Science is designed for meteorologists, oceanographers and environmental scientists who need cutting-edge skills and knowledge in atmospheric and oceanic science, in the computational methods used in our field, and in air quality science. The Director of Professional Studies will advise students in planning his or her course of study, and will provide career advice and The degree is earned by successful completion of ten 3-credit courses. Students must complete two out of the following three Certificate programs, each of which consists of four courses, plus two courses from the remaining Certificate Program. Certificate #1, in Computational Methods in Atmospheric and Oceanic Science, develops computer skills needed to understand weather and climate analysis and prediction technologies. It is earned by successful completion of AOSC 630, AOSC 650, AOSC 684, and one of AOSC 614 or AOSC 615. Certificate #2, in General Atmospheric and Oceanic Science, provides a broad phenomenological understanding of weather and climate, and the dynamical, thermodynamical and radiative processes that drive them. It is earned by successful completion of AOSC 431, AOSC 617, AOSC632 and AOSC 670. Finally, Certificate #3, in Air Quality Science and Technology teaches the physical and chemical principles that govern air quality and allow for analysis and prediction of extreme weather. It is earned by successful completion of AOSC 424, AOSC 600, AOSC 637, and either AOSC 624 or AOSC 625. The MPAO program is designed with the needs of working professionals in mind, and can be completed on a part-time basis over no more than 5 years, or on a full-time basis in 1 year and one semester.

Master of Science (M.S.)
The Atmospheric and Oceanic Science Department offers a non-thesis program leading to the Master of Science Degree. The requirements include course work, a scholarly paper and presentation, and a comprehensive examination. This program provides fundamental training to prepare students for research and operational work in the atmospheric and oceanic sciences.

Each new student will be assigned to a faculty advisor whose interests parallel those of the student. The faculty advisor will assist in the development of the student's course program and will follow the student's progress thereafter. The student may select an alternate advisor at any time, although financial support is dependent upon the availability of funds.

The student must submit an M.S. degree course plan and a tentative schedule for completion by the end of the first nine credit hours. A minimum of 30 semester hours of coursework is required for the degree program. This must include 24 hours of 600-level AOSC courses, including core courses listed below. The remaining 6 semester-hours can come from additional 600-level courses, AOSC 811 (department seminars) or equivalent (pending approval by the Graduate Director), and AOSC 798 (Directed Graduate Research). For AOSC 811 or AOSC798, a maximum of 3 credit hours is acceptable toward the degree. The purpose of the scholarly paper is to demonstrate the ability to conduct original or literature research. The paper will become part of the permanent archive of the Department. A Ph.D. dissertation prospectus will satisfy this requirement.

The Comprehensive Examination consists of written and oral portions. The written portion is composed of questions covering the subject areas of the following Core courses: AOSC 610, 611, 620, 621, 617 and 680. AOSC 611 can be replaced by AOSC 600 for those students with a specialization in Chemistry who get approval from their advisor, the AOSC Graduate Director, and Department Chair.

All requirements for the M.S. degree must be completed within a five-year period. This time limit applies to any transfer work from other institutions to be included in the student's program. A full-time student can easily complete the M.S. degree in two years.

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
The Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Science offers a program leading to the Doctor of Philosophy Degree (Ph.D.) in atmospheric and oceanic science. This program is designed to furnish the student with the background necessary to carry out independent and original scientific research. To earn the Ph.D., the student must complete a course work requirement, pass the Candidacy Examinations, and prepare and defend a dissertation.

A student seeking a Ph.D. degree will be assigned to a faculty advisor whose interests parallel those of the student. The academic advisor will establish and chair an advising committee which will oversee the student's degree program.

The course work requirement is 30 semester hours of 600-level or above AOSC Department courses. In addition, the student must take 12 credits of AOSC 899 (Doctoral Dissertation Research). Students may wish to take a number of the core courses in order to prepare for the Qualifying Examination. In addition, there is a Minor course requirement of six semester hours of ancillary courses taken beyond the bachelor's degree in a related scientific area at the 600-level or above. These credits must have a unified or coherent theme. Students may petition the Department for a waiver of a portion of these requirements based on credits earned at another institution at the graduate level.

A student seeking the Ph.D. degree in atmospheric and oceanic science must pass the Candidacy Examinations, which are divided into two parts - The Qualifying Examination and the Specialty Examination. During the Specialty Examination, the student must present and defend a dissertation prospectus to the examination committee. Following successful defense, the student advances to candidacy. Ability to perform independent research must be demonstrated by a written dissertation. The dissertation should be an original contribution to knowledge and demonstrate the ability to present the subject matter in a scholarly style. Upon completion of the dissertation the candidate is required to present the research results at an Atmospheric and Oceanic Science Department seminar and to defend the material to the satisfaction of a Final Examining Committee appointed by the Dean for Graduate Studies.

Full-time students are expected to complete the Qualifying Examination by the end of the second year of graduate study and be admitted to candidacy by the end of the third year. Students must be admitted to candidacy within three years after admission to the doctoral program and at least six months before the date on which the degree will be conferred. The student must complete the entire program for the degree, including the dissertation and final examination, during a four-year period after admission to candidacy.

Graduate Track for Accomplished Scientists

Graduate students with exceptional scientific achievements may, through written petition to the Graduate Director, replace the written portion of the Comprehensive Exam with a seminar followed by an oral examination. To qualify for this track, the candidate needs to meet the following requirements:

1) have an earned MS degree in atmospheric or oceanic science, or a related field, ordinarily from an accredited American university, and receive approval from the five-member Departmental Examination Committee. 2) have published at least five, peer-reviewed, Science Citation Index (SCI) journal articles in atmospheric, oceanic, or a closely related science. He or she must be the lead or corresponding author of at least three of those papers.

The candidate must present an open seminar on his/her past research followed by a closed oral exam by the Examination Committee of at least three faculty plus the Graduate Director, and the Admissions Committee Chair. Two or more negative votes constitutes failure. The final decision will be subject to review by the committee of the whole.

Facilities and Special Resources

The Department participates in the Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center (ESSIC) and the Cooperative Institute for Climate Studies (CICS). These institutions conduct research, and offer opportunities for graduate research beyond those offered by the department faculty. In addition, the Department maintains close research and teaching associations with Departments of Mathematics and Chemistry, as well as the Institute for Physical Science and Technology (IPST), Center for Scientific Computation and Mathematical Modeling (CSCAMM), and nearby government agencies including NOAA, NASA, ONR, USDA, NIST, and Marylands Department of the Environment and Department of Natural Resources.

Special facilities that support the Department's teaching and research activities include sophisticated computing facilities allowing access to a variety of atmospheric and oceanographic datasets, a laboratory for atmospheric chemistry, a mobile air pollution laboratory, access to research aircraft, a variety of supercomputers, radar, windprofiler at Fort Meade, historical data. Most importantly the students are encouraged to exploit the resources of the nearby government laboratories: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, NOAA National Centers for Environmental Prediction.

The Department maintains a specialized library with several hundred text and reference books in meteorology and allied sciences, specialized series of research reports, and many journals. The campus provides a main library as well as specialized libraries in chemistry, astronomy, and engineering. Several excellent government libraries in the area, including the Library of Congress, the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, the National Archives, and the NOAA libraries provide unsurpassed resources.

The University of Maryland is located in an area of unparalleled professional resources. Because of its proximity to the nation's capital, The University of Maryland is able to interact closely with the many governmental groups interested in various aspects of the atmospheric, oceanic and earth system sciences. Scientists from government laboratories participate in many aspects of graduate education, such as giving lectures in classes, presenting research results in seminars, and serving on dissertation committees. Likewise, the Department faculty often attend and participate in the seminars, colloquia and scientific workshops being held at these neighboring institutions.

The Washington, D.C. chapter of the American Meteorological Society consists of about 400 members who hold professional meetings each month. The Washington, D.C. area is frequently the site of national and international conferences, most notably of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American geophysical Union. In addition to the various government and academic institutions, the Washington metropolitan area contains numerous well-known private contractors and consulting companies involved in meteorology and oceanography, which provide employment opportunities for students both before and after graduation.

As a member of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, the department enjoys the common facilities offered by the National Center for Atmospheric Research such as research aircraft and supercomputers.

Financial Assistance

Graduate assistantships are available to qualified graduate students. Research assistants carry out research in the areas of physical and dynamic meteorology, physical oceanography, data assimilation, remote sensing, atmospheric chemistry, air pollution, climate dynamics, atmospheric radiation, severe storms, global climate change, and ocean-atmosphere and atmosphere-biosphere interactions. Fellowships are also awarded by the Graduate School to the most qualified applicants. In addition, hourly employment is available in the Department and off campus. Stipends are maintained at a competitive level.

Contact Information

Tamara Hendershot
3409 Computer and Space Science Building
College Park
MD  20742
Telephone: (301) 405-5389
Fax: (301)-314-9482
tammy@atmos.umd.edu

http://www.atmos.umd.edu/

Courses: AOSC