Bachelor of Science in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences

Overview

Atmospheric Science encompasses a wide variety of topics such as weather forecasting, climate change, air pollution and air chemistry, radiative transfer, air-sea interactions, and boundary layer processes. The Institute for Terrestrial and Planetery Atmospheres is located at the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS) on the South Campus of the State University of New York at Stony Brook. The Institute provides a comprehensive and flexible curriculum in these and other areas.  We offer the only Bachelor’s degree program in meteorology for the 2.8 million people on Long Island and for the whole metropolitan New York City area.

The Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences (ATM) program is structured to meet the educational needs of those who want to pursue meteorology-related careers. The School’s coastal location allows for detailed study of coastal weather phenomena, such as hurricanes, nor-easters, and sea-breezes, as well as regional climate change in a coastal-urban environment. ATM majors are prepared for a range of career options including weather forecasting, environmental meteorology, broadcast meteorology, and graduate school in atmospheric sciences. The Bachelor’s degree meets the requirements for employment as a meteorologist with the National Weather Service and private companies, and the curriculum also satisfies the education standards endorsed by the American Meteorological Society. With strong background training in physics, mathematics and computer science, our ATM majors are also well prepared for a variety of alternative career paths.

SoMAS is one of the nation’s leading coastal oceanographic and atmospheric institutions, and the expertise of SoMAS’ faculty places SBU in the forefront in addressing and answering questions about regional environmental problems, as well as problems relating to the global ocean and atmosphere. The primary focus of the SoMAS faculty is on fundamental research designed to increase understanding of the processes that characterize the coastal ocean and the atmosphere. SoMAS faculty are also committed to applying the results of research to solve problems arising from society’s uses and misuses of the environment. 

Information on research opportunities may be found by contacting faculty directly.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

1. Please consult the Undergraduate Bulletin that was in place when you declared your major/minor for the official list of major/minor requirements.

2. Please consult with the appropriate academic advising unit to review what is required for your major or minor, confirm completion of the University’s general education, upper-division, and total credit requirements. For general advising locations, visit Academic Advising or speak to the SoMAS Academic Advisor.

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Internships and Jobs

Internships provide a valuable opportunity to test a student’s interest in various meteorological career paths and to extend his or her knowledge with real-life experiences. Many students obtain internships at a number of outside organizations such as the local National Weather Service offices and/or several of the local television stations.  Students can be awarded academic credit for internship experiences, which sometimes provide a stipend.  Internships have propelled several students into successful careers in TV weathercasting and forecasting for the National Weather Service and private weather companies. Other students have gone on to graduate school in atmospheric sciences or secured positions in local air quality/environmental consulting firms. Students also work in the software and computer industries because of their good computer and analytical skills learned from our major.

Find out more about jobs and career paths  relating to this major.

Additional information on careers in the atmospheric sciences can be found at the American Meteorological Web Site:   A Career Guide to the Atmospheric Sciences.

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Scholarships and Employment

Stony Brook offers a  wide variety of scholarships to new and continuing students, some of which are based on merit alone and others which take into account financial need. Atmospheric Science  undergraduates can also receive financial support for their education through competitive scholarships such as the  Timothy Magnussen Memorial Scholarship and the  Petra M. Udelhofen Memorial Scholarship