Meteorology, B.S.

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Minimum Total Credit Hours: 120-123

Minimum Upper-Division Hours: 52


Overall GPA - Combined and OU: 2.25

Major GPA - Combined and OU: 2.25

Program Code: B685

Major Requirements

Core (48 hours, 15 courses)
METR 1003Introduction to the Atmospheric Sciences3
METR 2004Atmospheric Circulations4
METR 2213Physical Meteorology I:Thermodynamics3
METR 2613Atmospheric In-Situ & Surface-Based Measurements3
METR 3113Atmospheric Dynamics I: Intro to Atmospheric Kinematics/Dynamics3
METR 3123Atmospheric Dynamics II: Theory of Atmospheric Flows3
METR 3223Physical Meteorology II: Cloud Physics, Atmos Electricity/Optics3
METR 3334Principles of Research & Communication in Meteorology4
METR 3513Atmospheric Chemistry in Weather and Climate3
METR 4133Atmospheric Dynamics III: Mid-Latitude Synoptic-Scale Dynamics3
METR 4233Physical Meteorology III: Radiation and Remote Sensing3
METR 4424Synoptic Meteorology Laboratory4
METR 4433Mesoscale Meteorology3
METR 4523Climate and the General Circulation3
METR 4913Senior Seminar (Capstone)3
Major Elective (3 hours)
Choose one Meteorology, Hydrology or Climatology upper-division elective3
Total Credit Hours51

Major Support Requirements

  • Courses required for major support may not also fulfill University-Wide General Education Requirements.
Math and Physics
MATH 2934Differential and Integral Calculus III3-4
or MATH 2443 Calculus and Analytic Geometry IV
PHYS 1311General Physics Lab I1
MATH 3413Physical Mathematics I3
METR 33233
or MATH 4753 Applied Statistical Methods
Programming Elective
Choose one course from the following:1-4
Introduction to Programming for Meteorology
Java for Programmers
Introduction to Computer Programming for Programmers
Introduction to Computer Programming for Non-Programmers
Total Credit Hours11-15

General Education and College Requirements

Courses for fulfillment of General Education and college requirements must be from the approved General Education course list at http://www.ou.edu/content/gened/courses.htmlCourses graded P/NP will not apply

UNIVERSITY-WIDE GENERAL EDUCATION (MINIMUM 40 HOURS) AND COLLEGE REQUIREMENTS

At least three hours of Upper-Division General Education coursework must be completed outside the major.

Core Area I: Symbolic and Oral Communication
English Composition (6 hours)
ENGL 1113Principles of English Composition3
ENGL 1213Principles of English Composition3
or EXPO 1213 Expository Writing
Language (0-10 hours)
(0-10 hours in the same language) Students who have not completed two years of the same language in high school are required to take two college courses in the same language
Beginning Course0-5
Beginning Course, continued0-5
Mathematics (minimum 3 hours)
MATH 1914Differential and Integral Calculus I 14
Core Area II: Natural Science (minimum 7 hours, 2 courses)
CHEM 1315General Chemistry (Science with Lab) 15
PHYS 2514General Physics for Engineering and Science Majors (Science without Lab) 14
Core Area III: Social Science (6 hours)
P SC 1113American Federal Government3
Choose one course from the General Education Social Science list3
Core Area IV: Arts and Humanities
Artistic Forms (3 hours)
Choose one course from the General Education Artistic Forms list.3
Western Culture (6 hours)
HIST 1483United States to 18653
or HIST 1493 United States, 1865 to the Present
Choose one course from the General Education Western Culture list (Excluding HIST 1483 and HIST 1493)3
World Culture (3 hours)
Choose one course from the General Education World Culture list3
Core Area V: First Year Experience (3 hours)
Choose one course3
Total Credit Hours40-50
1

College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences requirements.

ADDITIONAL COLLEGE REQUIREMENTS FOR B.S.

MATH 2924Differential and Integral Calculus II 14
PHYS 2524General Physics for Engineering and Science Majors4
Total Credit Hours8
1

MATH 1823, MATH 2423, and MATH 2433 will also fulfill the college’s calculus requirement. 

Free Electives

Electives to bring total applicable hours to the minimum total required for the degree including 52 upper-division hours. These electives may be used to fulfill the requirements for a minor, if desired, but must include at least nine hours of upper- division coursework.

Information Concerning General Rules, Regulations and Minimum Requirements for Undergraduate Degrees

Total Hours: A minimum of 120 semester hours acceptable toward graduation must be completed.
Upper-Division Hours: A minimum of 40 upper- division semester hours acceptable toward graduation must be completed. OU courses numbered 3000 or above are upper- division. Transfer work is counted as lower-division or upper-division credit depending on the level at which it was offered at the institution where it was earned. Two-year college work is accepted only as lower-division credit.
Senior Institution Hours: A minimum of 60 semester hours applied toward graduation must be earned at senior (4-year) institutions.
Residency:

  • A minimum of two semesters must be spent in residence in the College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences.
  • At least 36 of the last 48 hours must be completed in residence at OU.

Individual Studies: No more than six hours of independent study or directed readings may be applied toward degree requirements.
Grade Point Averages: Students must earn a minimum overall 2.25 for each of the following: Combined Retention GPA (all college grades), OU Retention GPA, GPA for all major courses, and GPA for all major courses taken at OU.

Suggested Semester Plan of Study

This plan shows one possible grouping of courses that would allow students to graduate in four years. Please refer to the front of the degree checksheet for official requirements. Students must consult with College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences and/or School of Meteorology academic advisers to verify that courses selected each semester fulfill the recommended plan and satisfy university, College of Atmospheric & Geographic Sciences, and Meteorology major requirements.

Plan of Study Grid
Freshman
First SemesterCredit Hours
METR 1003 Introduction to the Atmospheric Sciences 1 3
ENGL 1113 Principles of English Composition (Core I) 3
MATH 1914 Differential and Integral Calculus I (Core I) 1 4
CHEM 1315 General Chemistry (Core II) 5
 Credit Hours15
Second Semester
MATH 2924 Differential and Integral Calculus II (Core I) 1 4
PHYS 1311 General Physics Lab I 1 1
PHYS 2514 General Physics for Engineering and Science Majors (Core II) 1 4
METR 1313 Introduction to Programming for Meteorology (or other programming elective from list in major support) 1 3
First Year Experience (Core V) 3
 Credit Hours15
Sophomore
First Semester
ENGL 1213
Principles of English Composition (Core I)
or Expository Writing
3
METR 2004 Atmospheric Circulations 1 4
MATH 2934 Differential and Integral Calculus III 1 4
PHYS 2524 General Physics for Engineering and Science Majors 1 4
 Credit Hours15
Second Semester
METR 2213 Physical Meteorology I:Thermodynamics 1 3
METR 2613 Atmospheric In-Situ & Surface-Based Measurements 1 3
HIST 1483
United States to 1865 (Core IV)
or United States, 1865 to the Present
3
P SC 1113 American Federal Government (Core III) 3
General Education Western Culture (Core IV) 2 3
 Credit Hours15
Junior
First Semester
METR 3113 Atmospheric Dynamics I: Intro to Atmospheric Kinematics/Dynamics 1 3
METR 3513 Atmospheric Chemistry in Weather and Climate 1 3
METR 3323
1
or Applied Statistical Methods
3
MATH 3413 Physical Mathematics I 1 3
General Education Artistic Forms (Core IV) 2 3
 Credit Hours15
Second Semester
METR 3123 Atmospheric Dynamics II: Theory of Atmospheric Flows 1 3
METR 3223 Physical Meteorology II: Cloud Physics, Atmos Electricity/Optics 1 3
METR 3334 Principles of Research & Communication in Meteorology 1 4
General Education World Culture (Core IV) 2 3
General Education Social Sciences (Core III) 2 3
 Credit Hours16
Senior
First Semester
METR 4913 Senior Seminar 3
METR 4133 Atmospheric Dynamics III: Mid-Latitude Synoptic-Scale Dynamics 1 3
METR 4233 Physical Meteorology III: Radiation and Remote Sensing 1 3
METR 4424 Synoptic Meteorology Laboratory 1 4
Upper Division Free Elective 3
 Credit Hours16
Second Semester
METR 4433 Mesoscale Meteorology 3
METR 4523 Climate and the General Circulation 1 3
Meteorology, Hydrology or Climatology Upper-Division Elective 3
Upper Division Free Elective 3
Upper Division Free Elective 3
 Credit Hours15
 Total Credit Hours122
1

Students must attain a grade of C or better in all MATH, PHYS, CHEM, and C S, and in METR courses that are direct prerequisites for other METR courses. 

2

To be chosen from the University-Wide General Education Approved Course List for Core III (Social Science) and Core IV (Humanities). At least three hours must be upper-division outside the major.

  • Students who have not completed two years of the same language in high school are required to take two college courses in the same language. This additional coursework may add 6-10 hours to the minimum hours required for graduation.

Computer Science Area of Concentration

The School of Meteorology has joined with the School of Computer Science in the College of Engineering to provide an Area of Concentration within the meteorology curriculum for students interested in further developing their skills in the use of computers in science, engineering, and business. Additional information is available from your faculty advisor.

Minor in Broadcast Meteorology

The College of Journalism and Mass Communication offers a minor in Broadcast Meteorology for meteorology majors interested in careers in broadcast media. Seventeen hours in communication and journalism courses are required. Additional information is available from your faculty advisor.

Additional Minors

Minors in Mathematics, Business, Chemistry, Computer Science, Environmental Science, Geography, Geology, Hydrologic Science, Interdisciplinary Perspectives on the Environment, and Physics

Minors in mathematics, business, chemistry, computer science, environmental science, geography, geology, hydrologic science, interdisciplinary perspectives on the environment, and physics are available and students are encouraged to consider one or more of these minors. Students may obtain a minor in mathematics by taking one additional 4000+ MATH course in addition to those required in the curriculum.

Additional information is available from your faculty advisor or from the Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences Dean’s Office, National Weather Center, Room 3630.