Meteorology concerns the physics, dynamics, and chemistry of the Earth’s atmosphere and its relationship with hydrosphere, land, and human systems, with the goals of understanding its composition, structure, and motion, and accurately predicting atmospheric phenomena.
Through courses for the tracks in General Atmospheric Science; Applied Meteorology, Hazards, and Global Change; and Broadcast Meteorology, students learn how meteorological techniques, skills, and concepts are applied by professionals.
Here is why it might be suitable for you:
- There are career opportunities in fields including of academic and lab research; the agriculture, energy, legal, and insurance sectors; air quality and transportation; instrument manufacturing, government and private forecast and warning services; and broadcast journalism.
- The highly-sequenced major ensures progression through lower division general education and prerequisite courses is complete when enrolling in upper division meteorology courses.
- Upper division classes are small, allowing majors to interact with one another and the faculty. This facilitates seeking advice regarding your future plans, securing letters of recommendation, and learning about internships or other opportunities.
- Classes are taught mostly in small rooms equipped with multimedia facilities, and feature a computer laboratory where students complete weather analysis assignments.
- Social opportunities include a student-led chapter of the American Meteorological Society. Past activities have included interaction with invited speakers, hands-on activities, launching a weather balloon, field trips, cohosting public events, hurricane cleanup efforts, and attending meteorology conferences. Insights into job and internship opportunities are distributed to the organization as well.
- The specializations are designed to prepare students for their desired career. Paths exist that will qualify graduates for admission into graduate studies in meteorology or atmospheric science, prepare students for entry into private sector positions, and/or enter the multimedia industry.
B.S. Meteorology specializations:
General Atmospheric Science – This specialization is intended for students interested in a career in the public sector, the National Weather Service, or academia and research. This option is most beneficial for students who are looking to pursue advanced degrees. Students who aren’t sure about their career direction and just want to keep their options most open may start in this specialization.
Applied Meteorology, Hazards, and Global Change – This specialization is intended for students interested in a career in the private sector in a variety of industries. The requirements are very flexible to provide room for students to gain multiple skills in preparation for their career of interest. There is an increasing range of for profit companies engaged in weather and climate consulting, software engineering and web development, insurance risk modeling and communication, transportation and delivery, energy production, engineering, business data analytics, entrepreneurship, forensic meteorology, legal consulting, and other related industries and sectors.
Broadcast Meteorology – This specialization is intended for students interested in communicating weather, climate, and environmental news through television, radio, digital news, and social media. This option prepares students to communicate weather forecasts and climate progressions using meteorological knowledge and tools. Courses from the College of Journalism and Communications build upon fundamental meteorology courses.
Course catalog information for All Specializations.
Program requirements for transfer students.
Going Gator Program – UF, Santa Fe College, Florida Gateway College
Model Four Semester Plan for Transfer Students
Student Opportunities:
Common Meteorology-Related Opportunities: Experiences, Scholarships, Mentorship, Volunteer Programs and Job Boards
Advisors
If you have questions regarding the proposed major itself, please contact the Undergraduate Coordinator for Meteorology, Mr. Stephen Mullens.
If you are enrolled at UF and would like to take meteorology and climatology courses now, consider applying for our Meteorology and Climatology Certificate! If you have questions about the certificate or would like help enrolling, please contact Dr. Corene Matyas.
Core Faculty
Stephen Mullens – Undergraduate Meteorology Coordinator
stephen.mullens@ufl.edu
Assistant Instructional Professor
M.S. Meteorology, University of Oklahoma
Focus areas: Operational meteorology, severe weather, communication, education and pedagogy
Dr. Corene Matyas
matyas@ufl.edu
Professor
Ph.D. Geography, Penn State University
Research focus areas: Tropical cyclone rainfall characteristics, climatology, applied meteorology, geospatial analysis
Dr. Esther Mullens
emullens@ufl.edu
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. Meteorology, University of Oklahoma
Research focus areas: Precipitation variability, climatology, winter weather, climate science
Dr. Berry Wen
yixin.wen@ufl.edu
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. Meteorology, University of Oklahoma
Research focus areas: Artificial Intelligence, remote sensing, hydrometeorology.
Affiliate Faculty
Dr. Kevin Ash
kash78@ufl.edu
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. Geography, University of South Carolina
Research focus areas: Social Vulnerability & GIS, Risk Perception & Communication, Community Resilience
Dr. Katy Serafin
kserafin@ufl.edu
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. in Ocean, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University
Research focus areas: Coastal hazards, compound flooding, extreme value analysis, sea level rise, climate change impacts and adaptation
Website: https://people.clas.ufl.edu/kserafin/
Dr. David Keellings
djkeellings@ufl.edu
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. Geography, University of Florida
Research focus areas: Using machine learning and extreme value theory to examine climate extremes, heat waves, hurricanes, floods, droughts, societal health.
Dr. Johanna Engström
joem@ufl.edu
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. Geography, University of Florida
Research focus areas: Sustainability, hydroclimatology, climate services.