Undergraduate Education
Undergraduate minor in Atmospheric Sciences
A minor in atmospheric sciences is offered to students
enrolled in undergraduate degree programs that allow minors at
the School of Mines. For some majors this would require an
additional semester or more of study beyond the traditional four years.
A minimum of eighteen (18) credits in atmospheric science
coursework must be earned. Three courses, Introduction to
Atmospheric Sciences (ATM 301), Atmospheric Physics (ATM 401), and
Global Environmental Change (ATM 406) are required for the
minor.
BSIS - Atmospheric Sciences
Students in the bachelor of science in interdisciplinary sciences (B.S.I.S.) degree program may choose to concentrate in the
atmospheric sciences. The atmospheric sciences specialization is
designed for students whose career goal is meteorology or
atmospheric research. Working with faculty from the Department of
Atmospheric Sciences, students can take coursework to satisfy
federal guidelines (e.g., for the National Weather Service, U.S.
Bureau of Reclamation, and U.S. Geological Survey) for the title of
meteorologist. This specialization also serves as excellent
preparation for graduate study in meteorology, atmospheric
sciences, and adjacent fields.
The successful student is expected to be capable of independent
and critical thinking in the areas of physical, synoptic, and
dynamic meteorology; remote sensing; and global atmospheric change.
As such, he or she should be qualified for employment where
expertise in atmospheric sciences is a primary requirement, though
need not necessarily qualify as a meteorologist by the federal
government's criteria. The curriculum is also suitable for
preparation towards graduate study at the MS and PhD level.
Entry into the IS ATM Specialization
Students interested in the program should contact an ATM
undergraduate advisor when they commit to the program. Most courses
in the SDSM&T ATM curriculum are taught on a two-year rotation (see
link below) and students should be tracked towards a given course
of study as soon as possible.
Course rotation