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The Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences (ATOC) admits primarily Ph.D. students, with M.S. applications considered in special circumstances and with a reduced chance of receiving financial support.

Master’s Degree (M.S.)

For both thesis and non-thesis options, a total of 30 credit hours is required with at least 15 credit hours of ATOC courses numbered 5000 and above. Other specific course requirements are in the ATOC Graduate Handbook. For the thesis option, the final examination consists of an oral exam on the thesis. The non-thesis option requires the successful completion of a written final examination based on ATOC regular coursework requirements.

Doctoral Degree (Ph.D.)

A total of 36 credit hours of regular coursework is required, of which 30 hours must be numbered 5000 or above, with at least 18 credit hours of ATOC graduate lecture courses including core ATOC course requirements, and a graduate-level course in applied or computational mathematics. In addition, 30 credit hours of dissertation must be completed per Graduate School rules and requirements. Students must pass a two-part comprehensive examination before admission into candidacy. Part I of the comprehensive examination is a written exam based on core course material and is normally taken in the second year. Part II of the comprehensive examination is normally taken in the third year and is an oral examination based on an original research paper prepared by the student. After the PhD dissertation has been submitted, a final examination of the dissertation will be conducted.