Overview

Although a primary goal is to understand the atmosphere and ocean for the purpose of predicting the weather, atmospheric and oceanic sciences embraces much more: motions at large, medium, and small scales; past, present, and future climates; air chemistry and quality; clouds and precipitation; and solar and terrestrial radiation. In many areas, new remote-sensing technology including satellites is used to provide circulation patterns at both global and local scales.

Many undergraduates of this bachelor degree in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences at the University of Wisconsin Madison take an elementary atmospheric and oceanic sciences course to meet part of their natural or physical science breadth requirements. Other students, who have had sufficient mathematics and physics preparation, take higher-level atmospheric and oceanic sciences courses to complement their major work in other fields of natural science.

At the University of Wisconsin Madison an atmospheric and oceanic sciences major receives a thorough introduction to the basic concepts and tools in the core courses, which cover the physics and dynamics of the atmosphere and ocean. An array of elective courses are offered in the senior year, with tracks in the areas of weather systems, earth/environmental science, and general and applied atmospheric and oceanic sciences. Elective groups are tailored individually. Some students will want preparation for careers in areas such as operational forecasting, environmental consulting, and broadcasting. Others will seek preparation for graduate work leading to a broader range of careers.

Key Facts

Recognize and describe the fundamental principles and processes associated with the dynamics and thermodynamics of geophysical fluid flows, the basic physics of clouds, aerosols, and precipitation.

Recognize and describe the fundamental principles and processes associated with radiation and atmospheric and oceanic radiative transfer.

Demonstrate critical thinking skills by identifying a problem, identifying the required information to solve that problem; and formulating and interpreting solutions to that problem using appropriate analytical and/or computational techniques.

Apply diagnostic tools to to analyses and numerical model output to diagnose, describe, and interpret the fundamental dynamical and thermodynamical processes at work in synoptic-scale, mesoscale, and large-scale weather systems and climate circulations.

Programme Structure

Courses include:

Dynamics of the Atmosphere and Ocean
Meteorological Measurements
Global Climate Processes
Radar and Satellite Meteorology
Environmental Biophysics
Atmospheric Dispersion and Air Pollution
Bioclimatology

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 48 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2027-01-20 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-10-01 00:00:00
Starting 2027-09-03 00:00:00
- Apply before 2027-01-15 00:00:00

Language

English

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115

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IELTS

6.5

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Credits

120 SCH

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Madison, United States

Disciplines

Climate Studies & Meteorology Oceanography View 44 other Bachelors in Oceanography in United States

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Academic requirements

We are not aware of any specific GRE, GMAT or GPA grading score requirements for this programme.

English requirements

Duolingo English Test

115

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TOEFL^® IBT

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IELTS

6.5

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

Admissions application
Application fee
Course and grade information from grades 9-12
Two essays: tell us about your academic and personal achievements
One required letter of recommendation
English language proficiency
Official test scores: scores from either the ACT or the SAT

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

44210 USD / year

≈ 44210 USD / year
Out-of-State

44210 USD / year

≈ 44210 USD / year
Domestic

Applies to you

In-State

12186 USD / year

≈ 12186 USD / year

Additional Details

Minnesota Resident: $16,638

Living costs

Madison

United States

1015 - 1752 USD / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find Bachelor's scholarship opportunities for Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

About

Overview

Key Facts

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic

Additional Details

Living costs

Madison

Funding

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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