Students that complete the M.S. program will have acquired the knowledge and proficiency needed to perform in the field of atmospheric science. Students accomplish the latter through completion of a required core curriculum, advanced graduate courses chosen in consultation with advisors and graduate committees from a wide selection of offerings, and by participation with their advisors as co-workers in research. Graduates of the M.S. program can also choose to continue their studies and research in the Ph.D. program.

A wide variety of professionally satisfying work exists in private industry, consulting, and government. For example, a need exists in both the private and governmental sectors for engineers and scientists trained at the M.S. level in the general field of environmental quality and pollution monitoring and control. This demand does not lie in the area of research but rather in the application of research results and the administrative or public relations aspects of pollution control. In this variant of the M.S. program, students earn approximately 20 credits of course work in the atmospheric science core, while 12 to 15 credits come from a flexible environment engineering core which includes courses in public administration, environmental law, natural resources policy and politics, and/or health engineering. Other important examples of the application of atmospheric science to unique problems include hydrometeorology, air pollution analysis, agriculture and forestry, atomic energy, transportation, heating and power, human health, aerospace operations and the design of space vehicles, communications, air-sea and air-ground interactions, precipitation augmentation or suppression, and fog dispersal. Students may also develop their own plan of study designed to give them maximum preparation for their chosen field.

• Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in physics, math, atmospheric science, engineering, chemistry, or related field with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0
• Calculus-based math course sequence including differential equations and vector analysis
• Calculus-based physics course sequence including kinetics, electricity and magnetism, and some modern topics

Students under this plan must complete a minimum of 30 semester credits and produce a thesis. At least 24 credits must consist of structured academic courses. Up to six credits may come from special studies, graduate seminars, and research. A maximum of six credits can come from research. Of the 30 total credits, 20 must come from Department of Atmospheric Science courses using the "AT" prefix.

The department divides the curriculum into four areas including atmospheric dynamics, atmospheric physics and chemistry, atmospheric circulation systems, and atmospheric measurements. In order to insure a breadth of experience, Students are required to select a minimum of four credits from the courses listed under atmospheric dynamics, five credits from the courses listed under atmospheric physics and chemistry, five credits from the courses listed under atmospheric circulation systems, and two credits from the category of atmospheric measurements. These required courses provide up to 16 credits from the core curriculum. Furthermore, these credits must include the AT602 and AT620 courses. Students must also take a minimum of two structured AT700-level courses. After obtaining advisor and Department Head approval, students may substitute a course from another department for one of the AT700-level courses.

The department also offers a modified Plan A track for students wishing to focus their studies on atmospheric chemistry. Although the differences between this track and the traditional Plan A track are modest in scope, the atmospheric chemistry track permits students to spend increased time formally studying areas of chemistry and measurement. In addition, students must also take a minimum of two structured AT700-level courses. As with the traditional Plan A track, students may substitute a course from another department for one of the AT700-level courses with advisor and Department Head approval.

Students under this plan must complete a minimum of 32 semester credits. At least 28 credits must come from structured academic courses. The remaining four credits may come from independent studies, group studies, or graduate seminars. No research credits are allowed. Of the 32 total credits, 20 must come from Department of Atmospheric Science courses using the "AT" prefix.

Similar to Plan A, the department divides the curriculum into four areas including atmospheric dynamics, atmospheric physics and chemistry, atmospheric circulation systems, and atmospheric measurements. In order to insure a breadth of experience, Students are required to select a minimum of four credits from the courses listed under atmospheric dynamics, five credits from the courses listed under atmospheric physics and chemistry, five credits from the courses listed under atmospheric circulation systems, and two credits from the category of atmospheric measurements. These required courses provide up to 16 credits from the core curriculum. Furthermore, these 16 credits must include AT602 and AT620 courses. Students are also expected to enroll in AT492 during their first semester. They must also take a minimum of two structured AT700-level courses. After obtaining advisor and Department Head approval, students may substitute a course from another department for one of the AT700-level courses. Instead of a thesis, students must prepare and present a scholarly paper to the graduate committee prior to the final examination.

Students interested in employment as operational meteorologists with the National Weather Service should adhere to the following basic education requirements implemented in 1992 and revised in 1995:

• At least 24 semester-based credits in meteorology and/or atmospheric science including a minimum of the following:
  • 6 credits of atmospheric dynamics and thermodynamics (AT601, AT602, AT604, AT620, AT623, and appropriate AT700-level courses)
  • 6 credits of analysis and prediction of synoptic and mesoscale weather systems (AT540, AT541, AT605, AT655, and appropriate 700-level courses)
  • 3 credits of physical meteorology (AT606, AT621, AT622, and appropriate 700-level courses)
  • 2 credits of remote sensing of the atmosphere and/or instrumentation (AT650, AT652, and appropriate 700-level courses)
• 6 semester-based credits of physics with at least one course that includes a laboratory requirement
• 3 semester-based credits of general differential equations
• Calculus courses appropriate for physical science majors
• At least 9 semester-based credits of course work appropriate for physical science majors in any combination of three or more of the following areas: physical hydrology, statistics, chemistry, physical oceanography, physical climatology, radiative transfer, aeronomy, advanced thermodynamics, advanced electricity and magnetism, light and optics, and computer science