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Get a Bachelor of Science in Meteorology from MSU Denver
Join us at MSU Denver to earn your meteorology degree! The Professional Meteorology concentration fulfills all the U.S. federal government civil service requirements for classification as a meteorologist and the American Meteorological Society‘s recommendations for undergraduate meteorology programs. Students can now choose an Applied Meteorology concentration that has more flexibility within the curriculum. Both concentrations share a common core. Students who are unsure should default to the professional concentration to start!
Professional Meteorology Concentration Requirements
The following is valid for the 2024-2025 catalog and onward.
Printable Professional Meteorology Degree Check Sheet| Catalog Version
General Studies and Ethnic Studies & Social Justice Requirements – 24-36 credits
Meteorology Core for all students – 29 credits
- MTR 1400 Weather and Climate (3)
- MTR 2020 Weather and Climate Lab (1 (lab))
- MTR 2410 Weather Observing Systems (3 with lab)
- MTR 3000 Weather Discussion (1)
- MTR 3040 Computer Programming for Meteorologists (3 with lab)
- MTR 3330 Climatology (3 with lab)
- MTR 3400 Synoptic Meteorology (3)
- MTR 3410 Weather Analysis Techniques (3 with lab)
- MTR 3420 Radar and Satellite Meteorology (3 with lab)
- MTR 3430 Atmospheric Thermodynamics (3)
- MTR 4600 Meteorology Research Seminar (3)
Professional Concentration Additional Courses: 43 credits
- MTR 3440 Physical Meteorology (3)
- MTR 3450 Dynamic Meteorology (3)
- MTR 4400 Advanced Synoptic Meteorology (4 with lab)
- MTR 4500 Mesometeorology (3)
- PHY 2311 General Physics I (4)
- PHY 2321 General Physics I Lab (1)
- PHY 2341 General Physics II Lab (1)
- CHE 1800 General Chemistry I (4)
- MTH 1410 Calculus I (4)
- MTH 2410 Calculus II (4)
- MTH 2420 Calculus III (4)
- MTH 3210 Probability and Statistics (4)
- MTH 3420 Differential Equations (4)
Professional Concentration Approved Meteorology Electives – Select at least 3 credits
____ GIS 2250 Geographic Information Systems (4), MTR 2050 Community Climate Initiatives (2), MTR 3000 Weather Discussion (Repeatable) (1), MTR 3100 Air Pollution (3), MTR 3340 Climate Change Science (3), MTR 3500 Hazardous Weather (3), MTR 3710 Meteorology Internship (2 – 6), MTR 3777 Field Observations of Severe Weather (3 field), MTR 3920 Directed Study in Meteorology (2 – 6), MTR 4210 Forecasting Laboratory (repeatable) (1 with lab), GIS 2250 Geographic Information Systems (4 with lab), CS 1050 Computer Science I (4), MTH 2520 R Programming (4), MTH 2540 Scientific Computing with Python (4), MTH 3130 Applied Methods in Linear Algebra (4), MTH 3220 Statistical Methods (4), MTH 3270 Data Science (4), or Any MTR course 2000+
Unrestricted Electives – 9 to 21 All students need 120 total credits to graduate. The number of General Elective credits you will need depend on how many credits you have. Many students take MTH 1110 College Algebra and MTH 1120 College Trigonometry, which will count towards 7 of your General Elective credits.).
Total credits for Meteorology Major = 120
Course Sequence for Professional Meteorology
Sample Four Year Course Plan for Professional Meteorology Degree
The four year plan below is a sample plan. Meteorology courses are not offered every semester, so students should work with their advisor and the degree check sheets to plan their most efficient graduation plan. We have students who start with zero credits and some who start with 120 credits! We have students who work full time and we have students who are full time students. We are excited to work with you to make a plan that meets your needs. Some students might start at different levels of math, please see notes in the College Algebra section below on this topic.
Year One
The five courses below add up to 16 total credits. With 120 credits for a Bachelor’s of Science Degree, at this rate, a student could graduate in four years.
Students often fulfill this requirement with ENG 1009 or ENG 1010. Please see the First Year Writing Placement website to determine which course is correct for you!
ENG 1010 Description: ENG 1010 is a course focusing on the process of writing and revising college level texts in a variety of genres. The course employs lecture, discussion, workshop, and conference methods. Students learn how to read, summarize, and analyze texts. Students demonstrate their ability to generate, organize, and produce writing for appropriate audiences. Coursework does not include library research.
Students might start higher than College Algebra or take a different version of College Algebra based on placement. Please see the Math Placement Testing page for details. We need you on the path to Calculus. This usually means College Algebra for Calculus (MTH 1110 or 1108+1109 or MTH 1111+1101), then a semester of Trigonometry, then Calculus! Students placing in to Trigonometry can skip College Algebra and replace these credits with unrestricted electives. Students placing directly into Calculus or beyond can use these credits as unrestricted electives.
This course will also fulfill the General Studies Quantitative Literacy requirement.
Description: The topics covered include equations and inequalities, functions and graphs, exponents and logarithms, conic sections, linear systems, and the binomial theorem. Basic algebraic skills are essential as a prerequisite to this course. All sections integrate the use of a graphing calculator into the course.
Description: This course introduces the fundamental physical processes in the atmosphere–heat and energy, temperature, pressure, wind, clouds, precipitation, and stability. These concepts provide the basis for understanding weather systems, such as thunderstorms, tornadoes, and hurricanes. These processes are also applied to climatic patterns and the impacts of human activity on weather and climate, such as air pollution and climate change. An optional 1-credit lab course, MTR 2020 Weather and Climate Lab for Scientists, is available for students interested in additional experience in the measurement and analysis of atmospheric data, and is required for some science programs.
This course will also fulfill 3 credits of the General Studies Natural and Physical Science requirement.
Any Oral Communication course from the General Studies list can fulfill this requirement.
Students can choose from a variety of Arts and Humanities courses. Here are some we recommend for meteorology majors:
The courses below total 14 credits.
Students often fulfill this requirement with ENG 1020 Research and Argument Writing
Description: This is a course in the process of writing extended essays supported by research. The course includes an introduction to research methods, practice in critical reading, thinking, and writing across the disciplines, integration of source material, and the conventions of MLA and APA styles of documentation. Students can expect to do a series of shorter writing and research assignments leading to the longer, documented paper.
Description: The topics covered include trigonometric functions, equations, and identities, solution of triangles, and complex numbers. A specific graphing calculator will be required.
Description: Students are introduced to the basic measurements, calculations and analysis made in the study of atmospheric science. Meteorological lab work in the course includes surface and upper-air charts, thermodynamic diagrams, weather codes, and weather imagery. Students analyze and display weather data in multiple formats, using both traditional hand analysis and using computer analysis and display software.
Description: A comprehensive study of the facts, concepts, and laws of chemistry. This course meets the requirements of students majoring in chemistry, medicine, medical technology, biology, physics and other fields requiring a strong background in chemistry. Students enrolling in this course should have successfully completed high school chemistry or equivalent coursework.
Meteorology students are not required to take the associated lab.
Year Two
Courses in this semester add up to 16 credits.
Description: This course provides a survey of the instruments and instrument systems used in operational and research meteorology. The theory of instrument measurement and error, operating principles, and method of operation of surface- and upper-air sensors, as well as radar and satellites, will be presented. The lab component of the course will involve the theory, use, calibration, and maintenance of instruments and the analysis and interpretation of the observations.
Description: This course provides a physics-based study of the uses of radar and satellites and their application to various meteorological problems. Basic theories of radar and satellites will be applied to the interpretation and analysis of various radar and satellite products. The lab component focuses on the interpretation of radar and satellite imagery using computer display software.
Description: This is a first course in calculus for science and engineering. The topics covered include derivatives of polynomials, trigonometric, exponential and logarithmic functions, applications of the derivative, the definite integral, and the fundamental theorem of calculus. All sections of the course will make integrated use of the software package Mathematica and/or a graphing calculator.
Any General Studies Arts & Humanities course can be found by scrolling to that section in the catalog or by searching the schedule in the advanced search for courses with this attribute.
Meteorology students might consider taking:
- ENG 2512 – The Rhetoric of Social Media Credits: 3
- ENG 2580 – Climate Change Advocacy Writing Credits: 3
Courses in this semester total 15 credits.
Description: Climatology examines the characteristics, distribution, and causes of global and regional climate. Physical and dynamic mechanisms of climate are emphasized. The course also explores the spatial and temporal distributions of the main climate elements. Climate change topics include paleoclimatology, observed shifts in climate, climate model projections, and potential impacts of global warming.
Description: This is a second course in calculus. The topics covered include techniques of integration, applications of the integral and infinite series, including Taylor’s series. All sections of the course will make integrated use of the software package Mathematica and/or a graphing calculator.
Description: This first term of a one-year, introductory, calculus-based physics course is suitable for science and engineering students. The topics include motion, forces, rotations, gravity, and elasticity.
Description: This first semester of a one-year sequence in laboratory work emphasizes experimental techniques, procedures and formal report writing. Laboratory experiments reinforce or extend the work of the lecture portion of the course. Emphasis is on mechanics.
Calculus II and Physics I can be challenging courses. Save yourself some time and brain space by finding a fun class to fill this space!
Year Three
Courses this semester total 14 credits.
Description: Students are introduced to the computer programming language Python, the modern language used in the atmospheric sciences. The course content focuses on specific applications to meteorology, including basic universal programming concepts. Students learn to load, manipulate, and analyze meteorological data of various formats, and visualize it through graphs and maps. Students become familiar with a variety of python tools for these tasks while practicing these concepts in a lab setting.
Description: This course presents a descriptive approach to the structure and behavior of mid-latitude, synoptic-scale weather systems. Primary topics include the physics of synoptic-scale air motion, the role of synoptic weather systems in the general circulation, jet streams, airmasses, fronts, and the application of these to cyclones and anticyclones. Elementary quasi-geostrophic theory and weather forecasting are introduced.
Description: In this interactive weather discussion course, students will participate in weekly weather discussions on recent, present, and future weather. Students will become familiar with weather patterns and learn to create weather forecasts through the discussion and interpretation of radar data, satellite animations, weather observations, and forecasting models.
Description: This course in the calculus of functions of more than one variable includes the following topics: partial derivatives, definite integrals over plane and solid regions, vectors and their applications, and Green’s Theorem and its generalizations. All sections of the course will make integrated use of the software package Mathematica.
Students can fulfill two requirements with one course, the Historical Requirement and the Global Diversity Requirement. Students might fulfill the Global Diversity requirement using a different category course.
Here are some courses that fulfill both:
- AAS 1130 – Survey of African History Credits: 3 (Global Diversity)
- ANT 1650 – Ancient Civilizations Credits: 3 (Global Diversity)
- ECO 1776 – Global Economic History: The Origins of Growth Credits: 3 (Global Diversity)
- HIS 1005 – Ancient Civilizations Credits: 3 (Global Diversity)
- HIS 1030 – World History to 1500 Credits: 3 (Global Diversity)
- HIS 1032 – Islam in History: From the Prophet to the Present Credits: 3 (Global Diversity)
- HIS 1035 – The Medieval World Credits: 3 (Global Diversity)
- HIS 1040 – World History since 1500 Credits: 3 (Global Diversity)
- HIS 1045 – Europe, Renaissance to the Present Credits: 3 (Global Diversity)
- HIS 1250 – China and East Asia Credits: 3 (Global Diversity)
- HIS 1270 – India and South Asia Credits: 3 (Global Diversity)
- HIS 1300 – Introduction to Latin American History Credits: 3 (Global Diversity)
- HIS/GWS 1600 – Women in World History Credits: 3 (Global Diversity)
- HIS 1700 – Nature and Society Credits: 3 (Global Diversity)
- HIS 1940 – Survey of African History Credits: 3 (Global Diversity)
Choose from any course at the university!
Courses in this semester total 14 credits.
Description: This is a course in interpretation, understanding, and analysis of weather data, focusing on conventional surface and upper-air data and use of these data in current weather diagnostics. Topics include traditional hand analysis of surface and upper-air weather maps, spatial and temporal cross-sections, thermodynamic diagrams, meso-analyses, and prognostic charts. These topics form the foundation for correct and efficient use of modern computer analysis. This is an essential course for operational and applied research meteorologists.
Students can use this course to fulfill their 3 meteorology elective credits.
Description: This course considers the nature and causes of hazardous weather, the predictability of hazardous weather events, and the economic and societal impacts of these events. The strategies for the protection of life and property from hazardous weather are also considered.
Students can repeat this class for 4 total credits.
Description: In this interactive weather discussion course, students will participate in weekly weather discussions on recent, present, and future weather. Students will become familiar with weather patterns and learn to create weather forecasts through the discussion and interpretation of radar data, satellite animations, weather observations, and forecasting models.
Description: This course covers classical thermodynamics and its application to atmospheric processes. Main topics include the equation of state, first and second laws of thermodynamics, adiabatic processes of dry and moist air, stability, thermodynamic diagrams, thermodynamic variables, and convection.
Description: This course includes a study of first, second, and higher order differential equations and systems giving solutions in closed form, by numerical approximations, and through Laplace Transforms. These techniques are applied to problems in the physical sciences and engineering. All sections will integrate the use of the software package Mathematica into the course.
Year Four
The courses for this semester total 14 credits.
Description: This course is an application of classical physics to common processes in the atmosphere. Main topics include cloud and precipitation physics, atmospheric radiation, radiative transfer, lightning, optical phenomena and weather modification.
Description: This course covers the fundamentals of fluid dynamics necessary for understanding large-scale atmospheric motions. The focus of the course is the development, derivation, and analysis of the laws of conservation of mass, momentum, and energy, as they apply to middle latitude, synoptic scale weather systems.
Description: In this interactive weather discussion course, students will participate in weekly weather discussions on recent, present, and future weather. Students will become familiar with weather patterns and learn to create weather forecasts through the discussion and interpretation of radar data, satellite animations, weather observations, and forecasting models.
Description: This is the second semester of a one-year sequence in laboratory work that emphasizes experimental techniques, procedures and formal report writing. Laboratory experiments reinforce or extend the work of the lecture portion of the course. Emphasis is on electrical measurements, waves, optics and modern physics.
Description: This is a course in the application and theory of the principles of probability and statistics in the sciences and engineering. It includes descriptive statistics, linear regression, probability, random variables and their distributions, estimation, and tests of hypotheses.
The courses this semester total 14 credits for a total of 120 credits to complete the degree! This semester is the semester to apply for graduation!
Description: This course is a calculus-based examination of the three-dimensional structure of mid-latitude, synoptic scale weather systems. Main topics include quasi-geostrophic theory, extratropical cyclone structure and evolution, diagnosis of vertical motions, jet streams, and frontogenesis. The lab component involves the hand analysis and computer-based analysis of live, forecasted, and archived weather data.
Note: This is a lab course that meets 6 hours a week, but time flies!
Description: This is an advanced course in recognizing, understanding, and forecasting mesoscale weather events (severe thunderstorms, hailstorms, tornadoes, downslope windstorms, flash floods, snowstorms, etc.) with emphasis on theory, analysis of weather data, and forecast decision making.
Description: This is a capstone course required of all meteorology majors. Students engage in a research project that involves the application of scientific methodology to meteorological or climatological data and problem solving. Students learn to do literature searches, create a problem statement, handle data, perform statistical analysis, and present data and results. Technical writing and oral presentation skills are emphasized.
Students should consider declaring a math minor and taking 4 more credits in math to finish the minor! Choosing one the following meteorology-relevant courses will complete the requirements: CS 1050 Computer Science I, MTH 2520 R Programming, MTH 2540 Scientific Computing with Python, MTH 3220 Statistical Methods, MTH 3270 Data Science, MTH 3130 Applied Methods in Linear Algebra.
Applied Meteorology Concentration Requirements
The following is valid for the 2024-2025 catalog and onward.
Printable Applied Meteorology Degree Check Sheet | Catalog version
General Studies and Ethnic Studies & Social Justice Requirements – 24-36 credits
Meteorology Core for all students – 29 credits
- MTR 1400 Weather and Climate (3)
- MTR 2020 Weather and Climate Lab (1 (lab))
- MTR 2410 Weather Observing Systems (3 with lab)
- MTR 3000 Weather Discussion (1)
- MTR 3040 Computer Programming for Meteorologists (3 with lab)
- MTR 3330 Climatology (3 with lab)
- MTR 3400 Synoptic Meteorology (3)
- MTR 3410 Weather Analysis Techniques (3 with lab)
- MTR 3420 Radar and Satellite Meteorology (3 with lab)
- MTR 3430 Atmospheric Thermodynamics (3)
- MTR 4600 Meteorology Research Seminar (3)
Applied Meteorology Concentration Additional Courses – 16 credits
- MTR 3500 Hazardous Weather (3) or MTR 4500 Mesometeorology (3)
- MTH 1410 Calculus I (4)
- MTH 3210 Probability and Statistics (4)
- PHY 2311 General Physics I (4) or PHY 2010 College Physics I (4)
- PHY 2321 General Physics I Lab (1) or PHY 2040 College Physics I Lab (1)
Applied Concentration Approved Meteorology Electives – Select at least 6 credits
____ MTR 2050 Community Climate Initiatives (2), MTR 3000 Weather Discussion (Repeatable) (1), MTR 3100 Air Pollution (3), MTR 3340 Climate Change Science (3), MTR 3710 Meteorology Internship (2 – 6), MTR 3777 Field Observations of Severe Weather (3 (field)), MTR 3920 Directed Study in Meteorology (2 – 6), MTR 4210 Forecasting Laboratory (repeatable) (1 (lab)), MTR 3440 Physical Meteorology (3)*, MTR 3450 Dynamic Meteorology (3)*, MTR 4500 Mesometeorology (3), MTR 4400 Advanced Synoptic Meteorology (4 with lab)*, MTR 2000-4999 Any non-1000-level meteorology course, ENV 3700 Mountain Environments (3), ENV 4470 Snow Hydrology (3), GEG 3410 Biogeography (3), GEL 4150 Hydrology (Surface Water) (3), GIS 2250 Geographic Information Systems (4), GIS 4840 Remote Sensing (4), CS 1050 Computer Science I (4), MTH 2520 R Programming (4), MTH 2540 Scientific Computing with Python (4). *Students in the applied concentration are unlikely to have the proper prerequisites for courses with an *
Students may choose an optional minor or fill out the rest of their coursework with unrestricted elective credits. Students should take care to achieve 40 upper division credits total to graduate. Students might enjoy one of the several minors offered in the Earth and Atmospheric Science department such as Climate Change, Geography, Geographical Information Systems (GIS), Geology, Environmental Science, Sustainability Studies. Students might also enjoy minors in Math, Physics, Computer Science, Chemistry, Aviation Technology, Communication Studies, Journalism and Media Production, Sociology, or Water Studies.
Unrestricted Electives – 33-45 All students need 120 total credits to graduate. The number of General Elective credits you will need depend on how many credits you have. Many students take MTH 1110 College Algebra and MTH 1120 College Trigonometry, which will count towards 7 of your General Elective credits.)
Total credits for Meteorology Major = 120
Course Sequence for Applied Meteorology
Concentration Explanations
The Professional Meteorology degree conforms to the requirements for students to qualify to work for the National Weather Service (NWS) It also fulfills the American Meteorological Society’s recommendations for a Bachelor’s degree in Meteorology. Similarly, students wanting to eventually get the AMS Broadcast Certification will want the professional concentration.
The Applied Meteorology concentration is rather different in that it does not require the level of math demanded by the NWS nor graduate schools. Although we proudly tote several alumni who work at the National Weather Service throughout the country, we found that the majority of our alumni have found employment as successful broadcast (TV) meteorologists or as meteorologists in the private sector or even as science educators. The Applied Meteorology degree is for students looking to personalize their degree a bit more than the very prescribed requirements of the Professional Meteorology degree. For example, a student looking to produce or broadcast meteorology might choose to Major in Applied Meteorology and minor in Journalism and Media Production and focus their meteorology electives on severe weather. (However, students wanting to eventually get the AMS Broadcast Certification will want the professional concentration.) A student looking to work in the private sector on forecasting or instrumentation might major in Applied Meteorology and minor in Computer Science or GIS. A student interested in climate change might major in Applied Meteorology and minor in Climate Change, Geography, Environmental Science, or even Sociology. Students might specialize in Emergency Management. Instead of a minor, students might diversify their remaining credits to build their skill base in an area best for their career aspirations. We recommend meeting with a meteorology professor for recommendations.
Students hoping to continue their studies in graduate school in Atmospheric Science (Meteorology) should choose the Professional Meteorology degree.
All students are encouraged to develop their programming and mapping skills by taking courses in computer science, python, R, and GIS. These skills are essential to marketability and we encourage you to take them early in your degree so the skills can be practiced in your Meteorology Research Seminar course.
Both concentrations share a Meteorology core, then branch off and have their own required courses, then have their own list of meteorology electives. Use the accordions above by hitting the plus sign to see the requirements for each concentration.
All current students can see their current catalog and requirements by visiting their Degree Progress Report and may also choose to try a “What If” report to see how their coursework might fit into a different catalog. Please see an advisor to chat!