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Applied Meteorology and Climatology 

Visit Us Online www.ag.purdue.edu/agry 

Applied Meteorology and Climatology is a branch of meteorology that applies weather and climate information to problems facing agriculture and commerce.  This option involves extensive coursework in meteorology, physics, and mathematics, as well as first‐hand experience in applying basic concepts to real world situations.   

The Applied Meteorology and Climatology option is designed to provide the graduate with the tools to improve the health, safety, and productivity of today’s world.  Graduates work on many of today’s environmental problems, such as air quality, renewable energy sources, climate change and the impacts of climate change.  These meteorological and climatological problems influence both short‐term commercial activity and long‐term commercial interests, such as agricultural production, industrial development and municipal expansion.  In addition, increasing world populations drive the need for an understanding of the changing climate on food security so that developing countries can sustainably grow.   

Employment Opportunities 

Employment opportunities within the Federal Government include positions with the National Weather Service, the National Environmental Satellite Data and Information Service, the Environmental Research Laboratories, and the Department of Defense.  State government and regional associations employ meteorologists and climatologists in assessment and regulatory efforts associated with air quality and water quality.  The option is compatible with AFROTC or NROTC programs of study.  Students completing this option meet or exceed all national requirements for becoming accredited meteorologists.   

Most employment opportunities are available in private meteorological and environmental consulting firms providing specialized weather and forecast information to air pollution control, energy production and distribution, marketing, transportation, weather modification, and agriculture sectors.  The insurance and commodities industries also need meteorologists trained in statistics, agriculture, and worldwide climates to evaluate risk.  Starting salaries at the B.S. level vary, but recent salaries have been in the $32,000‐$42,000 range. 

Ever greater awareness of society of the importance of weather and climate information is driving the need for college graduates who can apply weather and climate information in agriculture, business, and industry. 

Summer Employment and Summer Internships 

Internship programs are available with private industry, the National Weather Service, or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In addition there are regular opportunities to work in University laboratories and the State Climate Office.  Prospective employers look very favorably on job applicants who have completed an internship.   

Contact Information 

Department of Agronomy ● 915 W. State St. ● West Lafayette, IN  47907 Phone:  765‐494‐4773 ● E‐mail:  agronomy@purdue.edu 

Purdue University is an equal access and equal opportunity university.

MAJOR: APPLIED METEOROLOGY AND CLIMATOLOGY (AMCL)

Credits required for graduation: 120 Freshman Year First Semester Second Semester (0.5) AGR 10100 (Introduction to the College of Agriculture

and Purdue University) (0.5) AGR 11300 (Introduction to Agronomy Academic

Programs) (4) BIOL 11000 (Fundamentals of Biology I) † (3) CHM 11100 (General Chemistry) † (5) MA 16100 (Plane Analytic Geometry and Calculus I) † (13)

(4) BIOL 11100 (Fundamentals of Biology II) † or (4) BTNY 11000 (Introduction to Plant Science) † (3) CHM 11200 (General Chemistry) † (1) EAPS 13700 (Freshman Seminar in Earth and

Atmospheric Sciences) (4) ENGL 10600 (First-Year Composition) † (5) MA 16200 (Plane Analytic Geometry and Calculus II) † (17)

Sophomore Year Third Semester Fourth Semester (1) AGRY 39800 (Agronomy Seminar) (3) COM 11400 (Fundamentals of Speech Communication) † (3) CS 15800 (C Programming) (4) MA 26100 (Multivariate Calculus) (4) PHYS 17200 (Modern Mechanics) (15)

(3) AGRY 33500 (Weather and Climate) (4) MA 26200 (Linear Algebra and Differential Equations) (3) PHYS 24100 (Electricity and Optics) (3) Core economics selective † (3) Social science or humanities selective (16)

Junior Year Fifth Semester Sixth Semester (3) AGRY 43100 (Atmospheric Thermodynamics) (1) AGRY 44100 (Synoptic Laboratory I) (3) STAT 30100 (Elementary Statistical Methods) † (3) Humanities selective ‡ (3) Social science or humanities selective (30000+ level) (3) Written or oral communication selective (16)

(3) AGRY 28500 (World Crop Adaptation and Distribution) †

(3) AGRY 43200 (Atmospheric Dynamics I) (1) AGRY 44200 (Synoptic Laboratory II) (3) Social science or humanities selective (4) Electives (14)

Senior Year Seventh Semester Eighth Semester (3) AGRY 43300 (Atmospheric Dynamics II) (1) AGRY 44300 (Synoptic Laboratory III) (1) AGRY 49800 (Agronomy Senior Seminar) (3) AGRY 53500 (Boundary-Layer Technology) (3) AGRY 54500 (Remote Sensing of Land Resources) (3) EAPS 53500 (Atmospheric Observations and

Measurements) (14)

(3) AGRY 33700 (Environmental Hydrology) (3) AGRY 53600 (Environmental Biophysics) (3) EAPS 43400 (Weather Analysis and Forecasting) (3) EAPS 53200 (Atmospheric Physics I) (3) Elective (15)

†-Course fulfills a University Core Foundational Outcome ‡-See University Core Foundational Outcome list of approved courses