The study of atmospheric and oceanic sciences includes all aspects of the atmosphere and physical oceanography, their mutual interaction, and their interaction with space and the rest of the earth system. 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 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.
Students majoring in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences receive 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 atmospheric and oceanic sciences, 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.
How to Get in
| Requirements | Details |
|---|---|
| How to get in | No application required. All students who meet the requirements listed below are eligible to declare. For information on how to declare, visit Advising & Careers. |
| Courses required to get in | None |
| GPA requirements to get in | None |
| Credits required to get in | None |
| Other | None |
University Requirements
All undergraduate students must complete both the following Core General Education (Core GenEd) and University Degree and Quality of Work requirements. The requirements below apply to students whose first term at UW-Madison or whose earliest post-high school college attendance at any institution is Summer 2026 or later.
Students whose first term at UW-Madison or whose earliest post-high school college attendance at any institution occurred before Summer 2026 should refer to the archived Guide for the requirements that apply to them.
Core General Education (Core GenEd) Requirements
| Civics & Perspectives | 3 credits of Civics & Perspectives coursework. |
| Communication & Literacy | 6 credits of Communication & Literacy coursework. This requirement may be partially satisfied by a qualifying placement test score. For more information see this tiny url: https://go.wisc.edu/qualifyingenglishplacement |
| Humanities & Arts | 6 credits of Humanities & Arts coursework. |
| Mathematics & Quantitative Reasoning | 6 credits of Mathematics & Quantitative Reasoning coursework. This requirement may be partially satisfied by a qualifying placement test score. For more information see this tiny url: https://go.wisc.edu/qualifyingmathplacement |
| Natural Science & Wellness | Complete both:
|
| Social & Behavioral Science | 3 credits of Social & Behavioral Science coursework. |
| Total Credits | 30 credits. |
For more information see the policy.
University Degree and Quality of Work Requirements
All undergraduate degree recipients must complete the following minimum requirements. Requirements for some programs will exceed these requirements; see program requirements for additional information.
| Total Degree | 120 degree credits. |
| Residency | Complete 30 credits in residence. A course is considered “in residence” if it is taken when in undergraduate degree-seeking status and:
|
| Quality of Work | Achieve at least the minimum grade point average specified by the school, college, and/or academic program. |
| Math | Demonstrate minimal mathematics competence by: |
| English Language | If required to take the UW-Madison English as a Second Language Assessment Test (MSN-ESLAT), demonstrate minimal English language competence by:
|
| Language | Complete one:
|
| Major Declaration | Declare and complete the requirements for at least one major. |
College of Letters & Science Degree Requirements: Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in the College of Letters & Science must complete all of the requirements below. Some courses satisfy more than one L&S degree requirement (visit College of Letters & Science: Requirements for details).
This major can be paired with either the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree requirements.
Bachelor of Arts Degree Requirements
| Communication | Complete both:
|
| Quantitative Reasoning | Complete both:
|
| Ethnic Studies | one 3+ credit course with the Ethnic Studies designation |
| Language | Complete either:
|
| L&S Breadth: Humanities | Complete 12 credits with the Humanities or Literature designation, which must include at least 6 credits with the Literature designation. |
| L&S Breadth: Social Sciences | Complete 12 credits with the Social Science designation. |
| L&S Breadth: Natural Sciences | Complete 12 credits with the Natural Science, Biological Science, or Physical Science designations, which must include both:
|
| Liberal Arts and Science (LAS) Coursework | at least 108 credits |
| Depth of Intermediate/Advanced work | at least 60 credits at the Intermediate or Advanced level |
| Major | Declare and complete at least one major. |
| Total Credits | at least 120 credits |
| UW-Madison Experience |
|
| Quality of Work |
|
Non–L&S students pursuing an L&S major
Non–L&S students who have permission from their School/College to pursue an additional major within L&S only need to fulfill the major requirements. They do not need to complete the L&S Degree Requirements above.
Requirements for the Major
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Calculus (complete all): | ||
| MATH 221 | Calculus and Analytic Geometry 1 | 5 |
| MATH 222 | Calculus and Analytic Geometry 2 | 4 |
| MATH 234 | Calculus--Functions of Several Variables | 4 |
| Physics (complete one course from each group): | ||
| PHYSICS 207 | General Physics | 5 |
| or PHYSICS 201 | General Physics | |
| or PHYSICS 247 | A Modern Introduction to Physics | |
| PHYSICS 208 | General Physics | 5 |
| or PHYSICS 202 | General Physics | |
| or PHYSICS 248 | A Modern Introduction to Physics | |
| Computer Sciences (complete one): | 3-4 | |
| Data Science Programming I | ||
| Data Science Programming II | ||
| Machine Organization and Programming | ||
| Total Credits | 26-27 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Sequence (complete all): 1 | ||
| ATM OCN 310 | Dynamics of the Atmosphere and Ocean I | 3 |
| ATM OCN 311 | Dynamics of the Atmosphere and Ocean II | 3 |
| ATM OCN 330 | Physics of the Atmosphere and Ocean I | 3 |
| ATM OCN 340 | Physics of the Atmosphere and Ocean II | 3 |
| Quantitative Analysis (complete one): | 3 | |
| Techniques in Ordinary Differential Equations | ||
| Linear Algebra and Differential Equations | ||
| Capstone | ||
| ATM OCN 405 | AOS Senior Capstone Seminar | 1 |
| Electives | 11 | |
| Topics in Meteorology | ||
| Meteorological Measurements | ||
| Global Climate Processes | ||
| Radar and Satellite Meteorology | ||
| Synoptic Laboratory I: The Frontal Cyclone | ||
| Synoptic Laboratory II: Mesoscale Meteorology | ||
| Fundamentals of Physical Oceanography | ||
| Bioclimatology | ||
| Tropical Meteorology | ||
| Environmental Biophysics | ||
| Research Computing in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences | ||
| Climatological Analysis | ||
| Geophysical Fluid Dynamics I | ||
| Geophysical Fluid Dynamics II | ||
| Introduction to Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics | ||
| Cloud Physics | ||
| Radiation in the Atmosphere and Ocean | ||
| Introduction to Physical Oceanography | ||
| Senior Thesis | ||
| Senior Thesis | ||
| Directed Study 2 | ||
| Directed Study 2 | ||
| Total Credits | 27 | |
Residence and Quality of Work
- 2.000 GPA in all ATM OCN and major courses
- 2.000 GPA on 15 upper-level credits in the major, taken in Residence. 3
- 15 credits in ATM OCN, taken on campus
Honors in the Major
Students may declare Honors in the Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Major in consultation with the Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences undergraduate advisor.
Requirements
To earn Honors in the Major in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, students must satisfy both the requirements for the major (above) and the following additional requirements:
- Earn a 3.300 University GPA
- Earn a 3.400 GPA for all ATM OCN courses, and all courses accepted in the major
- Complete 9-10 credits from the following in addition to major requirements:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced Elective (complete one): | 3-4 | |
| Bioclimatology | ||
| Tropical Meteorology | ||
| Environmental Biophysics | ||
| Research Computing in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences | ||
| Climatological Analysis | ||
| Geophysical Fluid Dynamics I | ||
| Geophysical Fluid Dynamics II | ||
| Introduction to Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics | ||
| Cloud Physics | ||
| Radiation in the Atmosphere and Ocean | ||
| Introduction to Physical Oceanography | ||
| Senior Honors Thesis (complete all): | 6 | |
| Senior Honors Thesis | ||
| Senior Honors Thesis | ||
| Total Credits | 9-10 | |
Footnotes
- 1
Note that core sequence begins in the fall semester only.
- 2
A maximum 2 credits of Electives may come from Internship or Directed Study courses.
- 3
ATM OCN 300 through ATM OCN 699 are upper-level in the major.
Learning Outcomes
- 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.
- Apply fundamental radiative transfer theory to interpret remotely-sensed observations of atmospheric and oceanic phenomena.
- Design and conduct experiments and/or analyze data to test hypotheses in an area of atmospheric or climate sciences.
- Demonstrate effective scientific communication skills through development and delivery of oral presentations (including poster presentations) and written reports and case studies.
Four-Year Plan
This Four-Year Plan is only one way a student may complete an L&S degree with this major. Many factors can affect student degree planning, including placement scores, credit for transferred courses, credits earned by examination, and individual scholarly interests. In addition, many students have commitments (e.g., athletics, honors, research, student organizations, study abroad, work and volunteer experiences) that necessitate they adjust their plans accordingly. Informed students engage in their own unique Wisconsin Experience by consulting their academic advisors, Guide, DARS, and Course Search & Enroll for assistance making and adjusting their plan.
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| MATH 221 (QR-B) | 5 | MATH 222 | 4 |
| ATM OCN 100 or 101 | 4 | ATM OCN/ENVIR ST 171 (Comm B) | 3 |
| Communication A | 3 | Literature Breadth | 3 |
| Language Requirement | 4 | Biological Science Breadth | 3 |
| 16 | 13 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| MATH 234 | 4 | Humanities Breadth | 3 |
| PHYSICS 207 | 5 | PHYSICS 208 | 5 |
| Biological Science Breadth | 3 | COMP SCI 220 | 4 |
| Ethnic Studies | 4 | Social Science Breadth | 3 |
| 16 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| ATM OCN 310 | 3 | ATM OCN 311 | 3 |
| ATM OCN 330 | 3 | ATM OCN 340 | 3 |
| Literature Breadth | 3 | Biological Science Breadth | 3 |
| ADV MATH/COMP SCI/STATS | 3 | Humanities Breadth | 3 |
| Social Science Breadth | 4 | Elective | 3 |
| 16 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| ATM OCN 400 or higher | 3 | ATM OCN numbered 400 or higher | 3 |
| ATM OCN 400 or higher | 4 | ATM OCN numbered 400 level or higher | 4 |
| Elective | 4 | ATM OCN 699 (or elective) | 3 |
| Social Science Breadth | 4 | ATM OCN 405 | 1 |
| Elective | 3 | ||
| 15 | 14 | ||
| Total Credits 120 | |||
Advising and Careers
Declare or Cancel This Major
Please follow the process described on the Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences website.
Contact the Undergraduate Academic Advising Manager with your questions about exploring or declaring the major.
Study Abroad
Learning in Letters & Science emphasizes discovery, growth, understanding different perspectives, and challenging yourself, which makes studying abroad an excellent fit for many L&S students: studyabroad.wisc.edu
As a university with global influence, we have more than 300 study abroad programs in over 80 countries. These vary in length, academic focus, teaching format, language requirements, cost, and level of independence. There are many programs to complement every major and any year of college (including the final semester)—and all meet UW–Madison’s high academic standards. Students admitted into Letters & Science can even choose a short program in the summer before they start college or their whole first year: studyabroad.wisc.edu/launch. Talk with your academic advisor about how studying abroad might fit with your academic plan.
SuccessWorks
SuccessWorks at the College of Letters & Science helps you turn the academic skills learned in your classes into a fulfilling life, guiding you every step of the way to securing jobs, internships, or admission to graduate school.
Through one-on-one career advising, events, and resources, you can explore career options, build valuable internship and research experience, and connect with supportive alumni and employers who open doors of opportunity.
- What you can do with your major (Major Skills & Outcomes Sheets)
- Make a career advising appointment
- Learn about internships and internship funding
- Try “Jobs, Internships, & How to Get Them,” an interactive guide in Canvas for enrolled UW–Madison students