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Fall 2025 Undergraduate Catalog
Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, BS
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School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS)
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Science in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences
Director of Undergraduate Studies: Brian Colle
Undergraduate Advisor: Nancy Black
SoMAS is one of the nation’s leading coastal oceanographic and atmospheric institutions, and the expertise of SoMAS’ faculty places Stony Brook in the forefront in addressing and answering questions about regional environmental problems, as well as problems relating to the global ocean and atmosphere. The primary focus of the SoMAS faculty is on fundamental research designed to increase understanding of the processes that characterize the coastal ocean and the atmosphere. SoMAS faculty are also committed to applying the results of research to solve problems arising from society’s uses and misuses of the environment. SoMAS includes mission-oriented institutes in several major areas: the Institute for Terrestrial and Planetary Atmospheres, the Living Marine Resources Institute, the Institute for Ocean Conservation Science, the Long Island Groundwater Resource Institute, and the Waste Reduction and Management Institute. These institutes add a wealth of varied resources to education and research.
The SoMAS offers undergraduate majors in atmospheric and oceanic sciences, environmental studies, marine sciences, and marine vertebrate biology; and minors in environmental studies and marine sciences. See the separate entries for environmental studies (ENS), marine sciences (MAR), and marine vertebrate biology (MVB) in the alphabetical listings of Approved Majors, Minors, and Programs. The SoMAS also offers several cooperative programs with departments in the College of Arts and Sciences (Chemistry, Biology, and Geosciences) and the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences (Chemical and Molecular Engineering). See the entries for those programs in the alphabetical listings of Approved Majors, Minors, and Programs for more information. Research opportunities in marine sciences, atmospheric sciences, environmental studies, and waste management are available to undergraduates. Information on research opportunities may be found by contacting faculty directly or on the SoMAS Web site at http://www.somas.stonybrook.edu/.
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Degree Requirements
The major in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences leads to the Bachelor of Science degree. Two tracks of study are available in the major. One is intended for students wishing to learn about the physical behavior of the atmosphere and its application to weather forecasting and the other track is for students who wish to learn about issues and processes related to climate. Completion of the major requires approximately 65 credits. Of these, no more than one course (4 credits) with a grade lower than C can be credited to the major. The core courses for both tracks are as follows: Required Courses in Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, and Computer Science
Notes:
Note: The following alternate beginning calculus sequences may be substituted for major requirements or prerequisites: MAT 125 (or MAT 125 /MAT 130 ), MAT 126 , MAT 127 or MAT 141, MAT 142 or MAT 171 or AMS 151 , AMS 161 or MAT 131 , MAT 132 . Equivalency for MAT courses achieved by earning the appropriate score on a placement test is accepted as fulfillment of the requirement without the necessity of substituting other credits. For more detailed information about the various calculus sequences, see “Beginning Mathematics Courses” under the Mathematics Department in this Bulletin. Required Departmental Courses
Additional Requirements for the Meteorology Track
In this track, students learn both the mathematics and physics governing atmospheric behavior and apply this knowledge to forecasting the weather using real-time data received at our weather laboratory. Opportunities are available for students to gain additional practical experience by working under cooperative agreements at two nearby NOAA weather forecasting installations as well as local TV stations. Students graduating in this track will have satisfied all of the coursework recommended by the American Meteorological Society for undergraduate training in meteorology and also the course work required by NOAA for certification as an entry-level government meteorologist. Students graduating in this track will have taken the coursework necessary for graduate study leading to degrees that prepare them for research and teaching positions in the atmospheric sciences. Students are also prepared for positions in other technically related fields. Additional Requirements for the Climate Track
This track is not intended for students who are interested in the NOAA/National Weather Service or graduate school in atmospheric science. Rather, students graduating in this track receive a solid background in statistics, atmospheric science, and oceanography and are therefore well qualified for jobs in the private sector (instrument companies, weather and climatology consultants, weather support for major industry such as airlines and utilities, as well as forecast and climate modeling companies). The ocean-related courses also help those students who are interested in the M.S. graduate program in physical oceanography. Students are also prepared for positions in other technically related fields. Experiential Learning Courses (optional, 1-3 credits)
Upper-Division Writing Requirement
The advanced writing component of the major in ATM requires registration in, and satisfactory completion of the 0-credit MAR 459 or SUS 459 (S/U grading) along with enrollment in an approved advanced course that entails writing of either a term paper or a laboratory report. Completion of MAR 459 with a grade of S will also result in fulfillment of the WRTD requirement. A list of preapproved courses can be found at http:// www.somas.stonybrook.edu/education/undergraduate/. Atmospheric Sciences Honors Program
Graduation with departmental honors in Atmospheric Sciences requires the following: - Students are eligible to participate in the Honors Program if they have a 3.50 GPA in all courses for the major by the end of the junior year. Students should apply to the SoMAS undergraduate director for permission to participate.
- Students must prepare an honors thesis based on a research project written in the form of a paper for a scientific journal. A student interested in becoming a candidate for honors should submit an outline of the proposed thesis research project to the SoMAS undergraduate director as early as possible, but no later than the second week of classes in the last semester. The student will be given an oral examination in May on his or her research by his or her research supervisor and the undergraduate research committee. The awarding of honors requires the recommendation of this committee and recognizes superior performance in research and scholarly endeavors. The written thesis must be submitted before the end of the semester in which the student is graduating.
- If the student maintains a GPA of 3.5 in all courses in their major through senior year and receives a recommendation by the undergraduate research committee, he or she will receive departmental honors.
BS/MS Degree in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences
Students interested in this program, intended to prepare students for professional employment or graduate school in the field of atmospheric and oceanic sciences, may apply for admission at the end of the junior year. Students in this combined B.S./M.S. program may complete both degrees in 10 semesters plus two summers (although the exact timing will depend on the student’s progress on the research thesis). Entry in the combined B.S./M.S. program is contingent upon a student identifying a thesis advisor, so students should seek out research experience in the laboratories of prospective advisor prior to the end of their junior year. During the fourth year, students take a mixture of undergraduate and graduate courses (6-12 credits). After the 8 th semester (during the summer), students begin M.S. level research. During the fifth year, students complete the remaining graduate requirements for the M.S., likely needing the following summer to complete the research project. The two to four 500-level MAR courses taken during the senior year may be counted toward required or elective requirements of the undergraduate Marine Science major. Please visit the SoMAS website http://somas.stonybrook.edu/ for further information on the Marine Sciences programs. SBC Courses
This table illustrates major courses that can also be used to fulfill SBC requirements (See Note 1 & Note 2). | SBC Category | Required Major Courses | Optional Major Courses (See Note 3) | | ARTS | | | | GLO | | | | HUM | | | | LANG (see Note 4) | | | | QPS | MAT 131, MAT 132 | AMS 102 | | SBS | | | | SNW | CHE 131 | ATM 201, PHY 125, PHY 126, PHY 127, PHY 131, PHY 132, PHY 141, PHY 142 | | TECH | ATM 247, MAR 334 | PHY 277 | | USA | | | | WRT | | | | STAS | | ENS 301, GEO 313, MAR 340 | | EXP+ | | ATM 387, ATM 487 | | HFA+ | | | | SBS+ | | | | STEM+ | ATM 205, ATM 247, MAR 334 | AMS 210, AMS 261, AMS 361, ATM 305, MAT 203, MAT 303, PHY 251 | | CER | ATM 397 | | | DIV (see Note 5) | | | | ESI | | ATM 320, GEO 313 | | SPK | | | | WRTD | | MAR 459, SUS 459 | Note 1: Some course information may be subject to change. Please contact your major advisor for additional consultation. Note 2: For majors that require study in a related area or completion of a minor, visit the respective program’s “Major SBC Courses” page to view expanded SBC options. Note 3: Denotes any course in which students can choose from more than one option. These may include, but are not limited to, major electives, concentration/track/specialization courses, or calculus/physics/chemistry sequences. Note 4: CEAS majors, the Athletic Training major, the Respiratory Care major, and the Clinical Laboratory Sciences major are exempt from the LANG learning objective. Students enrolled in the major in Social Work are exempt from the LANG learning objective, but are required to enroll in and pass with a letter grade of C or higher the first semester of an elementary foreign language course numbered 111, or satisfy through alternate methods. Note 5: Students are responsible for completing the general education requirements published in the Bulletin that was current as of the first semester of matriculation (or rematriculation). The following student groups must satisfy the DIV learning objective as part of their degree requirements: - Freshmen who matriculate in the Fall of 2019 or later
- Transfer students who matriculate in the Spring of 2020 or later
- Students who rematriculate in the Fall of 2019 or later
Sample Course Sequence for the Major in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences (Meteorology Track)
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