Atmospheric Sciences

The Franklin College is home to so many academic departments that we probably don't spend enough pixels talking about the many institutes, centers and programs also at the heart of student and faculty activity. I will attempt at least a partial remedy with periodic spotlights of our programs. Today: Atmospheric Sciences.

The University of Georgia’s Atmospheric Sciences Program addresses the needs of students interested in studying meteorology or climate science. The UGA Atmospheric Sciences Program offers certificate programs at the graduate and undergraduate levels. The undergraduate certificate is offered in conjunction with a major from a participating program.

Certificate programs are an important component of the academic environment at UGA, allowing students to gain credientials and experience, often in leading-edge or niche fields that have not yet grown into fully developed degree-granting programs. But it is here where students can gain some of the most current, interdisciplinary instruction. Operational meteorology, for example, is a training ground for students who ultimately find careers in many fields including meteorology but also environmental consulting, emergency management and the energy industry. This is one of the many places where experts first find their path.

Image: Lightning over Atlanta, photo by John Harvey.