Home > Education > Prospective Graduate Students

Students from a wide variety of backgrounds are encouraged to apply to our Department. We accept students with a bachelor's degree in meteorology, oceanography, physics, chemistry, engineering, mathematics, biology, or other programs with suitable emphasis on science. A minimum undergraduate background includes three semesters of calculus, differential equations, linear algebra, three semesters of calculus-based physics, and two semesters of chemistry; additional mathematics, physics, and computer science are viewed favorably. All students are required to take the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) General Test and international students are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). For details regarding the minimum requirements for TOEFL, please click here.

The University requires a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 (out of 4.0) for financial aid. The Department offers Fellowships, Research Assistantships or Teaching Assistantships to the most qualified applicants.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I apply?

   A formal application must be submitted to the Graduate School at the University of Maryland, College Park. You may submit an application online. For further details and access to the online application form, please visit the Graduate School Admissions page (select "Atmospheric and Oceanic Science" in Step 2).

   There is a $65 (USD) application fee.

2. Application deadlines for the fall semester are 1 February 2008 for international students and 15 May 2008 for domestic students. However, for consideration for a Fellowship or Assistantship (financial aid), all applications must be submitted in their entirety by 1 February 2008, for all applicants. We encourage students to begin their studies in the Fall Semester.

   On rare occasion, a small number of students may be admitted for the Spring Semester. There is limited financial aid available for students admitted in the Spring Semester. See the UMD Graduate School Admissions webpage for spring semester application deadlines.

3. What are the requirements and how long does it take to complete the Ph.D?

   A complete description of the Graduate Program curriculum can be found here. The average length to complete the Ph.D is about 5 years. Presently there are 62 graduate students enrolled in the AOSC program.

4. What are the available areas of research?

   There are six main areas of research. For details, click on one of them.

   • Atmospheric Chemistry
   • Climate Analysis and Modeling
   • Numerical Weather Prediction and Atmospheric Dynamics
   • Remote Sensing
   • Air-Sea Interactions and Physical Oceanography
   • Carbon Cycle, Ecosystem, and Climate
5. Who are the available advisers?

   A list of faculty can be found here.

6. What are some research and employment opportunities in the Washington D.C. area?

   The Washington D.C. Metropolitan area offers a number of job opportunities for grads. The University of Maryland campus is close to NASA, NOAA, and a variety of other universities and research institutions including NCEP which is on campus. Here is a map of some nearby employment opportunities.

   Of course, a Ph.D in Atmospheric and Oceanic Science provides academic and industrial career opportunities throughout the world. Recent graduates of our program have found employment at the Japanese Meteorological Agency (Takemasa Miyoshi, 2005), Harvard University (Rokjin Park, 2001), and Ebay (DJ Patil, 2001).

   Click here for a complete list of Ph.D recipients during the past 10 years who were either in our department or whose primary advisor was a member of our department.

If you wish to request more information, have any questions, or want to plan a visit to the Department, please contact Tammy Hendershot, AOSC Program Coordinator, by email at tammy at atmos.umd.edu or by calling 301-405-5389.