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• Burnside Hall, Room 305
• 805 Sherbrooke Street West
• Montreal QC H3A 0B9
• Telephone: 514-398-3764
• Fax: 514-398-6115
• Email: info.aos [at] mcgill.ca
• Website: mcgill.ca/meteo

The Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences offers, at the undergraduate level, a broad range of courses in atmospheric chemistry, atmospheric physics, meteorology, ocean and atmosphere dynamics, and climate. The study of atmospheric and oceanic sciences is based largely on physics and applied mathematics. All required courses except those at the introductory level generally have prerequisites or corequisites in physics, mathematics, and atmospheric science.

One of the goals of the discipline is to develop the understanding necessary to improve our ability to predict the weather. Another important area of study focuses on the changes in global climate caused by the changing chemical composition of the atmosphere. The approach to the study of climate change is quantitative in the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences. Like other physical sciences, atmospheric and oceanic sciences attempt to create theoretical models of their complex processes as a means of analyzing the motion and composition of the air and seawater, thermodynamic behaviours, and their interaction with radiation and with the other components of the climate system.

From one viewpoint, the atmosphere and ocean may be studied as a large volume of gas or liquid by the methods of fluid mechanics: wind or currents, circulation patterns, turbulence, and energy and momentum exchanges are the ideas employed in this approach. Alternatively, the atmosphere and ocean may be studied from the point of view of their detailed physical processes: how water condenses in the air; how seawater freezes to form sea ice; how cloud droplets make rain; how sunlight warms the surface of the Earth; how heat is exchanged between the ocean and the atmosphere; and how the atmosphere and ocean interact to shape the weather and climate. A comprehensive understanding requires both viewpoints, and these are reflected in the curriculum.

The Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences offers six programs:

• Minor in Atmospheric Science
• Liberal Program - Core Science Component Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences
• Major in Atmospheric Sciences
• Major in Atmospheric Science and Physics
• Honours in Atmospheric Science
• Diploma in Meteorology

The Honours program is meant for students with high standing. It is based on courses similar to those in the Major program, but includes a mandatory research course and provides opportunities to take advanced courses. The Major program, although somewhat less intensive, leads to a broad range of career opportunities, including a professional career as a meteorologist, and like the Honours program equips the student to undertake postgraduate study in atmospheric and oceanic sciences at any of the leading universities. The Department also offers a special one-year Diploma in Meteorology program to B.Sc. or B.Eng. graduates.

An undergraduate degree in Atmospheric Science is an excellent background for professional careers in government service or private industry and/or graduate study in the physical sciences. Our students have been traditionally employed by Environment and Climate Change Canada (and the Meteorological Service of Canada in particular), but are also highly sought after by provincial governments, private forecasting companies, environmental consulting and engineering firms, and insurance companies. Academic positions in teaching and research are available to M.Sc. and Ph.D. graduates.

Students interested in any of the undergraduate programs should contact:

• Carolina Dufour, Undergraduate Program Adviser
• Email: carolina.dufour [at] mcgill.ca