Meteorology

Your goals, success, and future are our top priority.

Why Meteorology at Valpo?

Welcome to your home of nearly 80 meteorology majors, including Valpo faculty as passionate about the weather as you are! You will put your passion into a career with hands-on learning in forecasting, aviation meteorology, broadcasting, research in severe weather, tropical meteorology, extreme weather, or climate impacts, and many more directions; opportunities await you. Your goals, success, and future are our top priority. Valpo meteorology faculty love teaching and we are an undergraduate only program. You are our focus.

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About Our Meteorology Degree

General Information

Nationally Respected

Valparaiso University’s meteorology program, which gained the status of a major in 1991, has quickly become one of the nation’s most respected training grounds for professional meteorologists. Valpo meteorology majors go on to attend the nation’s top graduate programs and are employed by public- and private-sector firms and broadcast stations around the world.

Occupational Outlook

Check out the occupational outlook for atmospheric scientists and meteorologist, according to the Bureau of labor Statistics.

Weather Technology

Valpo students have extraordinary access to state-of-the-art instruments, facilities, and technology. The Valparaiso University Weather Center, a laboratory where students gain hands-on experience and provide weather information and forecasts for Northwest Indiana, has an excellent array of meteorological equipment. Our facilities feature the following:

Live data from a 33-foot (10-meter) instrumented mesonet tower
5-cm simultaneous dual-polarization Doppler radar
UNIDATA and GEMPAK data retrieval and display systems
Radiosonde launching and tracking systems
Portable sensors and computers
Weather In a Tank

Opportunities to gain practical experience in research and forecasting abound at Valpo, both within the curriculum and through extracurricular activities and work experience. The program’s popular 11-day convective field study to the Great Plains are an integral part of the educational experience for meteorology students, and avid storm enthusiasts join the Valparaiso University Storm Intercept Team. Meteorology students are also important contributors to the National Weather Service’s Skywarn program. The department’s excellent relationship with the National Weather Service and with employers ensures a wealth of internship opportunities for students.

Minor Requirements

The 16-credit minor in meteorology may complement a variety of majors.

Required Courses		16 credits
One of the following courses:		4 credits
MET 103	Introduction to Meteorology	4 credits
MET 190	Topics in Weather and Climate	4 credits
Two required courses		6 credits
MET 215	Climatology	3 credits
MET 216	Introduction to Meteorological Observation and Analysis	3 credits
*Two courses from the following:**		6 credits
MET 130	Weather Technology	3 credits
MET 240	Introduction to Climate Change	3 credits
MET 271	Aviation Meteorology	3 credits
MET 279	Severe Storm Prediction and Nowcasting	3 credits
MET 319	Tropical Meteorology	3 credits
MET 350	Boundary Layer Meteorology	3 credits
MET 430	Numerical Weather Prediction	3 credits
MET 435	Radar Meteorology	3 credits
MET 440	Global Climate Change	3 credits
Total		16 credits

Students may not take both MET 240 and MET 440 to fulfill this requirement.

A Wealth of Electives

Overview

Few undergraduates in the country have access to the variety of electives available to Valpo students. The following electives are offered on a regular basis:

Meteorology Research courses
Radar Meteorology
Tropical Meteorology
Boundary Layer Meteorology
Meteorological Computer Applications
Global Climate Change
Aviation Meteorology
Numerical Weather Prediction
Severe Storm Prediction and Nowcasting
Lake Effect Forecasting
Meteorological Instrumentation

The B.S. in meteorology offers a strong foundation in atmospheric science. Advice from faculty members is invaluable in making course selections, but students can begin with these courses recommended to expand their horizons.

Broadcast Meteorology

Forecasting, instrumentation, general science, and communication are all skills vital to a broadcast meteorologist. Students interested in pursuing a career in broadcast meteorology should consider these courses and a digital media minor (communication department).

Recommended Meteorology Electives:

MET 240: Introduction to Climate Change or
MET 440: Global Climate Change
MET 271: Aviation Meteorology
MET 279: Severe Storm Prediction and Nowcasting
MET 292: Lake Effect Snow Analysis and Forecasting
MET 319: Tropical Meteorology
MET 335: Meteorological Instrumentation
MET 350: Boundary Layer Meteorology
MET 385: Field Study in Meteorology
MET 435: Radar Meteorology
MET 486: Internship in Meteorology

A digital media minor from the communication department requires 15 credits from the digital media major and may include:

COMM 198: Nonlinear Video Editing
COMM 250: The Radio Industry and Audio Production
COMM 251: Media Production
COMM 262: Content Research and Reporting
COMM 286: Campus Media Practicum
COMM 380: Television Producing and Directing
COMM 385: Advanced Media Production
COMM 490: Topics: Weathercasting
COMM 490: Topics: Advanced Weathercasting

Courses from the theatre department are also relevant:

THTR 134: Voice and Diction
THTR 357: Acting for the Camera

Up-to-date course descriptions and course prerequisites can be found in the University Catalog.

Forecasting and Operational Meteorology

Exploring the many aspects of regional and global meteorology equips you to view a variety of meteorology problems. Forecasting tools and techniques prepare you to work in a computer technology driven field. These electives will prepare you to understand the atmosphere and the instrumentation and technology used to analyze and model the atmosphere. A geographic information systems (GIS) minor is especially useful in government and private industry careers.

Recommended Meteorology Electives:

MET 271: Aviation Meteorology
MET 279: Severe Storm Prediction and Nowcasting
MET 292: Lake Effect Snow Analysis and Forecasting
MET 319: Tropical Meteorology
MET 335: Meteorological Instrumentation
MET 350: Boundary Layer Meteorology
MET 385: Field Study in Meteorology
MET 430: Numerical Weather Prediction
MET 435: Radar Meteorology
MET 440: Global Climate Change
MET 460: Data Analysis
MET 486: Internship in Meteorology

A minor in GIS

Up-to-date course descriptions and course prerequisites can be found in the University Catalog.

Graduate School and Research Meteorology

Focusing on a problem, grasping the theory, analyzing data, and modeling a solution are typical steps in a solving any research problem. The following electives will provide tools, theory, and the ability to discern forecast problems as you explore research meteorology and graduate school opportunities.

Recommended Meteorology Electives:

MET 271: Aviation Meteorology
MET 319: Tropical Meteorology
MET 330: Meteorological Computer Applications
MET 335: Meteorological Instrumentation
MET 350: Boundary Layer Meteorology
MET 385: Field Study in Meteorology
MET 430: Numerical Weather Prediction
MET 435: Radar Meteorology
MET 440: Global Climate Change
MET 460: Data Analysis

Up-to-date course descriptions and course prerequisites can be found in the University Catalog.

College of Arts & Sciences

Program Rankings and Highlights

Diverse Possibilities

The career opportunities for Meteorology majors are diverse.

Internships

Students are welcomed at internships in Northwest Indiana and across the country.

Experiential Learning

Valpo’s equipment and instruction allow students to learn from the immediate environment.

Meet Our Faculty

Professors. Mentors. Friends. At Valparaiso University, you will work on real-life problems alongside faculty leaders with decades of business experience and a true desire to do what’s best for you.

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