Professional Meteorology

The Professional Meteorology Program (PMP) track prepares students for graduate school and/or a career as a forecaster in the private sector. Outside of the meteorology core curriculum PMP students are encouraged/expected to take courses in advanced mathematics (calculus), statistics, computer programming, Remote Sensing, GIS, agronomy, marketing, biology, etc… depending upon an individual student's interests.

Hands-on experience is what separates our program from others. The majority of our meteorology courses are accompanied by laboratory exercises. In addition, students are given the opportunity to work with our Baron NEXTRAC © radar system, the Comet © workstation, our own MM5 model, and many other atmospheric-related software packages. Beyond the computer equipment, our Climate Lab houses the North Mississippi Severe Storms Intercept Team (NOMISSIT), which provides our students additional hands-on opportunities while supplying the community, local civil defense offices, and the National Weather Service with invaluable information.

Recent graduates from the PMP have attended meteorology and climatology graduate programs at the University of Georgia, University of South Carolina, Florida State University, St. Louis University, Arizona State University, and others. The USDA and the Weather Channel also employ our PMP graduates as forecasters.

Professional Meteorology (Operational Emphasis) List of Required Courses

Professional Meteorology (Operational Emphasis) 4-year IDEALIZED Course Schedule

PMP Faculty:  The department of Geosciences has 10 professors and instructors directly related to the professional meteorology program.

Mike Brown, Ph.D., Associate Professor
Satellite & Radar Meteorology, Mesoscale Meteorology

Grady Dixon, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
Synoptic Meteorology, Weather Analysis I, Weather Analysis II

Jamie Dyer, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
Dynamic Meteorology I, Dynamic Meteorology II, Physical Meteorology, Statistical Climatology

Doug Gillham, M.S., Instructor
Weather Forecasting I, Weather Forecasting II

Christa Haney, M.S., Instructor
Introduction to Physical Geography

Justyn Jackson, M.S., Instructor
Introduction to Meteorology

John Rodgers, Ph.D., Associate Professor

Natural Hazards

Kathy Sherman-Morris, Ph.D., Assistant Professor

DL Statistical Climatology

Tim Wallace, M.S., Instructor
Introduction to Physical Geography, Introduction to Meteorology

Dr. Charles L. Wax, Ph.D., Professor
Introduction to Meteorology, Applied Climatology

Graduate Student Support

Full time-time ($1200+/month) and half-time ($600/month) teaching assistantships are often available for graduate students. Full-time TA's teach two or three lab sections per week; half-time TA's usually teach one lab section and assist in one other. Departmental TA's usually last for two years and include a tuition waiver. Research assistantships are also often available to graduate students. RA's are usually required to teach labs in addition to working on a research project. The amount of the monthly RA stipend is dependent on a particular project and grant but can be as much as $1500/month plus tuition waiver. For more information on the graduate program in the Department of Geosciences please contact Dr. Chris Dewey, Graduate Coordinator.

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PMP Courses

GR 1603: Introduction to Meteorology - This course serves as the basic course in our broadcast and operational meteorology curricula, and also as a general interest course for any student who wants to learn about weather. The course is descriptive rather than rigorous, and focuses on atmospheric processes and conditions and the resulting events and phenomena. Each class meeting begins with a weather show which includes the current observations, forecast discussion and analysis, and the official NWS forecast. Students are expected to keep up with current weather situations throughout the semester and learn what to anticipate as processes and events occur.

GR 4402/6402: Weather Analysis I - This course is designed to instruct students in the fundamentals of understanding current weather conditions, their impact and how they may change in the future. Originally conceived as a platform for discussion, the class has evolved into a more practical approach to analysis. The student will learn about not only the information available and how to interpret it, they will gain knowledge of the instrumentation behind the data. Additionally, time is spent on new technologies and their impact on meteorological analysis.

GR 4412/6412: Weather Analysis II - A continuation of Weather Analysis I, this course will build on the concepts introduced in the first section. The student will learn certain advanced analysis techniques. Additionally, the student will be introduced to the computer models which are the backbone of current forecasting methods. The student will apply this information through daily discussions of current and expected weather conditions.

GR 4422/6422: Weather Forecasting I - This course is an introduction to the process of creating and disseminating weather forecasts.  Use of current weather data in creating daily forecasts for the local area.

GR 4431/6431: Weather Forecasting II - Continuation of Weather Forecasting I, emphasis is placed on disseminating both oral and written forecasts for the local area.

GR 4613/6613: Applied Climatology - This course has the objective of teaching students the use of climatological data and perspective to solve problems and answer questions of an operational nature. Topics explain the relationship of climate to landscape and human activity. Applications are developed in such areas as agriculture, industry, technology, aviation, medicine, construction, architecture, and urban development.

GR 4623/6623: Physical Meteorology - An investigation of cloud physics/precipitation processes and solar/terrestrial radiation, including atmospheric dynamics, atmospheric electricity, optics, and instrumentation.

GR 4633/6633: Statistical Climatology - A survey of the types of statistical weather data available.  Manipulation of the data on various temporal and spatial scales.

GR 4753/6753: Satellite and Radar Meteorology - This is a three-credit class with no lab. This course is designed to provide students with specific knowledge of the physical principles that remote sensing of the environment is based upon. An understanding of the general principles of remote sensing interpretation will be acquired. The course will provide knowledge of the specific characteristics of meteorological satellites, radar, and Doppler radar. Considerable time is spent examining the role that these tools of remote sensing play in atmospheric and surface analysis, and weather forecast development. While there is no formal lab with this course, students will be required to complete "in" and "out" of class lab-type exercises.

GR 4713/6713: Synoptic Meteorology - This is a three-credit class with no lab. This course is designed to give an overview of atmospheric processes and phenomena found at the synoptic scale. Course topics include: physical processes of atmospheric motion, vertical motion, vorticity, advections, and cyclogenesis.

GR 4823/6823: Dynamic Meteorology I - This is a three-credit class with no lab. The course provides an in-depth examination of the theoretical methods for determining atmospheric stability and the tools necessary to interrogate the vertical profile of the atmosphere.

GR 4933/6933: Dynamic Meteorology II - This is a three-credit class with no lab. The course provides quantitative analysis and consideration of atmospheric circulation including jet streams, mid-latitude cyclones, vorticity, and atmospheric kinetics.

GR 4963/6963: Mesoscale Meteorology - This is a three-credit class with no lab.  This course give students descriptive and physical understanding of mesoscale processes and their relevance to the synoptic environment.  A strong focus is placed upon severe local storms.

GR 8542: Geographic Literature - As it is currently structured, this course is designed to assure the faculty that graduate students are fluent in the use of computers for writing, graphics, and data analysis. Students are required to pursue a research project resulting in a written paper that demonstrates mastery of the computer skills mentioned above.

GG 8561: Geoscience Seminar - This course has the purpose of teaching graduate students how to prepare and deliver a professional presentation. Students are required to use Powerpoint or a similar computer program to construct an oral presentation equivalent to those commonly delivered at professional meetings and conferences. Student presentations are delivered before the entire faculty and graduate students each spring semester.

GR 8990: Research Methods - This course was designed for graduate students following our non-thesis track. Since those students do not write a thesis, the faculty use this course to ensure that research skills are learned. Students learn the framework of a research project--use of scientific inquiry to pose a question, observe and collect information, analyze data, and draw conclusions. Written results and oral presentations are required.