atmospheric-science/index

aos

18 September 2017 20 April 2024

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Students who commenced study in 2016 should refer to this area of study entry for direction on the requirments; to check which units are currently available for enrolment, refer to the unit indexes in the the current edition of the Handbook. If you have any queries contact the managing faculty for your area of study.

Monash University

Undergraduate
Minor/Major

Commencement year

This area of study entry applies to students commencing this course in 2016 and should be read in conjunction with the relevant course entry in the Handbook.

Any units listed for this area of study relate only to the 'Requirements' outlined in the Faculty of Science component of any bachelors double degrees.

Unit codes that are not linked to their entry in the Handbook are not available for study in the current year.

Managing faculty

Faculty of Science

Offered by

School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment

Coordinator

Dr Dietmar Dommenget and Professor Nigel Tapper

Websites

Faculty of Science

School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment

Location

Clayton

Atmospheric science explores the structure and evolution of the atmosphere, and includes addressing how we forecast our weather as well as how we understand the climate. Weather and climate are both critical to understanding the natural environment and how it is changing under anthropogenic influences. Atmospheric Science is an interdisciplinary science that draws on the strengths of environmental science, applied mathematics and physical geography and applications of concepts in physics and chemistry.

The major offers a balance of field work, data analysis, theoretical research and advanced modelling that is taught by experts in the field and which is supported by state of the art facilities. People who study atmospheric science can expect to work in closely-aligned sectors such as the Bureau of Meteorology or consultancies that deal with weather and climate, or in disparate industries such as risk management for banks and insurance companies.

Availability

Atmospheric science is listed in S2000 Bachelor of Science, S3001 Bachelor of Science Advanced - Global Challenges (Honours) and S3002 Bachelor of Science Advanced - Research (Honours) at Clayton as a major or minor.

Outcomes

In addition to achieving the broad outcomes of their course, students successfully completing this major will be able to:

  • understand the physical theory of the Earth's atmosphere, its relation with climate and weather forecasting, and how it can be constructed from basic principles using mathematical analysis and numerical modelling
  • demonstrate high-level knowledge and skills of the important techniques, terminology and processes of at least one area of atmospheric science such as clouds, weather forecasting, large-scale weather, climate variability, Australian atmospheric environment and the earth boundary layer
  • understand the importance of atmospheric sciences to a range of environmental issues, including climate change.

Units

Supporting studies

Mathematics studies that include at least MTH1030 Techniques for modelling and MTH2010 Multivariable calculus are required to support the major of Atmospheric science. MTH2032 Differential equations with modelling is highly recommended.

Note 1: Students who have not met the VCE entry requirements for MTH1030 must also complete MTH1020.

Note 2: Students in the double degree course with Engineering complete ENG1090 and/or ENG1005 instead of MTH1020 and/or MTH1030 and either ENG2005 or ENG2006 from 2017 instead of MTH2010.

Minor requirements (24 points)

12 points at level 1 and 12 points at level 2.

Students complete the following four units (24 points):

  • EAE1011 Earth, atmosphere and environment 1
  • EAE1022 Earth, atmosphere and environment 2
  • EAE2122 Introduction to atmospheric physics and dynamics
  • EAE2011 Environmental problem solving and visualisation or EAE2111 Introduction to climate science

Major requirements (48 points)

12 points at each of level 1 and level 2, and 24 points at level 3.

Students complete the following eight units (48 points):

  • EAE1011 Earth, atmosphere and environment 1
  • EAE1022 Earth, atmosphere and environment 2
  • EAE2111 Introduction to climate science
  • EAE2122 Introduction to atmospheric physics and dynamics
  • EAE3111 Climate dynamics
  • EAE3121 Physical meteorology
  • EAE3142 Tropical meteorology
  • EAE3152 Dynamical meteorology

Note 3: The level 2 and level 3 units will be offered for the first time in 2017 and 2018 respectively. Students who commenced their studies prior to 2016 must follow the major requirements published in 2015.

Requirements for progressing to honours

The School of Earth, Environment and Atmosphere offers honours projects in a range of sub disciplines, including Atmospheric Science. 24 points of level 3 units within the major are required to progress to honours studies.

Refer to S3701 Bachelor of Science (Honours) for full details.

Relevant courses

Bachelors

Single degrees

Successful completion of this area of study can be counted towards meeting the requirements for the following single degrees:*

  • S2000 Bachelor of Science
  • S3001 Bachelor of Science Advanced - Global Challenges (Honours)
  • S3002 Bachelor of Science Advanced - Research (Honours)

Students in other single bachelor's degrees may be eligible to complete the minor or major by using 24 or 48 points of their free electives, however need to be aware that additional maths supporting units may also be required.

Double degrees

Successful completion of this area of study can be counted towards meeting the requirements for the Bachelor of Science component in the following double degrees:*

  • B2023 Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Science
  • B2016 Bachelor of Commerce Specialist and Bachelor of Science
  • D3005 Bachelor of Education (Honours) and Bachelor of Science
  • E3007 Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) and Bachelor of Science
  • C2003 Bachelor of Information Technology and Bachelor of Science
  • L3007 Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and Bachelor of Science
  • S2006 Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts
  • S2007 Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Biomedical Science
  • S2004 Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Computer Science
  • S2003 Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Global Studies
  • S2005 Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Music

* Students cannot complete a minor, major or extended major in the same area of study.