Climate Science Option
This option is offered within the following major(s):
Karen Shell, Director
Climate Science Undergraduate Program
104 CEOAS Administration Building
Oregon State University
Corvallis, OR 97331
541-737-0980
Email: karen.shell@oregonstate.edu
Website: https://ceoas.oregonstate.edu/climate
The Climate Science Option centers around the physical science of climate and climate change, with a smaller number of courses studying the intersection of climate with biological, social, political, and economic systems. The program is interdisciplinary, with coursework spanning atmospheric science, oceanography, geology, and geography. Students gain hands-on experience through a field course to multiple sites in Oregon, as well as independent research or an internship. A focus of the program is on transferrable skills, such as programming, data analysis and visualization, and written and oral communication, which are integrated in courses throughout the curriculum. Electives allow students to pursue additional coursework to prepare them in their specific career interests. Graduates of the program will be prepared for positions in state and local governments, utilities, consulting firms, non-profits, and private industry, as well as further study in graduate school. The need for climate scientists is expected to increase as governments and businesses incorporate more specialized climate planning related to mitigation and adaptation solutions.
Option Code: 836
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Option specific Math and Science Requirements | ||
| PH 221 | RECITATION FOR PHYSICS 211 1 | 1 |
| Chemistry | ||
| Select one of the following: | 5 | |
| *GENERAL CHEMISTRY | ||
| GENERAL CHEMISTRY and *LABORATORY FOR CHEMISTRY 232 | ||
| Physics | ||
| Select one of the following options: | 10 | |
| Option A | ||
| *GENERAL PHYSICS | ||
| *GENERAL PHYSICS | ||
| Option B | ||
| *GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS and RECITATION FOR PHYSICS 212 | ||
| *GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS and RECITATION FOR PHYSICS 213 | ||
| Calculus | ||
| MTH 252 | INTEGRAL CALCULUS | 4 |
| MTH 254 | VECTOR CALCULUS I | 4 |
| Core Requirements | ||
| ATS 295 | OBSERVING CLIMATE | 3 |
| ATS 301 | CLIMATE DATA ANALYSIS | 4 |
| ATS 310 | METEOROLOGY | 4 |
| ATS 420 | CLIMATE PHYSICS | 4 |
| ATS 421 | CLIMATE MODELING | 4 |
| GEO 484 | INTRODUCTION TO BIOGEOCHEMISTRY | 3 |
| GEO 486 | QUATERNARY PALEOCLIMATOLOGY | 3 |
| GEOG 323 | ^CLIMATOLOGY | 4 |
| Experiential Learning | ||
| Select 6 credits of the following: | 6 | |
| RESEARCH | ||
| THESIS | ||
| INTERNSHIP | ||
| Electives | ||
| Select at least one course in Climate Impacts, Adaptation, or Mitigation: | 3 | |
| *TECHNOLOGY, ENERGY, AND RISK | ||
| *ENERGY MATTERS | ||
| *GLOBAL CRISES IN RESOURCE ECOLOGY | ||
| *HUMAN DIMENSIONS OF CLIMATE CHANGE | ||
| INTERNATIONAL WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT | ||
| WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT IN THE UNITED STATES | ||
| *OCEANS, COASTS, AND PEOPLE | ||
| *ENERGY ALTERNATIVES | ||
| BIOENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT | ||
| Select at least one course in Policy or Economics: | 3-4 | |
| *ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS AND POLICY | ||
or ECON 352 | *ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS AND POLICY | |
| THE POLITICS OF CLIMATE CHANGE | ||
| US ENERGY POLICY | ||
| RENEWABLE ENERGY POLICY | ||
| Select an additional 15 credits of electives listed above or below: | 15 | |
| THERMODYNAMICS AND CLOUD MICROPHYSICS | ||
| ATMOSPHERIC RADIATION | ||
| ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY | ||
| PLANETARY ATMOSPHERES | ||
| COASTAL GEOMORPHOLOGY | ||
| GLACIAL GEOLOGY | ||
| QUATERNARY STRATIGRAPHY OF NORTH AMERICA | ||
| SNOW HYDROLOGY | ||
| ^POLAR OCEANOGRAPHY | ||
| PRINCIPLES OF PHYSICAL OCEANOGRAPHY | ||
| BIOLOGICAL OCEANOGRAPHY | ||
| CHEMICAL OCEANOGRAPHY | ||
| GEOLOGICAL OCEANOGRAPHY | ||
| No more than two of the following may be used toward the 15 additional elective credits: | ||
| REMOTE SENSING I: PRINCIPLES AND APPLICATIONS | ||
| SATELLITE IMAGE ANALYSIS | ||
| APPLIED DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS | ||
| LINEAR ALGEBRA I | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICAL METHODS | ||
| *SCIENCE WRITING | ||
| Total Credits | 80-81 | |
| 1 | Students taking PH 211 in this option are required to take PH 221 concurrently |
| * | Baccalaureate Core Course |
| ^ | Writing Intensive Course (WIC) |
Option Code: 836