
Carthage offers students the opportunity to minor in climatology and meteorology through the Department of Geography and Earth Science and the Department of Physics and Astronomy. This minor is directed toward students who are interested in studying climate change and global warming issues, or pursuing atmospheric scholarship and research.
Climatologists and meteorologists are atmospheric scientists. They study the atmosphere’s physical characteristics, motions and processes, and how these factors affect the environment. Their research is important for weather forecasting; weather analysis; air pollution control; climate trend analysis and research of such phenomena as droughts, global warming and ozone depletion; agriculture and farming; defense; and air and sea transportation.
There are many opportunities within the field of climatology and meteorology. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, about 37 percent of atmospheric scientists work for the Federal Government, most in the National Weather Service.
The Climatology and Meteorology Minor at Carthage focuses specifically on the atmospheric contributions that the disciplines of geography and physics provide. There are prerequisites to some of the courses for this minor. Students should consult their advisors and seek guidance from the Departments of Geography and Physics.
For a Meteorology and
Climatology Minor, students will complete 24 credits:
Geography
GEOS 155 Introduction to Physical Geography
GEOS 255 Meteorology
GEOS 365 Climatology
GEOS/PHYS 415 Science of Global Climate Change
Physics
PHYS 203 Intermediate Physics I
PHYS 360 Thermostatistics
PHYS/GEOS 415 Science of Global Climate Change

Summer Undergraduate Research Experience lets students work one-on-one with a faculty mentor.

Sarah Geise: "Each time we learned a new GIS technique, I was amazed at the technology that we have at our fingertips.”