Career In Meteorology

Would a degree in geography be okay for applying for meteorology grad school?

I'm getting stressed out. I want to eventually work with either The Weather Channel, NWS, or NOAA. Therefore, I'd like to go to meteorology grad school. However, I'm majoring in geography with emphasis on earth environmental systems. To get an undergraduate degree in meteorology, I'd have to transfer to my university's rival. I took a tour of their campus before I even decided to come to my school, and I didn't really enjoy it or feel at home. I feel at home at my current university. My question to you is if, with this geography degree, there is any chance of me getting into a good meteorology grad school like at FSU or PSU?

Public Comments

1. I don't think that you would be able to go to grad school with just having a degree in geography, but the best suggestion would be to ask the school that you're looking at going to, and asking what they will accept for this option.
2. How are you in the physical sciences? A degree in geography typically wouldn't carry the physics and math background to prepare you for graduate level courses in meteorology. If you are well versed in these subjects, it would be worth the application. You will need at least a 700 on the quantitative part of the GRE in order to be considered for meteorology.
3. For employment with NOAA, it does not matter what the science degree name is or what school your degree is from, what they want is that you have completed the required courses/education topics that are listed for that position. So it is possible that you can have a degree in geography and get a job with NOAA. Example: The following link is the basic requirements needed to work at NOAA as a meteorologist. http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/standards/IORs/gs1300/1340.htm