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Full Time: 3 Years
On this BSc Meteorology and Climate course you will tackle the biggest issues facing the planet today, including ozone depletion and climate change, alongside world experts in the UK’s only dedicated meteorology department.
Explore all aspects of meteorology and climate, including atmospheric science and oceanography, whilst learning from world-leading researchers. By taking BSc Meteorology and Climate at the University of Reading, you'll be joining a course of study accredited by the Royal Meteorological Society. You'll also benefit from the Department's close links to industry and a range of opportunities to enhance your employability.
As part of our small, specialist department, you will benefit from an enviable staff to student ratio. Many of our excellent teaching staff are world leaders in their fields and a number are Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) authors and Fellows of the Royal Society. We also have a Regius Professor of Meteorology and Climate Science. The University is one of only 19 institutes in the UK to have been awarded one of these prestigious positions by Her Majesty the Queen.
Teaching is divided between lectures and practical work, but the ratio depends on options selected. You will have the opportunity to carry out a range of experiments using our extensive fluid dynamics and instrument labs, and atmospheric observatory. During your final year you will have the option of attending a summer field study trip; in recent years students have gone to the Isle of Arran, but the location of the field class is subject to change. You will also complete an independent research project on a topic of your choice, perhaps focusing on the currents of hurricanes and typhoons or the effect of climate change on crops.
This course is approved by the Royal Meteorological Society as appropriate academic training for meteorologists seeking the qualifications of Chartered Meteorologist (CMet) or Registered Meteorologist (RMet).
Placement
The Department benefits from a specialist placement officer and strong links with industry, and many students carry out work experience during the summer vacation. Popular destinations include the Met Office, Meteogroup and EDF Trading.
For more information, please visit the Department of Meteorology website.Typical offer A Level ABB | IB 32 points overall
What will you study?
How much will it cost?
New UK/EU students: £9,250* per year
New international students: £20,830 per year
* UK and EU fee changes
UK undergraduate fees are regulated by the government. These fees are subject to parliamentary approval and any decision on raising the tuition fees cap for new UK and EU** students would require the formal approval of both Houses of Parliament before it becomes law.
From 2020, the UK government may link tuition fees to the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF).
**EU students
For more information on fees, loans and grants for EU students, see fees and funding for home/EU students.
Additional costs
These course fees cover the cost of your tuition. Some courses will require additional payments for field trips and extra resources. You will also need to budget for your accommodation and living costs. See our information on living costs for more details.
Financial support for your studies
You may be eligible for a scholarship or bursary to help pay for your study. Students from the UK and other EU countries may also be eligible for a student loan to help cover these costs. See our fees and funding information for more information on what's available.
UK undergraduate fees are regulated by the government. These fees are subject to parliamentary approval and any decision on raising the tuition fees cap for new UK and EU** students would require the formal approval of both Houses of Parliament before it becomes law.
Information on this page is based on 2019/20 figures and is likely to change slightly for 2020/21 entry. We will publish up-to-date information about 2020/21 entry as soon as it becomes available.
From 2020, the UK government may link tuition fees to the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF).
**EU students in 2019/20
EU home students starting in the academic year 2019/20 will pay the same fees and have the same eligibility for loans and grants as UK home students for the duration of their course. The situation for students starting in 2020/21 is not yet known and may be affected by UK Government policy following the outcome of any negotiations regarding the UK’s exit from the European Union. The UK Government will confirm future arrangements for EU students in due course.
Additional costs
These course fees cover the cost of your tuition. Some courses will require additional payments for field trips and extra resources. You will also need to budget for your accommodation and living costs. See our information on living costs for more details.
Financial support for your studies
You may be eligible for a scholarship or bursary to help pay for your study. Students from the UK and other EU countries may also be eligible for a student loan to help cover these costs. See our fees and funding information for more information on what's available.
What career can you have?
A degree in Meteorology and Climate will provide you with a range of transferable skills, including teamwork, presenting, computing, data set analysis, numeracy, scientific writing and the ability to work to deadlines.
This degree will prepare you for work as a forecaster or research scientist at a national organisation, such as the UK Met Office, or a commercial company. Financial businesses are increasingly employing weather forecasters to advise traders of the possible outcomes of the weather on prices of commodities, and a number of our graduates now work in this area. Additionally you can choose to become a broadcast meteorologist, and appear regularly on TV or radio. You may decide to move into a career within environmental and physical sciences or mathematics, such as flood modelling or pollution prediction. You will also be well-placed to pursue further study and develop more specialist skills.
In addition to careers related to the weather and climate, your transferable skills will allow you to move into other sectors such as teaching, banking and accountancy. Overall, 93% of our students were in graduate-level work or further study six months after graduating (DLHE survey, 2016/17.)