Meteorology and Climate
Finding solutions to the critical problems in our natural environment requires talented scientists committed to pushing frontiers. Meteorology is for people with the skill and curiosity to apply the principles of physics and mathematics in new ways.
Pursue a master's degree with the University of Reading’s world-class Department of Meteorology and learn from esteemed experts in the field. You’ll gain the knowledge and experience to help you excel in your career in the meteorological and climate science sectors, or beyond. Read about what you will need to do to prepare for your master's degree.
Our rankings and awards
- The University of Reading is ranked 5th in the world for Atmospheric Science (ShanghaiRanking 2023 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects).
- In the most recent national assessment, the University of Reading is ranked 3rd in the UK for research power in Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences (Times Higher Education, Institutions Ranked by Subject, based on its analysis of the latest REF 2021).
- The Department holds a highly prestigious Regius Professorship in Meteorology and Climate Science awarded by the Queen. This award is one of only 12 across the UK, recognising the exceptionally high quality of teaching and research.
- The University of Reading is ranked 1st in the UK for environmental and ethical performance (People and Planet University League 2023/24) and won the Times Higher Education (THE) Outstanding Contribution to Environmental Leadership award in 2023.
- The University of Reading has been named Sustainable University of the Year in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025.
Our staff
We bring together a diverse and gifted community of meteorologists, physicists, mathematicians and computer scientists. This includes experts in weather, climate, atmospheric and space physics, oceanography, hydrology, renewable energy and Earth observation.
Our Department is home to five Fellows of the Royal Society, as well as climate experts who contribute to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
Our research
Our academics are leaders in their fields and draw on their research experience to give you unique scientific perspectives into the environmental issues that affect our world. Our ground-breaking scientific research is extending knowledge and understanding and, through our teaching, we are training a new generation of scientists to think differently.
91% of our master’s students said they are satisfied with overall quality of their course (Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES) 2024, 90.9% of responders from the Department of Meteorology)
Our links with industry
We benefit from close research and training links with the Met Office and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. These links provide excellent facilities for acquiring special data sets and other material useful in teaching and research.
The University of Reading is one of only six universities to be part of the Met Office Academic Partnership.
Our Department building also houses the MetOffice@Reading centre, which focuses on regional scale weather systems.
Additionally, the Department hosts the Climate Directorate of the National Centre for Atmospheric Science and the Data-Assimilation Directorate of the National Centre for Earth Observation.
Accreditation
Our MSc Applied Meteorology and Climate, MSc Atmosphere, Oceans and Climate and MSc Applied Meteorology and Climate with Management postgraduate degrees are approved by the Royal Meteorological Society as appropriate academic training for meteorologists seeking the qualifications of Chartered Meteorologist (CMet) or Registered Meteorologist (RMet).
Successful MSc holders can apply for election to Fellow of the Royal Meteorological Society (FRMetS).
Looking for postgraduate research opportunities?
Banner image: Meteorology MSc alumna Cammie Czuchnicki (www.weatherstudios.com), Creative Commons Attribution Licence. Image edited and cropped to fit banner
Courses
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MSc Applied Meteorology and Climate with Management
Full Time: 12 months
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MSc Atmosphere, Ocean and Climate
Full Time: 12 months | Part Time: 24 months
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MSc Climate Change and Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Full Time: 12 months | Part Time: 24 months
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MSc Applied Meteorology and Climate
Full Time: 12 months | Part Time: 24 months
Preparation for our master's courses
For our MSc Applied Meteorology, MSc Atmosphere, Ocean and Climate, and MSc Applied Meteorology with Climate and Management courses, you are required to have a good knowledge of physics and mathematics.
Check the list of topics we recommend you to familiarise with