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 4th in the world for Atmospheric Science (ShanghaiRanking 2022 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. 

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. 

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.

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 MSc Atmosphere, Oceans and Climate 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?

• Postgraduate research at Reading

Banner image: Meteorology MSc alumna Cammie Czuchnicki (www.weatherstudios.com), Creative Commons Attribution Licence. Image edited and cropped to fit banner