Meteorology and Climate with a Year in Oklahoma

Meteorology and climate science is the study of the atmosphere, the physical processes that drive weather, and the long-term patterns that constitute climate. It is a discipline that combines fluid dynamics, thermodynamics, physics, and mathematics to understand one of the most complex natural systems on Earth. Meteorologists develop the numerical models used to forecast tomorrow's weather, while climate scientists work to understand how the atmosphere interacts with oceans, land surfaces, and ice over decades and centuries, including the human-driven changes that are reshaping the global climate system.

The social and scientific urgency of this work has never been greater.

At the University of Reading, one of the world's leading centres for atmospheric science, you will study this four-year full-time programme with a year spent at the University of Oklahoma, a world-renowned institution for meteorological research and home to some of the most advanced facilities for the study of severe weather, including tornadoes and convective storms. Oklahoma's distinctive meteorological environment and research culture offer an experience that is genuinely unmatched anywhere in the UK. Back in Reading, you will study atmospheric dynamics, cloud physics, climate modelling, weather forecasting, synoptic meteorology, and the scientific basis of climate change.

Mathematics and computing are central to the curriculum, equipping you to work with the numerical models that define modern meteorological practice. The typical entry tariff is 168 points.

Graduates from Reading's meteorology and climate programmes work at the Met Office and equivalent national meteorological services, in climate research institutions, in environmental consultancy, in the energy sector, and in international climate policy organisations. The year in Oklahoma gives graduates an international dimension and professional connections that are valued by employers. Further study through PhD programmes in atmospheric science, climate modelling, or oceanography is a natural route for those who want to pursue research careers or move into senior advisory and scientific roles.