GEOGRAPHY Climate & Physical Geography
Are you curious about… The physical and human dimensions of climate change? Arctic climates and water resources? Severe weather events? El Niño and La Niña in Ohio? Tropical glaciers and mountain environments? How life adapts to different environments?
Overview of Specialization Our leading faculty in climate sciences and physical geography will equip you with a strong quantitative understanding of the natural environment’s dynamic processes and patterns, both in the atmosphere and on the Earth’s surface. You will study climatic and physical geography issues over a variety of space and time scales, from the rapid severe updrafts of air in tropical cyclones to the change in global temperatures over thousands of years. You will learn fundamental physical laws and principals and apply analytical tools to monitor biophysical properties and processes. These range from ways to analyze data from weather instruments, satellites, and advanced computer models to geochemical and microbiological techniques. You will get hands-on experience in operational weather forecasting, evaluating evidence for climate change, and conducting field research. You will have the opportunity to pursue internships for classroom credit and undertake independent research. You will find careers in: Weather forecasting Environmental consulting Government or private research Natural hazards risk analysis (insurance industry)
Required Prerequisites For Climatic Studies path: Math 151, 152, 153 Physics 131, 132 Statistics 245
For Physical Geography path: Math 151, 152 Physics 131 Statistics 245
Required courses For Climatic Studies path: Basic Meteorology Atmospheric Sciences (AS) 230 or Climatology Geog 520 Synoptic Meteorology Laboratory AS/Geog 620 Boundary Layer Climatology Geog 622.01 Microclimatological Measurements Geog 622.02 Synoptic Analysis and Forecasting Geog 623.01 Severe Storm Forecasting 623.02 For Physical Geography path: Introduction to Physical Geography Geog 220 Global Climate Change: Causes and Consequences Geog 420 Biogeography: An Introduction to Life on Earth Geog 490 Basic Meteorology AS 230 or Climatology Geog 520 Integrated Earth Systems: Confronting Global Change Geog 597.02 Geomorphology Earth Sci 550
Electives For Climatic Studies path, choose five of the following courses: Climate System Modeling: Basics and Applications AS 629 Atmospheric Thermodynamics AS 631 Dynamic Meteorology I AS 637 Dynamic Meteorology II AS 638 Physical Geography and Environmental Issues Geog 210 Global Climate Change: Causes and Consequences Geog 420 Biogeography: An Introduction to Life on Earth Geog 490 Introduction to Cartography Geog 580 Integrated Earth Systems: Confronting Global Change Geog 597.02 Fundamentals of Geographic Information Systems Geog 607 Undergraduate Research and Professionalization Seminar Geog 695 or Seminar in Geography Geog 795 For Physical Geography path, choose five of the following courses (at least three must be from Geography or Atmospheric Sciences): Physical Geography and Environmental Issues Geog 210 Introduction to Cartography Geog 580 Computer Cartography and Geographic Visualization 680 Fundamentals of Geographic Information Systems Geog 607 Intermediate Geographic Information Systems Geog 685 Undergraduate Research and Professionalization Seminar Geog 695 or Seminar in Geography Geog 795 One Human Geography course 600-level or higher Synoptic Meteorology Laboratory AS/Geog 620 Boundary Layer Climatology Geog 622.01 (note: has prerequisite of Physics 132, which has a prerequisite of Math 153) Microclimatological Measurements Geog 622.02 (note: has prerequisite of Physics 132, which has a prerequisite of Math 153) Synoptic Analysis and Forecasting Geog 623.01 (note: has prerequisite of Physics 132, which has a prerequisite of Math 153) Severe Storm Forecasting 623.02 (note: has prerequisite of Physics 132, which has a prerequisite of Math 153) Climate System Modeling: Basics and Applications AS 629 Atmospheric Thermodynamics AS 631 (note: has a prerequisite of Math 153) Dynamic Meteorology I AS 637 (note: has prerequisite of Math 255) Dynamic Meteorology II AS 638 Principles of Oceanography Earth Sci 206 Water in the Basin Hydrologic Cycle Earth Sci 410 The Cryosphere Earth Sci 450 Glaciers and Landscapes Earth Sci 650
Preview Climate & Physical Geography Boundary Layer Climatology (Geog 622.01) Understand atmosphere surface interactions and their potential effects on weather development and human impacts.
Schedule an appointment to begin your career in geography: Rick McClish Undergraduate Advisor Department of Geography Room 1085 Derby Hall 154 North Oval Mall Columbus, OH 43210 (614) 292-3553 mcclish.10@osu.edu www.geography.ohio-state.edu
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