MSc Atmosphere, Ocean and Climate

Compulsory modules

Fundamentals of Weather and Climate 

Discover the fundamental principles underlying physical principles and how they can help us understand weather and climate. You'll examine the thermodynamical principles that govern the nature of weather and weather systems alongside the physical principles of climate and climate change. 

Fundamentals of Modelling and Data Analysis 

Study the theory and practice of creating numerical and statistical models of the atmosphere and ocean. You’ll write Python code to analyse climate data, verify weather and forecasts, and solve simplified versions of the differential equations that govern the ocean and atmosphere.  

Fluid Dynamics of the Atmosphere and Oceans

Learn how the atmosphere and ocean support motions on a vast range of scales - from planetary to molecular - as you study the laws of physics applied to fluid. You'll discover the impact of the Earth's rotation, apply techniques of scale analysis, and study the concept of vorticity and how it explains the properties of Rossby waves. 

Dissertation: Research Project

Undertake an original research investigation and acquire the skills needed to carry out your own research and/or data analysis. You'll be provided the opportunity to develop your own special interest in the field of study as you work on your research project.

Weather and Climate Discussion

Study weather and climate issues of both local and global importance. You'll gain knowledge of current weather, recent worldwide climate evens and short-term weather forecasrs. 

Optional modules

Advanced Atmospheric Dynamics 

Learn about the underpinning physics that explain why the atmosphere has a large-scale circulation, why weather systems exist, and how they develop and generate high-impact weather around the world. You’ll advance your theory of weather system and global dynamics, and apply a physic-based process to understand atmospheric phenomena such as cyclones.  

Tropical and Extratropical Weather Systems Analysis 

Develop your understanding of tropical weather systems and circulation patterns as you embark on a problem-based investigation of both tropical and extratropical high-impact weather systems. You’ll consider the main physical and dynamical processes involved in the development of weather systems and advance your application of the scientific method to analyse cases of extreme weather.  

Remote Sensing

Learn how to obtain information about the atmosphere using electromagnetic waves. You’ll consider how absorption, scattering and emission processes can be used to quantify various atmospheric properties, as well as how radar and lidar instruments provide information about precipitation and clouds.   

Climate Change: Past, Present and Future 

Develop a conceptual and quantitative understanding of climate variability and change, examining observations of changes in atmospheric composition and climate change in both recent past and over geological scale. Additionally, you’ll critically assess the extent to which these changes are caused by human activity or natural variations and what future changes may look like.  

Fundamentals of Ocean Circulation and Climate

Gain an overview of modern approaches to the observation, theory and modelling of the physical oceans. You'll develop a deeper understanding of how ocean circulation develops through interactions with the atmosphere, how it plays a crucial role in determining current climate, as well as long-time scale changes in the climate system. 

Air Pollution: Chemistry, Transport and Dispersion

Explore the concepts of chemical and physical processing of atmospheric pollutants and their transport in the atmosphere, ranging from local pollution sources to global scale changes in atmospheric composition. You’ll examine processes such as photochemistry, anthropogenic and biogenic emissions, wet and dry deposition, and transport mechanisms, as well as the changing implications of pollution and actions that can reduce pollution.

Numerical Modelling for Weather and Climate Science

Develop a theoretical and practical understanding of the methods used in numerical models for operational weather prediction, climate simulation, and climate change prediction, including coupled atmosphere/ocean models and earth-system models. 

These are the modules that we currently offer for 2024/2025 entry. They may be subject to change as we regularly review our module offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods. 

Please note that the University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them. 

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