The Associate of Science – Transfer Degree is designed for students who plan to transfer to specific science majors at four-year colleges or universities. Students pursuing this degree are required to select a field of specialization from an approved list and will be assigned a TCC advisor to understand specialization requirements. Atmospheric Science is a field of specialization at TCC. It offers an opportunity to study the natural forces that shape weather and climate. TCC offers courses that cover the first two years of a typical four-year atmospheric sciences program. Students will earn an Associate of Science – Track 2 (Transfer) degree to enter into a four-year college or university.

As an earth and atmospheric sciences major, you’ll pursue an interdisciplinary, unique course of study that incorporates the fundamentals of earth science with the emergence of a new and more complete approach, encompassing all components of the earth system — air, life, rock and water — to gain a new and more comprehensive understanding of the world as we know it. You can choose to focus on a disciplinary specialty such as geophysics or tectonics, or develop the broad expertise needed to understand the interactions between the diverse elements of earth and life in the past, present and future.

The option involves extensive coursework in meteorology, physics, and mathematics, as well as first-hand experience in applying basic concepts to real world situations. Internship programs are available with private industry, the National Weather Service, or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In addition there are regular opportunities to work in University laboratories and the State Climate Office.

The selection of courses and course sequences depends largely upon a student’s career choice. Counselors, instructional administrators and faculty advisor are available to counsel with each student, but it is the student’s final responsibility to choose her or his own course of study. Each of EMCC’s three Academic Divisions provides students ample opportunity to select coursework that will lead to an Associate of Arts Degree that prepares them for transfer to a university.

The Associate in Science (AS), Emphasis in Geography - Meteorology provides the first two years of a four-year curriculum for students who intend to transfer to a four-year institution to study meteorology and/or climatology. This associate degree will prepare students for employment opportunities in several careers, including forest and conservation workers and air traffic controllers.

Geoscience is an area of science that is becoming more popular as concerns about our environment and our planet move increasingly to the forefront of our daily news. Topics such as climate change, weather abnormalities, and natural disasters are phenomena the geoscientist investigates.