Master of Professional Science
Weather, Climate & Society
This degree track within the Professional Master Program emphasizes the relationship between weather, climate and societal impacts. The financial consequences resulting from natural and anthropogenic climate change, rising sea levels, and extreme weather events pose important scientific and socioeconomic challenges, both in terms of urban planning and managing the financial risks associated with these changes. Employers in government, insurance, energy, and a number of other weather-impacted industries are seeking professionals who are fluent in both the fundamentals of business and the physical sciences.
Social vulnerability, mitigation strategies, and adaptive capacity in the face of climate change are strongly mediated by legal, socioeconomic, policy, psychological, epidemiological and cultural factors, including housing and construction codes, environmental risk perception, and health management/delivery. This theme draws on UM’s breadth and depth in interdisciplinary climatological and meteorological research, addressing risk management in the human health, fisheries, agriculture, water management, natural hazards, and coastal zone sectors. Faculty from RSMAS, Miller School of Medicine, and Geography contribute to the climate and society theme with their analysis of both climate trends and hazards, while faculty at the Schools of Law, Architecture, and the College of Engineering focus on the legal, material, and aesthetic aspects of the built environment that influence the mitigation of vulnerability and development of more resilient urban systems.
Sample Curriculum
| Fall Semester | Spring Semester |
|---|---|
| Introduction to Atmospheric Science (MPO 551) | Climate and Society (RSM 520) |
| Statistics for Environmental Management (RSM 512) OR Biometrics in Marine Science (MBF 508) | Scientific Communication (RSM 545) |
| Air-Sea Interaction (MPO 631)/Or ELECTIVE | Global Climate Change (MPO 584)/Or ELECTIVE |
| Environmental Law (MAF 520)/Or ELECTIVE | Broadcast Meteorology (MPO 532)/Or ELECTIVE |
Other Electives:
Accounting for Decision Making (ACC)
Carbon and Climate (RSM 570)
Climate Dynamics (MPO 631)
Coastal Law and Policy (MAF 620)
Coastal Zone Management (MAF 518)
Convective and Mesoscale Meteorology (MPO 663)
Economics of Natural Resources (MAF 502)
Fundamentals of Finance (FIN)
Geophysical Fluid Dynamics (MPO 511)
Intermediate Marine GIS (MAF 562)
International Ocean Law (MAF 610)
Introduction to Marine GIS (MAF 560)
Managing Responsible Behavior in Organizations (MAS)
Marine Atmospheric Boundary Layer (MPO 633)
Ocean Policy, Development, and Analysis (MAF 516)
Physical Oceanography (MPO 503)
Scientific Communication (RSM 545)
