BS in Meteorology

What is a Meteorology Degree?

Meteorology is the study of the Earth’s atmosphere, a component of Earth system science; essentially, a meteorologist is someone who predicts the weather. Meteorology students become experts in math and physics, build a comprehensive knowledge of meteorology and gain in-depth exposure to fields like oceanography, geology, space science, environmental science, climate science, and atmospheric chemistry.

Whether you want to become a broadcast meteorologist, storm tracker, or world weather expert, a meteorology degree from Florida Tech develops a strong background in physics and chemistry with experience in environmental science and technology.

Why Pursue a Meteorology Degree at Florida Tech?

The Florida Tech meteorology program boasts a close-knit educational community that offers students small classes, well-established professors, and caring staff. As one of the top meteorology colleges, students benefit from the mentoring that a low student-to-teacher learning environment provides, as well as the opportunity to work with faculty and local organizations on vital weather-related projects. Every year, professors assist high-achieving meteorology students in applying for scholarships from the American Meteorological Society.

Active Research Faculty Bring their Knowledge into the Classroom

Small classes taught by professors renowned in their field whose teaching is informed by their cutting-edge research make for a supportive, engaging learning environment. All Department of Ocean Engineering and Sciences faculty hold doctoral degrees in their fields—a mix of environmental scientists, oceanographers, meteorologists, and ocean engineers—all of whom are active in research, which allows them (and you) to stay current in their field. As a meteorology student, you’ll benefit from the integrated nature of Florida Tech’s unique program.

A Perfect Place to Study the Weather — Thunderstorms, Hurricanes, and More

Our location is one of the reasons we are considered one of the top meteorology colleges in the nation. Florida has the perfect weather system for dynamic study. Florida is the lightning capital of the world, and the area experiences sub-tropical thunderstorms each year—occurring 47% of the time there’s precipitation. There is a probability of rain throughout the year with the most rain between late April and early October. Students might also get a chance to study hurricanes, as the region has often been in the path of a storm or its associated weather.

Florida Tech’s 130-acre campus is located on the Space Coast (so named because of the presence of NASA and the Kennedy Space Center on Cape Canaveral just north of us), minutes away from the Indian River Lagoon, the most diverse estuary in North America.

The area has the fifth-largest high-tech workforce in the country, with more than 5,000 high-tech corporations and government and military organizations located nearby. This workforce also provides an abundance of internship and employment opportunities.

Florida Tech is just over the causeway from the Atlantic Ocean with its 72 miles of beautiful beaches, and a short trip to the Florida Keys or the Orlando theme parks. We also have a rich campus life that includes a wide range of intramural and collegiate sports, clubs, and social activities.

Build Lasting Professional Relationships through Campus Organizations

Beyond the classroom, meteorology degree majors build leadership and professional experience through exciting internships and participation in academic organizations like the American Meteorological Society, the Marine Technology Society, student government, and over 100 other campus-wide student organizations.

The Florida Tech Student Chapter of the American Meteorological Society is a highly active and tight-knit student organization that regularly plans trips to the National Weather Service in Melbourne as well as the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

It All Started With 37 Cents

Florida Tech was founded in 1958 as "Brevard Engineering College." It all started as an idea in the mind of Jerome P. Keuper, a visionary physicist working at Cape Canaveral.

As university lore would have it, Keuper expressed his desire to create a scientific and technological university to a friend over drinks at a local pub. Overhearing the conversation, a fellow patron pushed 37 cents in change across the bar and said, “There’s your first donation, Jerry. Now, go and build that college.”

So, Keuper did. And what started with 37 cents as a night school for the early “missilemen” of the U.S. space program is now a comprehensive national research university recognized worldwide for excellence in preparing students for careers of the future.

Core Values

• Research for the Benefit of All Humankind
• Education for a Lifetime of Success
• Global Citizenship for a Better World

Mission Statement

Florida Institute of Technology’s mission is to provide high-quality education to a culturally diverse student body in order to prepare students for entering the global workforce, seeking higher-education opportunities, and serving within their communities. The university also seeks to expand knowledge through basic and applied research and to serve the diverse economic, cultural, and societal needs of our local, state, national and international constituencies.

In support of this mission, we are committed to:

• Promoting student development by fostering and sustaining a productive institutional culture of assessment that leads to the continuous improvement of academic and administrative programs
• Developing an organizational culture that values and encourages intellectual curiosity, a sense of belonging and shared purpose among faculty, students, and staff, and the pursuit of excellence in all endeavors
• Recruiting and developing excellent faculty to become leaders in their respective fields and internationally recognized scholars
• Achieving recognition as an effective, innovative, technology-focused educational and research institution
• Recruiting and retaining an excellent, highly select, and culturally diverse student body
• Continually improving the quality of campus life for all members of the university community
• Providing personal and career growth opportunities for both traditional and nontraditional students and members of the faculty and staff
• Securing and maintaining professional accreditation for all appropriate programs

We Are Florida Tech

What we are is a private, coeducational, residential, research-intensive, doctoral-granting university located in Melbourne on Florida’s sunny “Space Coast.” But who we are is so much more. We are a community of researchers, scholars, and learners hailing from all around the world. We are engineers, aviators, innovators, leaders, educators, athletes, and astronauts. We have the brains of rocket scientists and the hearts of Panthers. We are Florida Tech.

We Are Relentless

Florida Tech is a university of leaders and learners—a diverse community of students, staff, faculty, and alumni who are united in the relentless pursuit of greatness.

We Are International

Students from more than 90 countries worldwide choose to live and learn at Florida Tech, making us a truly global university. When we say #YouAreWelcomeHere, we mean it.

We Create The Future

One of the primary tenets of Florida Tech’s mission is advancing science and technology for the benefit of Earth and all of its inhabitants. So, that’s what we do.

We Have Panther Pride

You may feel it the first time you visit the campus, the day you graduate, or at some point in between. But when you do, you’ll see that Panther Pride is more than school spirit. It’s a family.

We Make Connections

Florida Tech is proud to be part of the Brevard County community and welcomes its neighbors to explore the many personal, professional, corporate, and cultural opportunities we have to offer.

We Are STEM

There's a reason Florida Tech is known as Florida's STEM University™. To put it simply: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math are in our DNA. This makes STEM a driving force behind who we are, what we do, and why we exist.