Specialised Master in Atmospheric and Climate Science

We offer a 3-semester programme bringing together out­standing students with world leading scientists in the field of atmospheric and climate science. You will be part of an international group of students with diverse backgrounds but sharing a common passion for atmospheric and climate science.

Specific learning goals are:

• Gain a quantitative understanding of atmospheric dynamics, climate processes and feedbacks, biogeochemical cycles and
  paleoclimatology
• Receive in-depth training in numerical modelling of weather and climate
• Have the opportunity to work in the atmospheric chemistry and physics lab
• Participate in field courses and discuss the current weather in a weekly weather discussion

The Master's programme starts with an introduction course that involves interaction with lecturers and staff of the Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Science (IAC), with your fellow students and with the Master's students of the University of Bern. During the first two terms you attend module courses (24 credits) and optional courses (20 credits). The following modules and courses are offered:

• Module courses
  
  • Weather systems and atmospheric dynamics
    
  • Climate processes and feedbacks
  • Atmospheric composition and cycles
  • Climate history and palaeoclimatology
  • Hydrology and water cycle
• Elective courses
• Laboratory and field work

You select three of these five modules and collect a minimum of six credit points in each module by selecting from a list of courses. Via the optional courses you may extend the contents of a module, catch up with missing Bachelor lectures or broaden your education (e.g. through a Minor). During the third term you work on a Master's thesis covering 30 credit points. While working on your thesis you will be fully integrated into one of the Institute‘s research groups. Preparation for this activity will already take place in the second term in specialised courses and training in the use of scientific tools, writing skills, presentation techniques and team work. You conclude the Master's thesis by writing a report and by presenting the results to your colleagues in a scientific presentation.

Admission

Based on your transcript the admission commission of “Atmosphere and Climate” gives recommendations as to which necessary qualifications you have to catch up with. For our Master's programme we would like to attract students with solid mathematical, physical, chemical and earth system‘s basics. At the same time it is important to our research to employ and educate people with different educational backgrounds. In addition to the basic education in mathematics, physics and chemistry of the ETH earth science Bachelor's programme we would like you to have a good background in the field of “Atmosphere and Climate science” as defined on our website. In case you have to catch up with some of these credits, you can do this within the scope of the optional courses of the Master's programme, i.e. you can take credit for these courses as part of your Master's studies.

Master's thesis

Visit the Institute of Atmospheric and Climate Science website for information about the Master's thesis in Atmospheric and Climate Science.