Physics of the Earth and Atmosphere

The overarching objective of the master's degree program is to convey to students advanced knowledge and skills that will enable them to practice the profession of meteorologist or geophysicist. In the area of meteorology, this means building on existing knowledge from the bachelor’s degree program to, in the broadest sense, develop the ability to mathematically and natural scientifically observe, analyze and predict environmental variations that occur in the atmosphere or in connection with it. In the area of geophysics, such knowledge and skills primarily include the ability to mathematically and natural scientifically observe and analyze physical occurrences and phenomena that take place inside the earth (e.g. earthquakes). In the area of applied geophysics, the central skill conveyed to students is the ability to develop and deploy geophysical measurement procedures for the exploration, evaluation and use of georesources (e.g. mineral deposits, water).

The degree program puts particular emphasis on enabling students to independently solve constantly changing problems, respond flexibly to new challenges and develop innovative ideas. Students gain comprehensive specialized knowledge of diverse phenomena in the earth and its atmosphere while mastering the methods used to forecast future developments of processes. Graduates of this degree program have the ability to conduct and refine methods and procedures used to observe and—especially in meteorology—forecast the weather and climate.

Possible lines of work:

Civil service (Deutscher Wetterdienst/German Weather Service), environmental protection/water authorities/waterborne transportation authorities, public-sector or private media (radio, television, online), providing expert opinion (insurers, environmental/ecological associations, consulting firms), development of processes, software, products, collection/analysis of technical data (e.g. inspection associations), academia (teaching/research at universities, research institutions, etc.), expert opinions and distribution in the area of renewable energies (solar and wind power), energy exchange