North Carolina State University confers bachelor's and master's degrees in atmospheric sciences. Students in a bachelor of arts program can also complete minors in meteorology. The university's marine, earth, and atmospheric science programs are housed under one department, allowing students to obtain an integrated education. Learning and internship opportunities are possible with the onsite National Weather Service Forecast Office, the Environmental Protection Agency center at the Research Triangle Park, the North Carolina Department of Air Quality, and local media.
The University of North Carolina at Asheville offers two bachelor of science streams in its atmospheric sciences program. Students can opt to focus on weather forecasting, which concentrates on weather analysis and forecasting and how to communicate meteorological information. The second stream focuses on climatology and prepares students for graduate work. The university also grants post-graduate certificates in atmospheric sciences. Asheville is also home of the National Climatic Data Center, an excellent resource for students.
The bachelor of science in meteorology program teaches students the basics of weather forecasting to prepare for a career in forecasting or further study and research in atmospheric sciences. Students are involved in atmospheric research while enrolled in the program, including examining topics in air quality, weather patterns and phenomena, and numerical weather prediction.
In 2010, the Department of Geography at the East Carolina University introduced its bachelor's in applied atmospheric science program. The department also offers a master of arts program in geography, which allows students to conduct climate-related research to prepare for a career or for further graduate study in atmospheric science. Students can apply weather and climate theory to meteorological observations and forecasting using two of the department's state-of-the-art weather stations in Greenville and a remote field site.