Inclusion of Climate Dynamics in the American Meteorological Society's Bachelor's Degree Statement

In its most recent revision of its Statement on the Bachelor's Degree in Atmospheric Science, the American Meteorological Society (AMS) included for the first time a substantial set of concepts in climate dynamics. Inclusion of climate dynamics as one of required eight topic areas (along with meteorological measurements, physical meteorology, dynamic meteorology, synoptic meteorology, mesoscale meteorology, and a capstone experience) implies that climate dynamics is expected to be essential or valuable knowledge for most atmospheric-science-related professions, and that persons hiring an atmospheric scientist in the future should expect that person to have a basic understanding of climate dynamics. The AMS statement does not allocate topics to specific courses, so the climate dynamics content might be covered in a single, self-contained course, or much of the information might be incorporated into existing courses. Specific subtopics under the climate dynamics heading are: general circulation of the atmosphere and ocean; regional climates and microclimates; intraseasonal and interannual climate variations, including El Nino/Southern Oscillation; long-range weather forecasting; climate data analysis; reconstruction of past climates; climate models; and causes of past and future climate change.