The study of atmospheric and oceanic sciences encompasses fundamental questions about the dynamics, composition, and interactions of Earth's atmosphere and oceans, spanning scales from the size of molecules to the explanation of planetary-scale climate processes—a range of approximately 16 orders of magnitude. The Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences (AOS) at McGill University offers a broad array of courses in atmospheric and oceanic dynamics and thermodynamics, atmospheric chemistry, atmospheric physics, field studies and remote sensing, and climate science. Grounded in physics and applied mathematics, our programs emphasize quantitative approaches for comprehending weather phenomena, advancing weather forecasting, improving predictions of pollutant transport and air quality, examining drivers and impacts of climate change, and studying the complex interactions among air, seawater, sea ice, land, and ice sheets. AOS courses equip students with the tools and knowledge to analyze and simulate these phenomena, including mathematical models of varying complexity, data analysis and computer programming. These skills are transferable to many other disciplines, making AOS graduates attractive to employers within and outside our immediate field.

The Earth’s atmosphere and oceans constitute one of the largest laboratories available to scientists and students alike. We all inhabit this laboratory. As much as our researchers excel in advancing atmospheric and oceanic investigations, they are equally committed to disseminating their expertise to others.