AMS Climate Studies is an introductory college-level course developed by the American Meteorological Society for implementation at undergraduate institutions nationwide.
Prepared by meteorologists and climatologists nationally recognized in atmospheric science education, AMS Climate Studies places students in a dynamic educational environment where they investigate the many elements of Earth's climate system using real-world environmental data. Development for this course was supported, in part, by NASA.
The components of Earth’s climate system emerge as interactive, defined through dynamic Earth processes and the principles that underlie how climate works, such as radiation and thermodynamic principals, planetary circulation and basic physical forces, and the world ocean. Climate change is explored with proxy records from the past, observations in the present, and with climate models into the future, looking at both natural and human influence. The course explores how human energy use and policy affect climate change, as well as how we are affected by it and how society views climate change.
Collegial assistance from AMS staff and other course users is available to new instructors.
How can the course be implemented?
- As a NEW institutional course offering
- To REVISE an existing course at your institution
- To EXPAND an existing course by adding a laboratory component
- As the FOCUS of an online course or as individual directed study
Who can offer the course?
AMS Climate Studies can be offered by experienced science faculty or those new to teaching climatology. We have large numbers of atmospheric scientists, geographers, geologists, and physicists successfully offering the course, as well as those from disciplines such as engineering and chemistry.
During course implementation and instruction, collegial assistance is available from faculty members who have already offered AMS Climate Studies. Also, AMS science educators will answer any questions on aspects of course delivery and content. This course enables faculty members to expand and/or update their curriculum and join the ranks of colleagues teaching with the latest technology.
How do I integrate this course with my Learning Management System?
The questions and answers can be ported into your learning management system for automated scoring and immediate student feedback. This feature allows for full integration into an e-learning environment. We provide learning management system-compatible files in Respondus format, software for which many campuses are licensed.
Visit Learning Management System Integration to learn about the three-step process for porting our files into your system.
How do I host this course at my college?
If you would like to use the entire AMS Climate Studies course package, which includes the textbook, manual, and instructor access to the RealTime Weather Portal and Faculty Website, submit a Course License to the AMS Education Program. The Course License fee (from 15 August to 14 August) is $149 per institution, regardless of number of sections or number of students.
Visit Licensing to learn more.
What are the benefits of licensing AMS Climate Studies?
- AMS Climate Studies full course use for academic year
- Textbook, Manual, and RealTime Climate Portal
- AMS Climate Studies Faculty Website and Faculty Resource Material
- Files compatible with Learning Management Systems
If you have any additional questions or concerns, please contact us at [email protected] or 1-800-824-0405.