Climate Dynamics, PhD
The mission of this program is to train the next generation of scientists in climate dynamics and related fields. Through a comprehensive grounding in coursework, our students learn about how the atmosphere, ocean, and land surface work together to determine the climate. In collaboration with internationally-known scientists, students conduct independent work to further our understanding of climate, how it varies, and how much of it we can predict. Tools in the program include cutting-edge climate models, superb computing facilities, sophisticated statistical techniques, and comprehensive data sets. Our graduates have gone on to work at top laboratories and universities.
Understanding climate variability and predictability poses difficult mathematical, computational, and observational questions that have generated increasing intellectual excitement in recent years. Climate variability has important ramifications for society, from planning for next year's electrical demand and forecasting agricultural production to answering complex questions involving long-term change in global climate, sea level, and biodiversity. While it is impossible to predict day-to-day weather more than a few weeks in advance, progress in predicting El Niño supports the idea that seasonal averages of temperature, rainfall, and other factors may be at least partly predictable months or even years in advance. Likewise, there is a strong scientific basis for predicting long-term changes in global climate due to changing greenhouse gas concentrations.
Climate dynamics faculty members have a blend of expertise in dynamics, statistics, and computational methods. They are heavily involved with national and international collaborations. Faculty members and students work closely with scientists at the Center for Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Studies (COLA), a national leader in climate modeling.
Faculty research focuses on the areas of climate prediction and predictability, climate variability, coupled ocean-atmosphere-land dynamics, and dynamical systems and retrospective analysis. Recent research topics include predictability of weather and climate; modeling of the complex climate system; El Niño dynamics; monsoons; atmosphere-ocean interaction; land-climate interaction; decadal climate variability; ocean circulation theory; and climate change.
Intakes
- Jan
- Aug
Application Processing Time in Days: 30
Application Process
Minimum English Language Requirements
| English Level Description | IELTS (1.0 -9.0) | TOEFL IBT (0-120) | TOEFL CBT (0-300) | PTE (10-90) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Expert | 9 | 120 | 297-300 | 86-90 | |
| Very Good | 8.5 | 115-119 | 280-293 | 83-86 | |
| Very Good | 8 | 110-114 | 270-280 | 79-83 | |
| Good | 7.5 | 102-109 | 253-267 | 73-79 | |
| Good | 7 | 94-101 | 240-253 | 65-73 | |
| Competent | 6.5 | 79-93 | 213-233 | 58-65 | |
| Competent | 6 | 60-78 | 170-210 | 50-58 | |
| Modest | 5.5 | 46-59 | 133-210 | 43-50 | |
| Modest | 5 | 35-45 | 107-133 | 36-43 | |
| Limited | 4 | 32-34 | 97-103 | 30-36 | |
| Extremely Limited | < 4 | < 31 | < 93 | < 30 |
Job Opportunity Potential
George Mason University (GMU) offers strong potential for job opportunities for its graduates, evidenced by its career services that provide guidance on resume refinement, interview preparation, and employer connections. The university also boasts a high average employee salary compared to national averages for government and other university employees, suggesting potential for well-compensated careers upon graduation.
Career Services and Resources
Professional Guidance:
GMU's career advisors offer support to students and graduates, helping them to refine resumes, prepare for interviews, and connect with potential employers.
Employer Connections:
The university actively helps its students and graduates build networks with potential employers, enhancing their job prospects.
PSW Opportunity
Post-Study Work visa or permit, allowing international students on F-1 visas to work in the US after completing their studies, typically through Optional Practical Training (OPT).
Eligibility:
To be eligible for OPT, students must have been enrolled full-time in a US educational institution for at least one academic year and be seeking work related to their major.
Duration:
Students can apply for up to 12 months of OPT, either before they finish their studies (pre-completion) or after graduation (post-completion).
STEM OPT:
Students in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields can apply for an extended OPT period of up to 24 months.
Contact our PSA counselor for more information
Admission Requirement / Eligibility Criteria
- A minimum 3.00 GPA on a 4.00 scale in baccalaureate study.
- The GPA requirement may be higher for some graduate programs.
- The university, at its discretion, may, in evaluating the meeting of this requirement, additionally consider the difficulty of the baccalaureate degree, relevant work experience, any/or other evidence of ability to succeed in graduate study.
- For students with post-baccalaureate credits, a separate GPA is calculated for each institution.
- For applicants whose initial post-secondary degree is an integrated master's degree or higher (no baccalaureate degree earned), the university, at its discretion, will evaluate those applicants based on that initial degree.
ACT = Not accepted
Duolingo English Test = 120
IELTS = 7.0 and 6.5 each subsection* All CEC applicants 6.5 and no minimum subsection score required
Pearson Test of Academic English = 67
TOEFL = 88 and 20 each subsection* All CEC applicants 80 and no minimum subsection score
- Course Type: Full Time
- Course Level: Doctoral Degree/PhD
- Duration: 03 Year
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Total Tuition Fee:
111600 USD
Average Cost of Living: 14000 USD /year
Application Fee: 80 USD