Seminars and Interview Sessions

Why study Meteorology in the UK? What exactly does the subject cover? What scientific concepts are used to produce a reliable weather forecast? If students have studied Geography or Physics before, would they get any advantages for Meteorology?

Every time a typhoon approaches, Hongkongers pay heightened attention to weather forecast, often down to the most minute details. Some even would go the extra mile and learn about the science behind these forecasts, so that they can have their own take on the weather monitoring imagery and data released by the Observatory and become a bit of a self-taught meteorologist!

However, to study Meteorology professionally, students will need to take a wider and more macro perspective and deal with issues like climate change, floods, fires and storms caused by increasingly extreme weather. There is also sometimes an element of policy research and advocacy at governmental and international level, as infrastructure development, building regulations, or even food security policies are all somewhat dependent on the climate – only if weather permits!

In this seminar, Prof. John Mathven (Professor in Atmospheric Dynamics & Head of Department of Meteorology) from University of Reading will provide an overview of the subject of Meteorology in the UK, to help students and parents get a taste of what it’s like to study Meteorology. What scientific concepts are used to produce a reliable weather forecast? What skills will students acquire? Many school students study Geography and Physics in secondary school, would they have any advantages when studying Meteorology in university?

Choosing between Inter-related Disciplines: How is Meteorology different from Geography and Environmental Science? What do they have in common?

In the UK, it’s very common for universities to house their Meteorology programmes as part of the department of Geography and Environment Science, or Physics and Natural Sciences. University of Reading is an outliner as it has the only dedicated Meteorology department in the UK and a member of the Met Office Academic Partnership (MOAP)! How do these similar and related programmes differ in their focus? What scientific concepts and theories do they share? And why study a specialist Meteorology programme?

How to Become a Chartered Meteorologist (CMet)? How to Become a Scientific Officer in the HKO, or a Meteorologist in the Met Office?

If students would like to work as a Scientific Officer in the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) or an Operational Meteorologist in the Met Office, qualification-wise they simply need a Meteorology degree, or a degree in Mathematics, Physics, Environmental Science, Physical Geography, Computer Science or other related STEM disciplines.

If students would like to pursue a higher qualification in the profession and become a Chartered Meteorologist (CMet), it’s essential to acquire specific knowledge in the WMO BIP-M syllabus (normally as part of your degree) and have at least five years of experience at an appropriate professional level. Many directors of the HKO have the CMet status, including the former director Lam Chiu-ying and the current director Dr CHAN Pak-wai.

BSc (Hons)

3 Years

In order to become a Chartered Meteorologist (CMet), students will need to complete an undergraduate or postgraduate degree approved by the Royal Meteorological Society (RMetS), which covers the WMO BIP-M syllabus and have at least five years of experience at an appropriate professional level.

Work Experience

5 Years

With at least five years of experience at an appropriate professional level, students will then be eligible to register with the RMetS as a Chartered Meteorologist (CMet).

RMetS also offers an accreditation aimed at early career professionals called Registered Meteorologist (RMet), which requires around three years of relevant experience.

Qualify as a Chartered Meteorologist

A tie that dates back more than 30 years! Back in the 1980s, the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) employed for the first time a Meteorology master’s graduate from University of Reading. Thereafter, the HKO has also sent newly appointed Scientific Officers to the University of Reading to study the master’s degree of Meteorology, as part of their professional induction training. Today, the HKO and the University continue to collaborate on projects big and small. Apart from joining force in academic research and conferences, from 2018 doctoral students from the Mathematics of Planet Earth (MPE) Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) have also participated in placement programmes in the HKO.

Employment in Meteorology: Where will your office be? Why do the Met Office also work in Airports and Navy bases? Apart from weather forecasting, what can Meteorology students do after graduation?

Working as a Meteorologist usually involves working in shifts often in more remote locations. They might be required to work outside of the usual work hours and under extreme weather conditions. In this section, the Professor will share what it’s like to work as a Meteorologist, as well as other employment opportunities there are for Meteorologist graduates. In what work settings are past graduates working now? Apart from the Met Office, what organizations like to employ Meteorology graduates?

Programme Highlights: The 10^th in the World for Atmospheric Science (ShanghaiRanking: Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2025)

In this section, the Professor will provide further details about the undergraduate and postgraduate Meteorology programmes in University of Reading, covering things like course structures, teaching & research facilities, professional qualification, entry requirements, graduate prospects, etc.

• BSc (Hons) Meteorology & Climate ^{Three-year programme, Accreditation: RMetS}
• BSc (Hons) Meteorology & Climate with International Foundation Year ^{Four-year Integrated Foundation programme, Accreditation: RMetS}
• MMet Meteorology & Climate with a Year in Oklahoma ^{Four-year programme, Accreditation: RMetS}
• MSc Applied Meteorology & Climate ^{One-year programme, Accreditation: RMetS}
• MSc Atmosphere, Ocean & Climate ^{One-year programme, Accreditation: RMetS}
• MSc Applied Meteorology & Climate with Management ^{One-year programme, Accreditation: RMetS}
• MSc Climate Change & Artificial Intelligence ^{One-year programme}

The Department of Meteorology at University of Reading is the only dedicated Meteorology department in the UK and a member of the Met Office Academic Partnership (MOAP) – about 25 Met Office staff are embedded in the University, while over 150 University of Reading graduates work at the Met Office! As the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) headquarters moves into its new home in the Whiteknights Campus, University of Reading will become one of the world’s largest clusters of weather and climate scientists in the world.