Space Meteorologist

High School

Space meteorologists have a strong command of math and science. Prepare for this career by taking classes in mathematics, physics, chemistry, geography, and computer science. If your school offers it, take astronomy classes as well. Space meteorologists must also have excellent communication skills for researching, writing, and presenting reports on their findings, especially if they go into broadcasting. Be sure to also take classes in communications, English, writing, and speech.

Postsecondary Training

The minimum requirement for space meteorology work is a bachelor's degree, although some employers require space meteorologists to have a master's or doctoral degree. Areas of focus may be in atmospheric science or space science. Classes covered usually include calculus, geophysics, physics, chemistry, climatology, oceanography, computer science, and other related subjects. Space meteorologists who work in entry-level federal government jobs must have a bachelor's degree with required set of hours in meteorology courses, which includes the analysis and prediction of weather systems. Space meteorologists must also have course work in remote sensing of the atmosphere or instrumentation. Those who work in research and development, and in academic teaching positions, are often required to have a doctoral degree. The military may also send recent college graduates to specialized education programs in meteorology.