PhD Program in Meteorology for International Students

Discipline Classification: Science       First Class Discipline Code：0706

  First Class Discipline Name：Atmospheric Science

Second Class Discipline Code：070601   Second Class Discipline Name：Meteorology

According to the PhD student program of Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology (hereinafter referred to as NUIST) as well as the relevant regulations of NUIST on international students, the NUIST doctoral program for international students is formulated as follows.

1. Introduction to the Discipline

The School of Atmospheric Science (SAS) of NUIST developed from the Department of Meteorology founded within the Nanjing Institute of Meteorology (the predecessor of NUIST) since its establishment in 1960. It was among the first batch of schools and departments that were authorized by the State Council to offer master’s degree programs in 1978. During year 1988, Synoptic Dynamics became a Key Discipline of the China Meteorological Administration, and then in 1993 SAS was authorized to offer doctoral degree program in Weather Dynamics. In 1997 Climatology became a Key Discipline of the China Meteorological Administration. Atmospheric Science, the level I discipline of SAS, was approved to be a doctoral degree program in 1998, and began to have post-doctoral workshop since 1999. Meteorology, a level II discipline of SAS, was selected as a National Key Discipline in 2002 and 2007. Atmospheric Science was then rated as a Level I Key Discipline of Jiangsu Province in 2008 and an Advantageous Discipline of Jiangsu Province in 2011. It also ranked No. 1 in the third round of national discipline evaluation conducted by the Ministry of Education of China (MOE) in 2012. In year 2017, it became a discipline of the “Double First-Class” Initiative (a state-level initiative that aims at building first-class universities and disciplines of the world), and was rated A+ in the fourth round of national discipline evaluation of MOE.

2. Objectives

PhD students are required to have a solid and broad foundation of theoretical knowledge, and a deep grasp of systematic professional knowledge. They are also trained to be able to independently conduct scientific research and produce innovative results in either science or specialized technology. These students also possess the ability to read Chinese-language documents in this field and have relatively strong abilities in listening, reading, writing and translation. Moreover, they shall have the fundamental ability to read discipline-related materials in a foreign language.

PhD students should have amicable feelings towards China and maintain physical and mental health. After graduation, students shall be competent to independently undertake teaching, research, professional service, and management work in institutes of higher learning, scientific research institutes, service departments, and other relevant positions.

3. Study Directions

(1) Theory and Methodology for Weather and Climate Prediction;

(2) Theory of Atmospheric Circulation and Climate Dynamics;

(3) Monsoon and Air-Land-Sea Interactions;

(4) Atmospheric Dynamics and Numerical Weather Prediction;

(5) Meteorology Data Assimilation;

(6) Physics Processes of Climate Models;

(7) Mesoscale Weather Dynamics and Numerical Modeling.

4. Educational System, Length of Study and Credit Requirements

The length of education for PhD students is three (3) years.

If due to special circumstances a PhD student is unable to complete their study and research objectives or take part in thesis defense on time, the student must apply in person, and following the supervisor’s opinion and signature, the approval of the affiliated School must be sought. The application should be submitted to the Graduate School for approval and College of International Students for archiving. The maximum length of time that the student can study at the University is six (6) years and during this extension period international students shall pay for the study and accommodation as required.

Credit Requirements: For PhD courses, a credit system has been implemented, which consists of degree and non-degree courses. Degree courses must be no less than seven (7) credits, and the total number of credits must equal thirteen (13) or more.

5. Course Introduction

Progress in Atmospheric Science Research: it introduces the frontier scientific issues of atmospheric sciences and global climate change, and reviews the progress in the study of several major scientific questions, including earth modeling systems, synoptic dynamics, climatology, land surface processes, ocean dynamics, mesoscale dynamics, monsoon dynamics, and the research of the middle atmosphere, etc.

Research for Meso- and Microscale Atmospheric Dynamics: the convective systems, tropical cyclones, gravity waves and other small- and mesoscale systems are important weather systems whose occurrence and development may cause serious social and economic losses. Based on an introduction of the typical characteristics of the activities of small- and mesoscale systems, this course focuses on the latest research progress, offering discussion and prediction of related achievements.

Theory of Climate Change and Climate Prediction: this course mainly consists of two parts. (1) Climate change: including the facts, causes and impacts of climate change, and the future climate change; (2) climate prediction: including seasonal, decadal, and inter-decadal predictability of climate variability, sources of predictability, and the performance of current dynamic models or statistical methods for predicting seasonal to inter-decadal climate variability.

Monsoon and Air-Land-Sea Interactions: it mainly introduces monsoons, ENSO, and their relationship. The monsoon part mainly includes the definition of monsoon, the corresponding circulations and their classification, the East Asian and South Asian monsoons, the ISO changes related to monsoons, and the changes in monsoon precipitation against the background of global warming. The ENSO part consists of the classification, impact and asymmetry of ENSO. The last section is an introduction of the respective relationships between ENSO and the Indian and East Asian monsoons.

6. Training Style and Methods

The training of doctoral students focuses on scientific research. Their doctoral research work and paper writing shall be combined with the scientific research projects of their supervisors. Doctoral supervisors should pay attention to the healthy growth of their PhD students and should require those students to earnestly learn Chinese language and Chinese culture, understand the current affairs and policies, and participate in activities such as public service activities.

According to the training objectives, PhD students should study a particular set of courses and acquire the required credits to broaden their knowledge, deepen the professional theoretical foundation, grasp the frontiers, development trends, and latest achievements, and master the experimental methods of the discipline.

The training of PhD students is implemented with the supervisor tutorial system. With this system, supervision is carried out with a combination of a supervisor and a group of three to five (3-5) experts led by the supervisor. This way can bring into full play the initiative of the supervisor, expert group, and PhD student. Moreover, individualized instruction will be implemented according to a student's ability using a variety of methods. Interdisciplinarity should be encouraged to promote the development of emerging and marginal disciplines.

PhD students should actively participate in domestic and international academic exchange and cooperation so as to broad scientific horizons and excite academic thinking.

7. Doctoral Thesis

(1) Topic Selection and PhD Proposal

The PhD proposal should be completed in the second semester. At least one year after the proposal is approved, the student can apply for the pre-defense. For those who need to postpone the submission of the proposal due to special circumstances, a written application should be submitted to the Graduate School in advance and the time limit for delay shall not exceed six (6) months. After the proposal is accepted, changes are not permitted in principle. If there is, however, a major change in topic selection, the proposal should be rewritten.

(2) Midterm Evaluation 

In the middle of the doctoral thesis work, PhD students shall give a midterm report to an expert review team in the form of an on-campus public academic report on the thesis progress, preliminary results, and plans and steps for the next phase. They shall also submit a written report for expert deliberation.

The results of the midterm evaluation of PhD students consist of “passed”, “postponed re-evaluation”, and “failed”. For those students whose evaluation is classified as “postponed re-evaluation”, a half-year inspection period will be given, and assessment will be conducted at the end of that half-year. PhD students who have received a classification of “failed”, or who have not passed the midterm evaluation one year before the end of the maximum length of study, shall be dismissed from the University in accordance with the relevant regulations, and the expert review team shall report this to the School of the PhD student. After the decision is passed with deliberation in the School of the PhD student, it shall be reported to the University for approval and execution.

(3) Thesis Writing Requirements

This is in accordance with the University thesis writing requirements. The doctoral thesis should have accurate topic selection, accurate data, rigorous analysis, correct conclusions, standardized format, and concise text.

(4) Thesis Pre-defense and Defense

PhD graduates must complete all required courses, pass all the courses, and complete all required procedures before they are allowed to apply for thesis pre-defense. Only those students who have passed the pre-defense and blind review can apply for the final defense and the time interval between the thesis pre-defense and final defense shall be no less than three (3) months.

(5) Degree Applications

According to the specific implementation procedures outlined in the Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology Masters and Doctorate Degree Conferment Regulations and Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology Regulations on the Program and Qualifications of International Doctoral Candidates (Trial), the content of the thesis and research results must conform to the standards of this specific discipline.

Students shall pass sufficient courses in the program to get no less than thirteen (13) credits, achieve required academic results, pass HSK Level 3 (or above) and pass the thesis defense.

8. Practice

The Academic Report is compulsory and is worth one (1) credit.

During the period of doctoral thesis work, a public academic report lasting for no less than one (1) hour should be held at least once (excluding the PhD Proposal). The student’s supervisor and the school affiliated are responsible for assessing the quality of the academic report. PhD students should also participate in no less than six (6) academic activities including (but not limited to) academic reports, conferences, teaching and technology competitions both on and off the University campus.

Attachment: Curriculum for International PhD Students in Meteorology

Note：A) Public Courses; B) Major Compulsory Course; C) Limited-Elective Course; D) Major Elective Course; E) Practice