Since 1998, the Iowa State University Agronomy Department has offered an on-line Master of Science program via distance education methods (CD-ROM and Internet). One course in the program is an applied agricultural meteorology course with a significant meteorological component. Topics relate specifically to agriculture, such as shelterbelts and climatic effects on yields, are covered in the course content along with some basic meteorology, such as why winds blow and humidity. The basic meteorology is often the applied to agricultural situations. For, humidity, a discussion of disease formation follows. Factors affecting wind are followed by shelterbelts.

This course has now been offered 5 times with over 60 students having enrolled. Evaluation results of the offerings over time have now been compiled. Results of these evaluations will be presented with changes over time.

A brief overview of the course will be provided along with a discussion of interaction with other courses and some of the successes and challenges of this type of distance education.