The SWSS curriculum stands out for its distinctive integration of the fundamental science of the Sun-Earth system with the socioeconomic impacts of space weather, with a particular emphasis on modeling and forecasting. The School is targeted at first or second year graduate students who are considering space weather or space physics as a research field as well as active practitioners from government and industry (for example, space weather forecasters). Admission is also open to advanced undergraduate students. The proven pedagogical approach combines morning lectures from distinguished experts with interactive afternoon learning modules that give students hands-on experience analyzing and interpreting data from state-of-the-art missions and models. The interactive activities culminate in a capstone project where students synthesize and apply the concepts and skills they have learned to forecast a space weather event, from its origins on the Sun to its impact on the Earth.

Students will be exposed to the world-class solar and space physics community in Boulder. Local SWSS partners include NCAR's High Altitude Observatory, NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center, the National Solar Observatory, and the University of Colorado's Space Weather Technology, Research, and Education Center. Lecturers come from these and other leading research and educational institutions across the US. Note that the occurrence of the 2018 School is contingent on receiving funding from NSF, which is still pending.