Curriculum
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Degree Requirements
You are required to master a series of core courses, advanced elective courses, seminars, and laboratory rotations. These serve as an interdisciplinary base for the development of dissertation research and usually occupy the bulk of the first two years in the program. Dissertation research (including data analysis and writing) typically requires an additional three years to complete. Your degree will be awarded upon satisfactory completion of all credit requirements and acceptance of your written dissertation by your committee.
Waiver of Program Requirements
You may petition to be exempted from part of the curriculum, usually by scoring a passing grade on an appropriate proficiency examination. If you have earned a master's degree in a relevant field of study, you will be exempted from appropriate course requirements.
You may also petition for waiver of credit for previous graduate courses taken in another accredited program. Advanced course credit of up to 6 credit hours may be waived providing all of the following conditions are met:
- The grade attained in each course is a B or better.
- The course was taken within four years of the actual waiver.
- The course relates to the area of concentration chosen in this program.
Petitions for obtaining credit for laboratory experiences may be made, subject to the same credit hour limitations and time constraints as for courses.
Petitions for exemption or waiver should be submitted to the program director. Acceptability of course waivers will be determined by the Interdisciplinary Review Committee.
Curriculum
The following is an example of a program of study for an Environmental Sciences Ph.D. student. You will establish the details of your program of study in conjunction with your supervisory committee.
| Course Number | Course Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation Courses | ||
| ES 7140 | Environmental Statistics | 3 |
| ES 7090 | Perspectives in Environmental Science Seminars | 1 (2 total) |
| (Choice of two of the following core courses) | ||
| ES 7120 | Environmental Biology: Genes, Organisms, and Ecosystems | 3 |
| ES 7160 | Complexity in Environmental Systems | 4 |
| ES 7180 | Environmental Chemistry | 3 |
| ES 7020 | Biogeochemical Cycles | 3 |
| Subtotal | 11 or 12 | |
| Advanced Electives | 10 (minimum) | |
| Course Total | 21 or 22 | |
| ES 7990 | Independent Topics & Research | variable |
| ES 8080 | Internship Option | 10 (minimum) |
| ES 8130 | Dissertation Research | 30 (minimum) |
| Total | 90 |
Requirements are subject to change. Check with the Program Director.
Environmental Sciences Ph.D. Curriculum (PDF)
View Environmental Sciences, Ph.D. program information and degree requirements in the Academic Catalog.
Dissertation
A Ph.D. is a research degree. You must produce a dissertation that represents a substantial contribution to environmental science. For most students, completing the Ph.D. is a full time occupation that requires at least five years to complete.
In addition to the primary dissertation advisor, a dissertation committee is formed to periodically review your progress. The relationship between you, the faculty advisor, and the committee is central to the program. The committee determines when the research may be considered complete and must approve the written dissertation, as well as the student's public defense of it. The committee certifies to the program director the competency and achievement of the dissertation.
