PhD Degree

PhD. Degree Requirements

Requirements and policies related to committee structure, advising, and examinations are consistent with those in the University Graduate Catalog. Each student works with an advisor and graduate committee to develop a Graduate Study Program.

The Ph.D. Graduate Committee consists of at least five members, including the Major Professor, the Minor Professor, and a Graduate School Representative. The Major and Minor Professors must be members of the ES Graduate Faculty. At least three members must be from the ES Graduate Faculty and three different academic disciplines should be represented, not counting the Graduate School Representative. The intent of this requirement is to provide disciplinary breadth on the committee. The Ph.D. Graduate Committee must be approved by the ES Graduate Program Director.

To encourage the development of interdisciplinary ES Graduate Study Programs, guidelines for course selection are flexible. Ph. D. students must complete 108 graduate credits. A program of study for Ph. D. students must include a set of ES Graduate core courses totaling 10 Cr. In addition to the ES graduate core courses, students must complete courses that constitute an area of concentration (or track). Upon completion of course work and thesis requirements, Ph. D. students will graduate with a major in Environmental Science. The Program of Study would therefore consist of the following minimum credits in five programmatic areas:

  1. ES Core Courses: 10 Cr
  2. Methods and Numerical Skills 9 Cr
  3. ES Area of Concentration: 30 Cr
  4. Elective Courses: 3-23 Cr
  5. Thesis: 36-56 Cr

    Total 108