Environmental science

Influence policy through insightful research and give your career the direction and boost you seek with University of Idaho’s Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in environmental science. In this research-based program, you’ll thrive in a collaborative, supportive environment as you work alongside high-profile faculty across diverse disciplines to explore how environmental science intersects with policy and other scientific fields.

As a graduate student in the College of Natural Resources, you’ll pursue your interests and goals through access to thousands of acres of forests, rangelands and waterways — as well as campus laboratories and cooperative partnerships — for hands-on fieldwork and data collection.

The College of Natural Resources acknowledges that today’s environmental issues won’t resolve themselves. Intervention is needed through professional skills, insights and innovation paired with motivation, direction and a strong scientific foundation. We view all students, including our Ph.D. candidates, as agents of change, examining environmental science’s multidisciplinary aspects and applying their knowledge in the workplace, classroom, government agency or laboratory to protect the Earth, help enact legislation and encouraging others to do the same.

Admission to the 78-credit Ph.D. in environmental science program is contingent upon your research interests and those of the major professor, availability of research support and your academic record and potential for producing an original work worthy of publication.

Considering the program’s objectives, you’ll spend your time fleshing out the purpose of your research and conducting fieldwork to compile and analyze data and arrive at a conclusion. The College of Natural Resources sets specific expectations for its doctoral students:

• You’ll participate in one or more seminar presentations while completing your degree to present your insights.
• Teaching experience is a requirement of the program. Pedagogical and teaching opportunities present themselves in the college’s laboratories, by instructing a class or through course recitation and seminars. You will impart your knowledge and guide undergraduate students in environmental science disciplines and laboratory practices.
• You’re expected to complete qualifying examinations if you haven’t completed your master’s degree. All candidates then go through preliminary exams prior to receiving admission for final candidacy. You can also transfer up to 30 credits of previously completed coursework toward your degree.
• You must prepare a formal dissertation that reflects your original thoughts and independent investigation. All candidates are required to defend their research during an oral presentation as the final step toward completing the program.
• You are expected to publish your work in a peer-reviewed scientific journal. This process helps establish your authority and highlights the broader impact of your concept, research and data on the field.