Water resources | Law, management and policy option
Doctor of Philosophy
Guide water governance
Enter a leadership role in water governance with advanced, interdisciplinary training in water law, resource management and environmental policy.
In this Ph.D. program — the only program of its kind in the nation — you’ll examine the legal, social and institutional frameworks that guide water use and sustainability. Gain expertise in resolving complex water issues involving competing demands, regulatory systems and public interests.
Working alongside faculty and industry professionals, you’ll be ready for leadership roles in government, nonprofit and private-sector organizations focused on responsible water stewardship and policy development.
Overview
Related Topics
Create sustainable water solutions
Application information
Applicants for the Ph.D. in water resources program must meet the following degree-specific admission requirements:
- Education level: Bachelor's
- GPA: 3.0
- GRE: No
- TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo: 79/6.5/115 (for applicants whose education was completed in countries where English is not an official language)
- Number of references: Three
- Other requirements: Statement of research interests
Program availability
- Semester intake: Fall and Spring
- Eligible for international applicants
- Deadlines: General application deadlines
Visit Graduate Admissions to learn more and start your application.
Contact information
Water Resources Graduate Program contact: Timothy Link (tlink@uidaho.edu)
Graduate Admissions contact: graduateadmissions@uidaho.edu, 208-885-4001
To find faculty advisor contacts, reach out to Water Resources steering committee members:
Elowyn Yager; eyager@uidaho.edu (Engineering)
Robert Heinse; rheinse@uidaho.edu (College of Agricultural and Life Sciences)
Erin Brooks; ebrooks@uidaho.edu (College of Agricultural and Life Sciences)
Kendra Kaiser; kkaiser@uidaho.edu (Idaho Water Resources Research Institute)
Manoj Shrestha; mks@uidaho.edu (College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences)
Dylan Hedden-Nicely; dheddan@uidaho.edu (College of Law)
Jeff Langman; jlangman@uidaho.edu (College of Science)
Andy Kliskey; akliskey@uidaho.edu (College of Art and Architecture, EPSCoR)
Timothy Link; tlink@uidaho.edu (College of Natural Resources)
Costs, funding and research
Graduate students are typically funded through a variety of sources. Funding opportunities are provided directly by faculty advisors, and prospective students are strongly encouraged to contact potential major professors to develop a dialogue prior to applying.
To learn about ways to fund your graduate degree, check out the Graduate Funding page.
Visit Financial Aid to find detailed information about the cost of attendance.
Degree fit
This program could be a good fit if you:
- Are interested in natural resource and environmental law
- Are passionate about interdisciplinary water issues
- Are interested in the integration of law, policy, water science and engineering.
- Have strong research and analytical thinking skills
- Can communicate and work well with others
- Are a good problem solver
Hands-on learning
- Availability of the Idaho Science and Technology Policy Fellowship
- Access to indoor and outdoor laboratories
- Distinctive combination of research, networking and community involvement
Clubs and organizations
- Idaho Water Resources Research Institute (IWRRI)
- H2IdahO is a student club for those interested in water
- Graduate and Professional Student Association
- IdaH2O is a Master Water Stewards Program for community outreach
Career outcomes
Current job openings
1,871 in ID, WA, OR, MT and HIPotential careers and mid-career salaries
- Chief Sustainability Officers
$193,281 - Architectural and Engineering Managers
$169,180 - Natural Sciences Managers • Water Resource Specialists
$152,874 - Regulatory Affairs Managers • Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers
$97,250 - Environmental Compliance Inspectors
$81,914
* Career data provided by Lightcast.