Environmental Science and Public Policy

• Faculty
• Course Work
• Home Page - http://www.gmu.edu/departments/Biology/Esppphd.htm
• Environmental Science and Public Policy, Ph.D.
  • Degree Requirements
  • Dissertation

Faculty

Adamkewicz, Andrykovitch, Beach, Birchard, Botkin, Bradley, L. Brown, R. Brown, Chandhoke, Christensen, Conlan, Cozzens, Crepeau, deMonsabert, Diecchio, Dietz, Ernst, Foster, Fryxell, Gifford, Guagnano, Gunn, Haack, Hamblin-Katnik, Harris, Hart, Hill, Honeychuck, Houk, Jonas (director), R. Jones, Kalof, Kelso, Kozlowski, Lawrey, Litchfield, Mahler, Megonigal, Meyer, Morowitz, Mose, Mushrush, Nadeau, Oates, Palkovitch, Pfiffner, Rao, Regan, Reynolds, Rockwood, Royt, Ryan, Schreifels, Skog, Soyfer, Stalick, Talbot, Taub, Torzilli, Walbridge, Willett, Wright

Course Work

Graduate Program

Environmental Science and Public Policy, Ph.D.

Applicants should have a bachelor's degree with an overall GPA of at least 3.000. Applicants should have taken at least two semesters of chemistry and three semesters of biology, including ecology. Application deadline for admission in the fall semester is February 15. Admission to spring semester is not available.

All applicants must submit the following:

1. Scores on the aptitude portion of the Graduate Record Examination. (This may be waived if the applicant has a master's degree in an appropriate field.)
2. Three letters of recommendation. (At least two of these should be from individuals with Ph.D.'s.)
3. Official transcripts from each college or university attended.
4. A recent resume.
5. A substantial statement of interest in the program, including potential focus—environmental science or environmental public policy—and an explanation of career and research goals.

In addition, it is recommended that each applicant schedule an interview with the program director or an environmental faculty member in the focus. Admission decisions are based on the student's qualifications and the availability of a faculty advisor.

Degree Requirements

The Environmental Science and Public Policy doctoral program requires a minimum of 78 graduate credits beyond the bachelor's degree. Students with a master's degree in an appropriate field may obtain a reduction of credit for appropriate course work of up to 30 graduate credits. To ensure that all students obtain the necessary skills and knowledge to function as an environmental professional, the program requires all students to fulfill the following category requirements:

Category 1—Natural sciences. A minimum of 12 credits in areas of natural science such as biology, chemistry, geology, geography, or environmental engineering.

Category 2—Public policy. A minimum of 12 credits in areas related to public policy such as public affairs, economics, sociology, and business. A course in environmental law is required as part of this category requirement.

Category 3—Methods and technology. A minimum of six credits in research skills such as statistics, remote sensing, geographic information systems, analytical chemistry, modeling, or information technology.

Category 4—Doctoral seminar. EVPP 991 must be taken once and students must present a total of four graduate seminar credits.

Beyond these basic requirements, students should indicate whether they intend to focus their study on environmental science or environmental public policy. Those focusing on environmental science should expect to take a total of 24 credits in natural science, whereas those focusing on environmental public policy should take 24 credits of public policy course work. A specific set of recommended courses is provided for students in the environmental public policy focus. Previous thesis research courses do not apply.

In keeping with the general philosophy inherent in a Ph.D. degree, students adopt an individual program that focuses on a specific area of research. The students' course work must provide the knowledge base from which original research projects in their specific areas of interest can be successfully completed.

Upon admission to the program, each student is assigned an advisor from the environmental faculty. The advisor guides the student through course selection. An advisor may be changed by mutual consent of student and advisor or by petition to the program director and the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. Each student is required to complete a course work proposal by the end of the second semester of courses. The proposal must be approved by the advisor and the program director.

By the end of the fourth semester of course work, the student should assemble a dissertation committee of at least four graduate faculty members with representation from at least two academic departments. After reviewing the student's course work proposal, progress to date, and area of research, the committee makes final recommendations concerning course work that will be codified in the program of study to be signed by all committee members and the program director.

Upon completion of all (or nearly all) course work, the student may request to take the qualifying or candidacy exam. The qualifying exam has both oral and written parts. The written portion consists of questions submitted by each member of the dissertation committee. Successful completion of the written exam should be followed by the oral portion within one month. The qualifying exam may be repeated once at the discretion of the student's committee. Upon completion of all course work, passage of the qualifying exam, and submission of the program of study, the student is recommended for advancement to candidacy by the program director. Students must advance to candidacy within six years of admission to the program.

Dissertation

Students must complete a dissertation (12 to 24 credits) by registering under the combination of EVPP 998 and EVPP 999. No more than half the credits specified for dissertation credit on the student's program of study may be taken as EVPP 998 Dissertation Proposal. The dissertation is an original written work demonstrating mastery of subject matter, methodologies, and conceptual foundations on a specific problem in the general field of environmental science and public policy. The dissertation will generally involve collection and analysis of original data or the substantially new analysis and reinterpretation of existing data.

Before the student may enroll in dissertation research, he or she must have advanced to candidacy and have a dissertation proposal approved by the dissertation committee, program director, and dean of the college. Guidelines for preparing the dissertation proposal and dissertation are available from the CAS Dean's Office. In preparation for the dissertation, the student may enroll in the doctoral dissertation proposal course for credit.

The student must present the completed dissertation in a public seminar and defend the work before the dissertation committee. Awarding of the degree is contingent on approval of the dissertation by the dissertation committee, program director, and dean. The dissertation and defense must be completed within five years of advancement to candidacy.

Lack of enrollment for two consecutive semesters will result in inactive status. Reactivation of program enrollment is by application to the doctoral program director and is contingent upon availability of program resources and past performance.