About This Program

Doctor of Philosophy in Earth and Environmental Sciences provides students with the interdisciplinary knowledge and skills to conduct independent research in Earth and Environmental Sciences. Students conduct dissertation research under the supervision of a faculty member in one of the participating departments (Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Civil and Environmental Engineering, or Urban and Public Affairs). The supervising professor and a faculty committee assign courses in this primary area of emphasis to support the student’s research and professional goals. To provide interdisciplinary training, additional courses are assigned in a secondary area of emphasis. 

Competencies

1. Upon completion, students will demonstrate expertise in methods found in multiple discipline areas within geoscience and environmental science, and also demonstrate expertise in their chosen geoscience and environmental science challenge discipline area.
2. Upon completion, students will be able to critically analyze scientific data in geoscience and environmental sciences, evaluate and design geoscience and/or environmental monitoring and/or models, and synthesize and integrate methodologies found in scientific and engineering disciplines into a multi-disciplinary scientific framework.
3. Upon completion, students will be able to communicate complex information from geoscience and/or environmental science sub-disciplines using written reports, peer-reviewed journals, and oral presentations to specialists and non‐specialists.

Admissions Criteria

1. Students with a master’s degree in environmental science, biology, chemistry, geosciences, mathematics or engineering will be considered for admission to the PhD program.  Students with a Masters’s Degree in other sciences will also be considered, subject to satisfactory completion of courses to make up deficiencies.
2. Have a strong quantitative background including courses in differential and integral calculus (i.e., Calculus I and II). Students that have not taken these courses will be expected to complete them during their first year of residence.
3. A minimum graduate coursework GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, as calculated by the by the Graduate Admissions if seeking admission as a PhD student. 
4. The personal statement describing the applicant’s laboratory, field, or applied interests, career plans, identifying potential supervising faculty members, and discussion of how the UTA graduate program can serve to further these interests and plans will be examined for evidence of the appropriateness of the candidate to the UTA program. The statement shall address evidence of research skills, communication skills, team work, and fit to program.
5. Candidates without an advisor will be denied admission to this program. The advisor must have agreed to supervise the candidate. 
6. Favorable letters of recommendation from people familiar with the applicant’s academic work and/or professional work. Letters shall address research skills, communication skills, team work, fit to program, and comparison to peers. 
7. Interview Performance: interviewer-rated responses to questions about research skills, team work, fit to program, oral communication skills, and comparison to peers.
8. Successful completion master’s degree in another department is viewed positively even when the degree was received in an area outside of Earth and Environmental Sciences In this latter case, some conditions in terms of make-up coursework may be specified.
9. A statement detailing the applicant’s specific research interests and identifying the faculty member who is requested as supervisor of the dissertation research must be submitted to departmental graduate advisor.
10. For admission, all international student applicants must meet English proficiency test requirements described in the Graduate Admission section of the University Catalog. International students seeking an assistantship position in the Department of Earth and Environmental Science must demonstrate a higher level of English proficiency than that required for admission by meeting the  English proficiency requirements specified in the Graduate Assistantship Policy in the University Catalog.

In summary, the department views its mission in the PhD program as to train students to be enthusiastic about conducting research in Earth and Environmental Sciences. Accordingly, we seek students who show aptitude in as well as motivation for research. Students interested in the terminal M.S.program in Earth and Environmental Science will have their records examined by the statements on how the EES MS program can serve to further the student’s interest.

Curriculum 

Students who enter with a master’s degree in a science or engineering field, or with 30 semester hours of graduate coursework, take a diagnostic examination in the first year of residence to evaluate this previous work. Students take their comprehensive exam in the third year of residence. Dissertation hours and doctoral degree completion course are taken after passing the comprehensive exam. The student’s supervising committee must approve all courses taken to meet degree requirements.

Students may choose among any of the five participating units for their primary and secondary areas of emphasis. Course selection within these areas of emphasis is guided by the student’s supervising committee and must result in a cohesive program that supports the dissertation research.

Program Completion 

In addition to coursework, PhD candidates are required to complete significant program milestones. These involve additional periods of research and scholarly work, beyond the minimum 30 credit hours:

1. Successful completion of the Diagnostic Evaluation at the end of the first year of residence.
2. Successful completion of the Comprehensive Examination, an oral defense of a research proposal to be pursued for the dissertation, and a specialization examination over areas of the student’s proposed research.
3. Demonstration of proficiency in one foreign language or a research tool such as advanced computer skills, statistics, or operations research.
4. Successful defense of the dissertation and acceptance of the dissertation by the supervising committee.

Advising Resources

First time in college students should plan to speak to a program advisor when starting their second year. or have an academic advising hold. Transfer students should contact program advising when enrolled or have an academic advising hold.

Location:

SH 328C   

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