Best 15 Ph.D. in Environmental Science Programs in 2024

At the University of Miami Abess Center For Ecosystem Science & Policy, students work towards a PhD in Environmental Science and Policy. The first year of studies in this program is when students learn the theories and methods of both physical and environmental science. This involves a heavy amount of research concerning the integration of science into the environment.

The second year of studies in this program is where students learn solutions to the problems and issues they uncovered during their first-year research projects. Students are led through the steps that have to be taken to solve problems within the field.

At the University of Iowa, students can earn a Doctor of Philosophy in Geoscience. Most students that enter this program do so with the intention of pursuing a career in teaching or independent research. Completing this program requires students to attend on-campus seminars, where they are tasked with defending the dissertation they choose. Alternately, students can successfully complete a comprehensive exam instead. But to graduate, they also need to present their dissertation in front of a committee.

At the University of Maryland Graduate School, students can pursue a Ph.D. in Marine-Estuarine Environmental Science. This degree is most often pursued by students with an interest in how physical, chemical, and biological systems react with the environment. Some of the research topics students in this program tackle include molecular mechanisms and chemical pollutants.

Within this program, students can choose from four possible concentrations; Environment and Society, Earth & Ocean Sciences, Environmental Molecular Science & Technology, and Ecological Systems.

Boston University offers students the ability to earn a Ph.D. in Earth & Environment. Heavy on research, the program focuses on not only environmental and earth sciences, but also environmental analysis, remote sensing, and sustainability and energy. Some of the specializations students can choose from in this program include paleoclimate and earth history, carbon & nutrient cycling, climate dynamics, and hydrology, among others.

At Brown University, students can earn a Ph.D. in Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences. The five major themes that make up the core of the curriculum are Geochemistry, Environmental Science, The Planetary Perspective, Climate and Environment, and Geophysics.;

To complete their studies, every candidate for a Ph.D. has to spend at least one semester working as a teaching assistant, though they are permitted to do this for more than one semester if they choose. Those that want to go on to teach Earth Science on an elementary school level have the chance to do so through the DEEPS Outreach. This allows them to teach the subject at local schools.

The City University of New York offers a Ph.D. in Earth and Environmental Sciences. As part of this program, many students write articles for publishing in papers and professional journals. They are also encouraged to go to academic conferences, and even teach some classes on campus.

Students enrolled in this program can choose a specialization in either Geography or Environmental and Geological Sciences.

Students enrolled at Ohio State University can earn a Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Science. The program is a joint effort between many of the school’s academic departments, including Food, Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Arts and Sciences, and Public Health.

The research areas that are emphasized in this program include Environmental Chemistry and Anthropology, along with Environmental Communication and Education, Environmental Remediation, and Human Health and the Environment, among many others. The program prepares students to conduct research that will help solve the world’s biggest environmental problems.

At the University of Virginia Arts & Sciences within the Department of Environmental Sciences, students can earn a Doctor of Philosophy. Independent study and research compromise students’ education in this department. Thesis research must be performed as part of the program. In addition to their thesis, students also have to successfully complete both oral and written exams.  Departmental field stations and facilities include the Anheuser-Busch Coastal Research Center in Oyster, Virginia, home of the National Science Foundation–sponsored Virginia Coast Reserve Long-Term Ecological Research program, the Virginia Forest Research Facility in nearby Fluvanna County, and the Blandy Experimental Farm near Front Royal, Virginia. To learn more about their facilities, one of the best features about their program, click here: https://evsc.as.virginia.edu/facilities

At the University of California, Santa Barbara Bren School of Environmental Science & Management students can earn a Ph.D. in Environmental Science & Management. Students enrolled in this program have two research tracks to choose between; Social Sciences, or Natural Sciences or Engineering. Those who want to take it one step further can also choose an emphasis on Economics and Environmental Science, or Environment and Society.’

Since students earn this degree based on the research they conduct as part of the program, there is no traditional credit hour requirement for graduation.

At the Rutgers University School of Arts & Science – Newark, students can earn a Ph.D. in Environmental Science. The program consists of two phases, both of which students must perform successfully in order to graduate. The first phase is when students initiate their own research while completing the classes within the curriculum. Students must pass a final exam to move from the first phase to the second phase.

In the second phase, they take research courses while pursuing an intense program of research on their own. The second phase ends with students successfully arguing their own dissertation.

At the Drexel University College of Arts and Sciences, many students pursue a Ph.D. in Environmental Science. Each student works with an advisor to personalize their coursework to their specific interest and career goals, so no two students study the same, exact curriculum.

This degree is awarded only after students complete a major research project and have it published. Students can choose from areas of research that include environmental policy and assessment, conservation, ecology, and paleo-ecology-geology.

At the Wright State University College of Science & Mathematics, students can enroll in the Environmental Sciences Ph.D. Program. It is heavily focused on teaching students ways to solve various problems with the environment.

Commonly researched subjects in this program include earth and environmental sciences, biological sciences, and biochemistry and molecule biology. Students that complete this program often go on to work in federal and state agencies, as well as non-profit organizations and higher education.

At the University of North Texas College of Science, students can earn a Ph.D. in Environmental Science. In addition to completing the curriculum, students are expected to successfully complete a dissertation project. There are five concentrations available for students to choose from; Education Research, Ecology and Conservative Biology, Toxicology, Geoscience, and Human Ecology.

At the University of Maine, students can study for a Ph.D. in Ecology and Environmental Sciences. Students must conduct a seminar in which they present their thesis to the advisory committee they are working with. A student’s advisors choose whether the seminar is held publicly or privately. Once their dissertation has been completed, students also have to successfully defend their thesis to their advisory committee.

At the Washington State University School of the Environment, students can earn a Ph.D. in Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences. The curriculum focuses on areas of environmental science such as the biophysical function and structure of ecosystems, interdisciplinary cognizance, ethics and issues in natural and environmental resources, and advanced research methods. Students are also tasked with choosing one specific subject within the field that they are interested in learning more about.

The dissertation that students have to complete in order to earn this degree has to make a large impact on the areas of natural resources and environmental sciences. While it doesn’t have to be published, the information in it has to be valuable enough for it to qualify for publication in an international journal.