PhD in Environmental Science and Engineering

Fuel Innovation in Environmental Science and Engineering

The rapid transitions our society requires for clean energy, air, water and sustainable food systems depend on the sophisticated knowledge, exhaustive inquiry and out-of-the-box thinking of leaders. Through Clarkson University’s PhD in Environmental Science and Engineering program, you will be able to develop innovative solutions to some of the most pressing environmental sustainability issues of today. We offer the resources, state-of-the-art facilities and mentorship that allow you to become an innovator in the field.

Why Earn a PhD in Environmental Science and Engineering?

Our graduate program in environmental engineering is considered one of the top 50 in the nation by the U.S. News & World Report. The PhD program is focused on producing researchers who can offer groundbreaking solutions to present environmental challenges. If you have a vision for the future, Clarkson provides the tools you need to bring it to life. What can you expect?

Interdisciplinary: The coursework includes science, engineering, social sciences and policy. Your research will span the boundaries of these disciplines.
Intensive research: The program creates the right setting for experimentation and discovery. You’ll learn from our world-renowned faculty while conducting your own investigations in our state-of-the-art facilities.
Dissertation: The research you undertake during your studies will be the basis for your dissertation. This is your opportunity to contribute to the field with original scholarship, propositions and potential solutions.
Resources: The Institute for a Sustainable Environment is the PhD program's home and a hub for discovery and exploration. You will find the facilities, research centers and initiatives you need to fulfill your requirements.

What You’ll Learn

PhD students take courses in:

Ecology and environmental systems
Environmental engineering
Policy and law
Risk analysis

You’ll center your elective courses around a theme of your choosing and through the guidance of your advisor. Some suggested themes include:

Air Quality and Environmental Assessment
Engineering and Policy
Environmental Chemistry
Environmental Quality and Treatment
Sustainable Systems

Review all requirements below.

Curriculum and Requirements

The PhD in Environmental Science and Engineering requires 90 credit hours above the bachelor’s level. This is divided among at least 24 credit hours of coursework, a six-credit-hour seminar, doctoral work and a dissertation. You’ll devote 15 credit hours toward a theme of your choice. You’ll apply for PhD candidacy within two years of acceptance to the program. From here, you have seven years to finish all coursework and research.

Environmental Science & Engineering PhD Required Courses

The PhD candidates must complete 90 credit hours, including 6 credits of seminar and at least 24 credits of graduate coursework. Additionally, the PhD candidate must take:

EV 532 (Risk Analysis)
POL 570 (Environmental Policy) or POL 571 (Energy Policy)
CE 586 (Industrial Ecology) or CE 582 (Environmental Systems Analysis and Design)
Five (5) additional electives (15 credits) following a selected “Theme”
At least three (3) of the above set of courses must be Engineering courses
Completion of a Dissertation

Programs of study will be developed for each PhD candidate in conjunction with a Faculty Advisor based on research direction and should provide sufficient breadth and depth to allow for the student’s future intellectual development. For many this will require completing more than 24 course credits.

Suggested Elective Environmental Science & Engineering Themes

Engineering and Policy

EC660 (Environmental Economics)
POL571 (Energy Policy)
CE586 (Industrial Ecology)
EV536 (Global Climate Change: Science, Engineering, and Policy)
ANTH570 (Environment, Technology, and Society)
POL592 (Environmental Political Theory)
POL575 (Environmental Law)

Air Quality and Environmental Assessment:

CE577 (Atmospheric Chemistry)
CM532 (Particle Size Analysis in Dispersions and Other Colloids)
CM552 (Aerosol Chemistry)
EHS505 (Methods and Analysis)
CE533 (Human Exposure Analysis)

Sustainable Systems

BY659 (Systems Biology)
BY520 (Microbiology)
BY525 (Biological Systems & Global Environmental Change)
CE586 (Industrial Ecology)
CE534 (Sustainable Development Engineering)
CE569 (Watershed Analysis)
PHIL510 (Sustainability Theory & Practice: A Critical Assessment)

Environmental Chemistry

BY531/CE589 (Limnology)
CE535 (Groundwater Hydrology and Geochemistry)
CE577 (Atmospheric Chemistry)
CE580 (Environmental Chemistry)
CM530 (Colloids and Interfaces)
CM532 (Particle Size Analysis in Dispersions and Other Colloids)
CM552 (Aerosol Chemistry)
EHS505 (Methods and Analysis)

Environmental Quality and Treatment

CE579 (Water and Wastewater Treatment and Design)
CE581 (Hazardous Waste Management Engineering)
CE584 (Chemodynamics)
CE681 (Environmental Physico-Chemical Processes)
CE682 (Environmental Biological Processes)

Research

The Institute for a Sustainable Environment is a hub for integrated research in environmental solutions across Clarkson. You will have access to our CAARES facility, CAMP, the Power Systems Center, the NYS Center of Excellence in Healthy Water Solutions, the Clarkson Center for Complex Systems Science (C3S2) and the Beacon Institute for Rivers and Estuaries. The current areas of research at ISE include clean air, clean water, clean energy, advanced materials, healthy ecosystems, encouraging a circular economy, supporting a healthy planet and sustainable and resilient communities.

Admission to the PhD in Environmental Science and Engineering Program

A complete application consists of the following:

Online Application Form
Résumé
Statement of purpose
Three letters of recommendation
Official transcripts
GRE is strongly encouraged but not required.
For international applicants, submitting the results of an English proficiency test is required:
- Minimum test score requirements: TOEFL (80) and TOEFL Essentials (8.5), IELTS (6.5), PTE (56) or Duolingo English Test (115).

PhD Prerequisites: No minimum grade point average is required for admission; however, in general, a GPA above 3.25 for a Master of Science degree in a related field is expected in combination with a superior record of academic achievement.

Learn more about admission requirements for graduate students.

Scholarships

A limited number of fully funded research and teaching assistantships and partial tuition scholarships and stipends are available for qualified full-time students.

Learn more about all of our scholarships and assistantships and how to apply by contacting the Institute for a Sustainable Environment's graduate division via email at isegrad@clarkson.edu.