Ph.D. Program and Designated Emphasis
The Ph.D. program in environmental studies draws from both biophysical and social sciences. Our approach helps students gain a well-rounded perspective informed by conservation biology, global change ecology, agroecology, environmental policy, and the political economy of the environment.
Our goal is to develop exceptional individuals with strong foundations in their own fields and the ability to work with those in other relevant specialties. Our students make substantial contributions toward the understanding of an environmental problem through their dissertations. Our program is doctoral only, with a typical duration of five to six years. We emphasize close faculty-student interactions, department-wide intellectual exchange, and cross-discipline innovation. We do not offer a terminal Master’s degree.
Environmental Studies Ph.D.
Program requirements
Learning outcomes
- Interdisciplinarity: Participate productively in interdisciplinary scholarly endeavors and environmental problem-solving.
- Disciplinary Depth: Develop advanced mastery of content and practices of the academic areas that directly inform their scholarly work.
- Research: Conduct exemplary, transformative research in environmental studies.
- Communication: Communicate clearly about their scholarly work and teach effectively at the university level.
Curriculum and process
Environmental Studies is an explicitly interdisciplinary department, including faculty and students with backgrounds and interests in a wide range of social and natural sciences. We expect all of our students to embrace scholarship in both the social and natural sciences, in their coursework and by including both natural and social scientists on their advisory committees.
Students are required to be in residence for their first full year and most of their second year, in order to ensure timely completion of coursework and adequate progression toward the pre-qualifying and qualifying exams. The next several years are dedicated to dissertation research. Students are expected to serve as teaching assistants (TAs) in undergraduate courses for two quarters, unless they can demonstrate equivalent experience. All students are expected to TA for an ecology and society lab or undergraduate senior capstone at least once.
Designated emphasis
A designated emphasis is the equivalent of a “minor” for doctoral study. Graduate students from other departments may obtain a designated emphasis in environmental studies on their Ph.D. diploma, indicating that they have completed an additional specialized course of study with our department. Requirements are listed in the UCSC General Catalog. Students within our Ph.D. program are also welcome to add a designated emphasis in a different field and should consult our graduate program coordinator for more information. Many students elect to add a Coastal Science and Policy designated emphasis, which helps students uniquely tackle coastal sustainability challenges, from watersheds to the ocean.
Meet our students and alumni
James Alejandro Artiga-Purcell: Environmental justice research in El Salvador
While he was a doctoral candidate at UC Santa Cruz, James Alejandro Artiga-Purcell conducted research on water justice issues related to gold mining in El Salvador, the only country to ban metal mining. His work aims to document lessons learned from successful social movements for environmental justice. He is now an assistant professor at San Jose State University.
Sanya Cowal: Studying the ecological and social dynamics of coffee production
Funding from the Jessica Roy Memorial Scholarship helped to support Sanya Cowal’s research on the role of gender-based differences in coffee producer adaptive management through the lens of female producer agency. After graduation, she hopes to become a professor and conduct community-based agroecological work with organizations like Rainforest Alliance.
Daniel Hastings: Understanding the impacts of climate change on Joshua trees
Ph.D. candidate Daniel Hastings won multiple funding awards to support his investigation of water storage in the tissues of Joshua trees. His work includes a focus on yearly fluctuations in water storage and plans to develop of an integrated model of Joshua tree anatomy that simulates the plants responses to different climate conditions.
More student stories
More alumni stories
Environmental Studies faculty
Students are admitted into our doctoral program directly under the sponsorship and guidance of a particular faculty member. Establishing a good “fit” with a particular professor is as important as academic achievements in being selected for admission. Students are rarely accepted into the program without significant, early communications with potential faculty sponsors. Prospective students must contact faculty directly to inquire about sponsorship—including where you would fit into their labs—and any specific course requirements.
Prospective students should first learn about the areas of research of our faculty and identify which faculty they share scholarly interests with. When reaching out to faculty to inquire about applying to work with them, provide a curriculum vitae (or resumé) of your relevant experience and education, a statement regarding your research interests and experience, and a statement about why you want to work specifically with that particular faculty member and at UC Santa Cruz.
Financial support
Graduate students are typically financially supported through a combination of funding. Newly admitted students are offered fellowships, including a stipend (salary), Teaching Assistant (TA) positions, and/or Graduate Student Research (GSR) positions. UCSC offers 5-year funding packages, along with a housing supplement of $2,500 per year. Competitive campus scholarships and fellowships are available to new and continuing graduate students, including minority fellowships. Faculty advisors work diligently with students to secure outside funding. 96% of graduate students have secured at least some external funding. All ENVS graduate students have been continuously funded through completion of their degrees.
Application requirements
Admission is only considered for the fall quarter. Applicants must ensure that all parts of the application are submitted well before the deadline. If a file is incomplete, it may not be considered. Admissions information and the online graduate application are available at the UCSC Division of Graduate Studies.
Each applicant’s statement of purpose, coursework, and letters of recommendation should clearly demonstrate superior scholarship, capacity to carry out independent research, and commitment to disciplinary integration. Other considerations for admission include grades, evaluations, publications, professional or extramural experience, and multiple degrees, like a second bachelor’s degree or a master’s degree. In addition to the application materials, we recommend submitting a substantial written project, such as undergraduate or master’s research products.
Prior course requirements
Most, but not all, of our students come into our program either with a master’s degree or several years of significant professional experience. Students must have completed a bachelor’s degree or the equivalent in a related disciplinary field. Students with interdisciplinary degrees such as environmental studies should have disciplinary coursework equivalent to a double major, or a master’s degree in an appropriate field.
Calculus is useful in many program areas and essential to independent work in some. All students should have an advanced upper-division knowledge of ecology, genetics, and evolutionary biology; macroeconomics, microeconomics, and political economy; politics, anthropology, or sociology; and statistical analysis or probability from prior coursework or independent reading. Limited deficiencies in these areas can be remedied during the first year of graduate study.
International applicant requirements
Applicants from countries where English is not the primary language must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). View all minimum score requirements. We greatly value the participation of scholars from diverse nations and cultures in our graduate programs, and we actively solicit applications for admission from foreign applicants. Unfortunately, it is very difficult for us to offer significant financial support to foreign applicants. International applicants are strongly recommended to seek scholarship support from their own governments or foundations. If you would like to request an English-language waiver or have additional questions about the TOEFL or IELTS requirements, please email envsgpc@ucsc.edu.
Admission and offer acceptance
After all application reviews are complete, you will be notified by email whether or not you have been admitted. No information is provided over the phone. Admitted applicants have until April 15 to reply with their acceptance of fellowship offers. Please contact our department’s graduate program coordinator at envsgpc@ucsc.edu with any questions.