Doctoral in Environmental Science

The following general requirements must be satisfied in order to complete the PhD in Environmental Science:

• 90 (post-bac) or 45 (post-MS) credit hours total
• qualifying exam  
• establishing a plan of study
• 3 core courses recommended, not required
• additional courses dependent on advisor or committee recommendations
• candidacy exam/approval of dissertation proposal
• dissertation/thesis
• defense of dissertation/thesis
• a graduate research seminar presentation once a year for second, third, and fourth-year students.

Thesis Advisor/Plan of Study
For students admitted without an identified Thesis Advisor, the Thesis Advisor must be selected by the end of Winter term in the first year. All students are asked to submit a Plan of Study (that has been agreed upon by Thesis Advisor and student) by the end of Winter term first year. It is anticipated that the graduate coursework will be completed during the first two years or less. Generally there is no prescribed coursework -- students must take courses needed to complete their research under guidance of an faculty advisor.

Curriculum

The following courses are recommended, but not required:
ENVS 501	Chemistry of the Environment	3.0
ENVS 506	Biostatistics	3.0
ENVS 511	Evolutionary Ecology	3.0
For a list of electives, visit the Graduate Environmental Science course descriptions.
Candidacy Examination The function of the Candidacy Examination is to test the breadth and the depth of the student's capabilities in their chosen area of study. The graduate student becomes a PhD Candidate only after successfully completing the Candidacy Examination and completing 15 or 45 credits (for post-master’s or post-bachelor’s degree students, respectively). The candidacy exam is comprised of three parts whose order will be determined by the Candidacy Committee: written examination (or qualifying exam), dissertation research proposal, and oral examination. Students entering the program with a Master’s degree are expected to complete the candidacy examination by the end of the summer quarter of their first year. Students entering the PhD program with a Bachelor’s degree are expected to complete this examination by the end of the summer quarter of their second year. Thesis /Dissertation and Defense of Thesis/Dissertation The student will finalize their Dissertation only after approval to write is granted by the Dissertation Research Committee. Approval is based upon an evaluation of the breadth and depth of original research being conducted by the student. The dissertation must follow the format specifications set forth in the Drexel’s Office of Research and Graduate Studies. Research conducted for the Dissertation must be presented in a lecture open to the public and then defended, privately, before the student's Dissertation Research Committee.
Sample Sequence/Sample Plan of Study
First Year
Fall		Credits
ENVS 501	Chemistry of the Environment (If applicable)	3.0
	ENVS elective	3.0
Winter
ENVS 511	Evolutionary Ecology (if applicable)	3.0
	ENVS elective	3.0
Spring
ENVS 506	Biostatistics (if applicable)	3.0
	ENVS elective	3.0
Second Year
	Electives and/or research as determined by Thesis Advisor and committee.
Contact the Department of Biology at (215) 895-2624 for more information.