Natural Resources and Sustainability
Ph.D. Degree
The joint Ph.D. program in natural resources and sustainability prepares future leaders as academic researchers, agency professionals and analysts of nongovernmental organizations and communities for careers at the frontiers of the science of sustainability and natural resources management.
Exploring and understanding natural resource management systems require a well-defined skill set and a clear understanding of how specific problems are linked to broader cultural, ecological and geopolitical contexts. Thus, the study of natural resources and sustainability encompasses a spectrum of topics. The Ph.D. builds on the existing strengths of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment and College of Business and Security Management faculty members to educate students in specific areas while training them to be conversant in the broader range of relevant topic areas.
The program objectives and its curriculum center around three thematic areas of study:
- resource economics,
- resource policy and sustainability science, and
- forest and agricultural sciences.
Each student draws on a common set of core courses, and, with his/her graduate committee, develops a program of course work and research that produces a unique intellectual contribution to the applied field of natural resources and sustainability. Students elect to focus on one of the three thematic areas or they choose to integrate foci to develop their areas of knowledge and dissertation research.
Additional application requirement: Students are required to have a faculty sponsor upon entering the program. A letter of support from a DNRE or CBSM faculty member in addition to three letters of recommendation must be submitted with the graduate application.
Minimum Requirements for Natural Resources and Sustainability Doctorate Degree: 26 credits
College of Natural Science and Mathematics
Department of Natural Resources and Environment
College of Business and Security Management
907-474-7188
