Dear Prospective ES-PhD Applicant:

The ES-PhD program is designed to foster interdisciplinary perspectives on environmental science research. The curriculum for the degree is inherently trans-disciplinary blending courses from biology, chemistry, geography, philosophy, and other disciplines. In addition to the general Environmental Science PhD, student may elect to concentrate in one of four areas: Ecology and Conservation Biology, Toxicology, Human Ecology, or Geoscience. At the beginning of their degree program students are expected to be independent researchers; by the end of their program they are expected to derive original research under the guidance of and collaboration with a major professor and a dissertation committee. PhD students often develop projects that are major components of ongoing large-scale research programs in the lab of their major professor.

The ES-PhD program application is a competitive process that includes application to the UNT Toulouse Graduate School and the ES-PhD Program (see www.ias.unt.edu). To be considered for admission for entry into the program, all application materials must be submitted by January 15th. Meeting all of the application requirements does not guarantee acceptance into the program, which is at the discretion of the ES faculty. All environmental science graduate students must have a major professor who helps the student design her/his degree plan (coursework) and dissertation research. Students will not be accepted to the program if they do not have a major professor, a role that is at the discretion of the ES faculty member.

ES faculty members, staff, and the program coordinators do not advise applicants during the process of "finding a major professor." Being accepted into an ES faculty member's lab is the sole responsibility of the applicant, requiring research into the program by the applicant. Faculty members choose whether or not to admit a student into their lab based on a variety of criteria including the intellectual match of the applicant to the professor, the opportunities currently available to work with students, and the qualifications of the applicant in ES.

Information on the prerequisites for ES programs can be found through our website. Please direction application and academic questions to the Graduate Program Coordinator.