Program Overview

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Environmental Social Science (Urbanism), PhD

The Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Social Science is a transdisciplinary program that combines methods and theories of planning, geography, anthropology, political economy, and more. This approach enables students to gain a better understanding of human impacts on the environment and develop sustainable environmental practices to reduce them.

Program Description

The program is organized around theoretically based conceptual domains, including:

• culture and the environment
• environmental hazards and vulnerability
• environmental justice
• human environment impacts
• political ecology
• science and technology studies

These domains serve as the basis for addressing various topical foci, such as urban environments, technologies and their consequences, landscapes, institutions, and health and the environment.

Faculty Expertise

Students work with faculty who have expertise in a broad range of fields, including:

• archaeology
• community resources
• cultural and medical anthropology
• demography
• environmental history
• geographic information systems
• human and physical geography
• planning
• public affairs
• science and technology studies
• sociology

Program Objectives

The program trains students to move into teaching and research positions or to assume leadership roles in government, industry, or in non-governmental organizations. Coursework for the degree focuses on developing real-world skills and a solid grasp of complex social science approaches to environmental issues.

Concentration in Urbanism

The concentration in urbanism leverages the varied interests in urbanism and helps emerging scholars compare, contrast, and take stock of urbanism. Working with faculty from across a range of departments and programs at ASU, doctoral students are able to capture the creative tensions that scholarship on urbanism has inspired in order to stimulate a provocative, constructive kind of inquiry.

STEM-OPT for International Students

This program may be eligible for an Optional Practical Training extension for up to 24 months. This OPT work authorization period may help international students gain skills and experience in the U.S.

At a Glance

• College/school: The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Location: Tempe
• STEM-OPT extension eligible: Yes

Degree Requirements

• 84 credit hours
• A written comprehensive exam
• An oral comprehensive exam
• A prospectus
• A dissertation

Students entering with a master's degree in a related field may be granted up to 30 credit hours toward the 84 credit hour total required for the doctorate. This leaves 30 credit hours of coursework, 12 credit hours of research, and 12 credit hours of dissertation (54 credit hours total) to be earned post-admission.

Admission Requirements

• General university admission requirements: All students are required to meet general university admission requirements.
• U.S. applicants: Must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
• International applicants: Must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
• English proficiency: An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency.

Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program, or applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.

All applicants must submit:

1. Graduate admission application and application fee
2. Official transcripts
3. Personal statement outlining educational and professional goals
4. Current curriculum vitae or resume
5. Three letters of recommendation
6. Proof of English proficiency

Tuition Information

When it comes to paying for higher education, everyone’s situation is different. Students can learn about ASU tuition and financial aid options to find out which will work best for them.

Career Opportunities

The demand in the job market is for people with keen thinking skills who can manage, evaluate, and interpret large amounts of data. As the many spheres of human interaction expand globally, people with the training of this degree are increasingly sought-after for their broad, holistic knowledge and perspectives. Some career opportunities include:

• acting as legal advocates in international cases
• analyzing and proposing policies
• conducting postgraduate academic research
• consulting for private and public organizations
• curating cultural resources
• directing nonprofit organizations
• directing programs in the private or public sector
• managing culture or heritage resources in private or public sectors
• planning communities
• teaching