Ph.D. in Ecology, Human-Enviro - Colorado State

The Ph.D. in Ecology with Human-Environment Interactions Specialization from Colorado State University prepares students to tackle global ecological challenges by equipping them with interdisciplinary skills in problem-solving, research, and policymaking. The program emphasizes social-environmental approaches, combining foundational ecology courses with electives in human-environment interactions, quantitative and qualitative tools, and independent research guided by expert advisors. Graduates are equipped for careers in academia, government agencies, and non-profit organizations focused on addressing socio-ecological issues.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The Ph.D. in Ecology, Human-Environment Interactions Specialization is a graduate program offered by Colorado State University's Graduate Degree Program in Ecology (GDPE). The program aims to develop students as scientists and policy makers with interdisciplinary problem-solving skills focused particularly on social-environmental approaches to addressing global challenges in the ecological sciences from local to global scales. Students specializing in Human-Environment Interactions engage in independent and collaborative research guided by advisors in the program.

Outline:

The program requires a minimum of 72 credits to complete. It is structured around a set of required courses, elective courses, and research components.

Required Courses (11 credits):

ANTH 530 Human-Environment Interactions (3 credits)
ECOL 505 Foundations of Ecology (3 credits)
ECOL 571 Advanced Topics in Ecology (2 credits)
ECOL 592 Interdisciplinary Seminar in Ecology (1 credit)
ECOL 693 Research Seminar (1 credit)

Ecology Fundamentals (6 credits):

Students must select a minimum of 6 credits from the following courses, not taken elsewhere in the program:
BZ 525 Advanced Conservation & Evolutionary Genomics
BZ 526/BSPM 526 Evolutionary Ecology
BZ 535 Behavioral and Cognitive Ecology
BZ 548 Theory of Population and Evolutionary Ecology
ECOL 600 Community Ecology
ECOL 610 Ecosystem Ecology
ECOL 620 Applications in Landscape Ecology
ESS 660 Biogeochemical Cycling in Ecosystems
FW 662 Wildlife Population Dynamics
HORT 576 Advanced Environmental Plant Stress Physiology

Human-Environment Interactions Fundamentals (3 credits):

Students must select a minimum of 3 credits from the following courses:
ANTH 515 Culture and Environment
ANTH 529 Anthropology and Sustainable Development
ANTH 535 Globalization and Culture Change
ANTH 540 Medical Anthropology
ANTH 545 Global Mental Health--Theory and Method
ANTH 555 Paleoindian Archaeology
ANTH 571 Anthropology and Global Health
ANTH 572 Human Origins
NR 625 Community-Based Natural Resource Management
POLS 739 International Environmental Politics
SOC 668 Environmental Sociology

Quantitative Ecology Tools (3 credits):

Students must select a minimum of 3 credits from the following courses:
ERHS 544/STAT 544 Biostatistical Methods for Quantitative Data
MATH 540 Dynamical Systems
NR 506 GIS Methods for Resource Management
NR 512 Spatial Statistical Modeling-Natural Resources
NR 523/STAT 523 Quantitative Spatial Analysis
NRRT 665 Survey Research and Analysis
NRRT 765 Applied Multivariate Analysis
SOCR 522 Micrometeorology
SOCR 620 Modeling Ecosystem Biogeochemistry
SOCR 670 Terrestrial Ecosystems Isotope Ecology
STAR 512 Design and Data Analysis for Researchers II
STAT 520 Introduction to Probability Theory
STAT 521 Stochastic Processes I
STAT 530 Mathematical Statistics
STAT 540 Data Analysis and Regression
STAT 560 Applied Multivariate Analysis
STAT 675ATopics in Statistical Methods: Sampling
WR 674 Data Issues in Hydrology

Qualitative Ecology Tools (3 credits):

Students must select a minimum of 3 credits from the following courses:
EDRM 704 Qualitative Research
EDRM 706 Analysis of Variance--Education Research
POLS 621 Qualitative Methods in Political Science