ENV Graduate Program Requirements

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE (updated February 2025)

This document lists important departmental policies for a Ph.D. Degree in Environmental Science.  The complete and detailed requirements for the degree can be found on the departmental website. Details on the Baylor University Graduate School regulations may be found at this link: https://catalog.baylor.edu/graduate-school/general-information/graduate-school-policies/doctoral-degrees-general-degree-requirements/

I. Entrance Requirements
    
A.    The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is not required but is recommended for admission to the graduate program. Preference will be given to students with combined GRE scores above 310. An undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 (4.0 scale) is required, or equivalent, or evidence of a rank in the upper 50%. Additional requirements including CV and statement of research interest are also required.  Depending on the applicant, a specific TOEFL or IELTS score may also be required as per graduate school policy.

II. Course Requirements

All Ph.D. students must successfully complete four graduate-level ENV lecture-based courses, two additional graduate-level elective lecture courses (any prefix), all chosen with individual graduate committee approval, and four seminar courses (ENV 5102, or alternative STEM seminar with GPD approval). Additional research and dissertation hours are also required to fulfill 72-hour degree requirements, see below. Combined, these courses provide foundational competencies to give the student a knowledge base for scientific research in the Environmental Science program, and to prepare them for their own research focus area.    

A. DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
The minimum semester-hour requirement for the Ph. D. degree is seventy-two semester hours.
Note:  It is not necessary that students with a B.S. degree obtain an M.S. degree before pursuing the doctorate.

                                                                                                                     72 sem. hrs. 
ENV Graduate Courses (4 lecture courses, ENV prefix)                 12
Graduate Electives (2 lecture courses, any STEM prefix)               6
Four seminar courses (ENV 5102 or alternative with approval)    4
Research hours (6V98)                                                                            6
Dissertation (6V99)                                                                                 12
Research, laboratory techniques, or classroom offerings              32

After completing the candidacy requirements, students may register for dissertation hours (ENV 6V99) at their advisor's discretion.

IMPORTANT: Graduate school policy states that failure to maintain a minimum overall GPA of 3.0 results in immediate probationary status. Students on probation are ineligible for stipend support and tuition waivers.

    
III. Advancement to Candidacy

First Year: Evaluation meeting with Committee (3-member ENV faculty). Required one-page written summary of progress and plans.

Second Year: Diagnostic Exam with Committee. One-page written summary of progress and plans. Three-page written literature review (references not included in 3-pg length). Oral examination of preparation, progress, and plans.

Third Year: Proposal and Proposal Defense. Written Proposal includes: 1-pg Executive Summary, 15-pg maximum text (including figures), References (no limit), and Appendices (if necessary). Written dissertation proposal provided to their committee one month prior to proposal defense. Public presentation (30-45 minutes), followed by oral examination with committee (2 hours). The student’s success or failure in the proposal defense will be determined by the student’s Ph.D. committee and will be based on a simple majority opinion. If a student fails the proposal defense, then the student will be allowed ONE attempt to pass within 8 weeks of the first exam date. Students that do not pass on either the first or second attempt, will not be allowed to continue in the Ph.D. program and may be transitioned to a terminal master’s program with concurrence of the major professor and the student.

IV. Dissertation Requirements

Instructions for the preparation and submission of a dissertation are given in the Bulletin of the Graduate School.  The student is strongly advised to check with the Graduate office on matters of formatting the thesis or dissertation in advance.

Manuscript requirement (Ph.D. degree only)
Prior to the scheduling of a student’s dissertation defense, the student will have served as first author on a minimum of two manuscripts that have been accepted for publication (i.e., DOI number assignment or “in-press” designation). Manuscripts will be in acceptable journals and will be substantially based upon the student’s dissertation research results. Both criteria will be assessed by the student’s research committee.  Students engaged in proprietary research where patenting considerations, trade secrets, national security, or other significant considerations restrict publication of the work must present the committee and the graduate school with patent applications or similar documentation specifying limitations on publication.

Dissertation defense
After completion of each of the requirements described above as well as all other requirements set forth by the research advisor, the Department of Environmental Science, and the Graduate School, the student will work with their research advisor to prepare an acceptable dissertation.  Once the research advisor is satisfied with the quality of the dissertation, the student will work with their committee to schedule a mutually agreeable date for the defense.  A complete copy of the dissertation will be distributed to the student's committee at least 15 days prior to the dissertation defense.  The date, time, and location of the public oral presentation (comprised of a 40-50-minute formal seminar followed by Q&A) will be formally announced at least 10 working days prior to the defense.  After the public presentation, a closed defense will be held before the student's committee and other interested members of the graduate faculty.  

V. Departmental Clearance

Prior to graduation, all candidates for the Doctor of Philosophy degree must comply with Baylor EHS and the Department’s regulations concerning laboratory checkout. The checkout procedure includes a satisfactory inspection of the candidate's work area by the Department Safety Officer and by an Environmental Health and Safety representative.