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About the Doctoral Application Process
To receive the Doctoral degree in Environmental Sciences, Studies, and Policy (ESSP), students must complete the degree requirements for a “focal” department in addition to meeting degree requirements of the Environmental Studies Program (For more information, see About the Doctoral Program and About Focal Departments). Applicants to the doctoral program must identify a focal department and must meet the admissions requirements for this department’s doctoral program (in addition to those of the Environmental Studies Program). Different departments have different admission requirements and require different admission materials. For example, some focal departments require a Master’s degree prior to admission, while others do not. Some require that a writing sample be submitted with the application, while others do not.
Research your chosen focal department’s web site in order to learn about any additional requirements or application materials that may be needed. Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the Graduate Studies Director and potential advisors in their planned focal department before submitting an application.
Admission to the Ph.D. program must be approved by both the Environmental Studies Program and the focal department. All applications are reviewed independently by admissions committees in both academic units. Only candidates accepted by both committees are eligible for admission. Final admissions decisions are made by the Environmental Studies Program Director.
Do not send application materials to focal departments. The Environmental Studies Program will provide focal departments with copies of relevant application materials. The following application requirements list only those materials required by the Environmental Studies Program. It is the prospective student’s responsibility to identify focal department application requirements, and to include any needed materials in the application packet.
Application Requirements and Deadlines
Two different sets of information must be submitted to the University, as described below. One set of materials is sent directly to the Office of Admissions; another set of materials is sent directly to the Environmental Studies Program. All materials must be received in our office by December 1st. Early submission is strongly recommended. Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted nor reviewed. We do not make exceptions to this rule. It is the applicant’s responsibility to make sure that all application materials arrive by the deadline, including transcripts, reference letters, and GRE scores.
If your chosen focal department has an earlier deadline than ours, you must have submitted all of your application materials to the Environmental Studies Program by the earlier deadline.
We admit students for fall term only.
How to Apply
- Submit your secure online application. When choosing your major from the drop-down menu, make sure you click on the correct major name for the degree you want. Our PhD major is Environmental Sciences, Studies, and Policy. Include the nonrefundable $50 application fee by credit card or eCheck. Your application will not be processed without payment.
- Mail the following materials to the Office of Admissions (1217 University of Oregon, Eugene OR 97403-1217):
- One official transcript from each college or university where you received degrees. Transcripts must show degrees earned.
- In addition, international applicants must submit a financial statement.
- Mail by post (we do not accept emailed or faxed application materials) the following materials to the Environmental Studies Program (5223 University of Oregon, Eugene OR 97403-5223):
- One official transcript from each college or university you have attended showing ALL college-level course work and degrees earned. We require a minimum GPA of 3.0.
- A current résumé or CV. List any environmentally related employment or projects.
- Graduate Record Examination scores (verbal, quantitative, and analytical). Request the Educational Testing Service to send an official copy to the Environmental Studies Program (institution code: 4846, department code: 0502, Environmental Science). If there is any doubt whether your scores will be received by December 1st, include a photocopy of your results with your application materials. You should plan to take the exam by mid-October to ensure your official results are received by our December 1 deadline.
- At least three letters of recommendation .pdf from professors or other referees. (This form is optional. Your referees may submit a letter on their letterhead, with or without this form attached).
- A statement of purpose and an applicant course plan (PhD.doc). These are two separate items, but should strongly support each other. Submit a narrative of three to five double-spaced typewritten pages that clearly expresses your reasons for applying to this program. Show how past achievements make you a good candidate and how your experience will complement your ambitions. This is the heart of your application packet—your opportunity to make your case to the admission committee. Include an applicant course plan that lists courses under the concentration-area requirements, and maps your course of action for achieving the goals outlined in the statement of purpose. To create the applicant course plan, access the listing of graduate-level courses in the University of Oregon Catalog. Your concentration areas can be composed of any classes offered at the University, which are listed in the Catalog.Your concentration area coursework must be outside of the declared focal department and outside Environmental Studies. Your course plan does not need to include the courses that you will take to satisfy the requirements of the focal department, unless this is required by the focal department.
- Additionally, international applicants must submit official copies of their Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores.
Additional Information for International Applicants
- International applicants whose native language is not English must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The Graduate School and the Program require a score of at least 575 on the paper-based exam, 88 on the internet-based exam, or 7 on the IELTS, which is accepted in lieu of the TOEFL.
- International students offered a Graduate Teaching Fellowship (GTF) appointment are required to have a Test of Spoken English (TSE) score or a Speaking Proficiency English Assessment (SPEAK) score on file with the Graduate School before their GTF appointment will be approved. The SPEAK test is offered on campus.
- All international students enter the United States with “F-1″ visa classification (non-immigrant student status). In order to get F-1 status, an applicant must present the I-20 form issued from the University to the US Consulate in his or her country. The University of Oregon will not mail the I-20 form until the applicant has been judged admissible on academic grounds, has shown the language proficiency to succeed in the program, and has certified adequate financial resources for support. International applicants must have proof that adequate financial resources are available to cover expenses while completing the graduate program. The Financial Statement form must be sent to the Office of Admissions. Further information is available from the Office of International Programs, phone 541-346-3206.
Official copies of the TOEFL or IELTS scores must be sent to the University of Oregon Environmental Studies Program. Use institution code 4846 and department code 46.
Financial Support
Students admitted to the program usually receive partial support with a graduate teaching fellowship (GTF), which includes a stipend, tuition waiver, and health insurance. Applicants do not need to fill out a separate application to be considered for a graduate teaching fellowship, as all students admitted to the program are considered for the available fellowships. For more information about graduate teaching fellowships, please consult Graduate Student Funding and Graduate Program FAQ.
The Environmental Studies Program does not administer financial aid, loans, grants, or scholarships. Students may wish to contact the Office of Student Financial Aid, tel. 800-760-6953, to find out about scholarship or other funding opportunities.
Occasionally students in our programs are supported by individual grants to specific faculty, but this is rare and very difficult to arrange until students are involved in the program.
Graduate Admission Application
The secure online application requires the use of Netscape Navigator® versions 4.06 and greater or Microsoft® Internet Explorer versions 4.0 and greater that support JavaScript, Cookies, and Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). Macintosh® users require Microsoft® Internet Explorer version 4.51 or greater. Your application will not be processed without an online credit card payment.
Direct any questions concerning the application process to Gayla WardWell, Graduate Program Coordinator for the Environmental Studies Program. Gayla can be reached at (541) 346-5057 or by e-mail at gaylaw@uoregon.edu. Her hours are 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM (Pacific Time), Mondays through Thursdays. The ENVS office is closed every day from noon to 1 PM for lunch and on Fridays throughout the summer.