Environmental Social Science, PhD
Anthropology, Cultural Ecology, Cultural Geography, Environment, Globalization, Health, Landscapes, Social Sciences, Sustainability, Urban Environments, approved for STEM-OPT extension, demography, environmental governance, environmental justice, environmental sociology, geography
The curriculum is being reviewed for program changes and will be updated upon approval.
Explore complex social forces that shape how humans interact with the environment. This interdisciplinary degree incorporates planning, anthropology and economics to broaden your view of the factors surrounding environmental practice and facilitate new areas of innovation for a more sustainable future.
The Doctor of Philosophy program in environmental social science is one of the few doctoral degree programs in the U.S. that draw on the premise that reducing human impacts and developing more sustainable environmental practices are difficult, if not impossible, to achieve without a focus on the social dynamics of environmental issues using critical social science perspectives.
The program is organized around theoretically based conceptual domains:
- culture and the environment
- environmental hazards and vulnerability
- environmental justice
- human environment impacts
- political ecology
- science and technology studies
These are the bases for addressing various topical foci, including urban environments, technologies and their consequences, landscapes, institutions, and health and the environment.
Students work with faculty members 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
Coursework for the degree is focused on developing practical skills and a solid grasp of complex social science approaches to environmental issues. Students work closely with their committee to develop a curriculum appropriate to their chosen interests and career goals.
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. Those interested in an OPT extension should review ASU degrees that qualify for the STEM-OPT extension at ASU's International Students and Scholars Center website.
The OPT extension only applies to students on an F-1 visa and does not apply to students completing a degree through ASU Online.
- College/school:
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
- Location: Tempe
- STEM-OPT extension eligible: Yes
84 credit hours, a written comprehensive exam, an oral comprehensive exam, a prospectus and a dissertation
Required Core (3 credit hours)
ASB 530/ESS 530/SOS 553 Changing Human-nature Relationships (3)
Other Requirements (18 credit hours)
ASB 500 Topic: Ethnographic Research Methods (3)
ASB 500 Topic: Social Survey Research (3)
ASB 500 Topic: Qualitative Data Analysis (3)
ASB 501 Topic: Professionalism (3)
ASM 579 Proposal Writing (3)
BIO 517 Uncertainty and Decision Making (3)
BIO 527 Environmental Ethics and Policy Goals (3)
CHM 501 Topic: Science Policy for Scientists and Engineers (1-2)
ESS 502 Political Ecology: Theory and Research (3)
ESS 510 Urban Environments (4)
ESS 514 Urban and Environmental Health (4)
ESS 591 Topic: Decisions, Risk and the Environment (3)
ESS 591 Topic: Water and Social Theory (3)
GCU 585 Geographic Research Design and Proposal Writing (3)
SOS 532 Sustainable Urban Dynamics (3)
Electives (39 credit hours)
Research (12 credit hours)
ESS 792 Research (12)
Culminating Experience (12 credit hours)
ESS 799 Dissertation (12)
Additional Curriculum Information
For electives, students should see the academic unit for a course list approved by the chair.
Other requirements coursework may be substituted with the approval of the academic unit.
When approved by the student's supervisory committee and the Graduate College, this program may allow up to 30 credit hours from a previously awarded master's degree to be used for this program. If students do not have a previously awarded master's degree, the remaining coursework is to be made up of electives.
General university admission requirements:
All students are required to meet general
university admission requirements.
U.S. applicants | International applicants | English proficiency
Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree from a regionally accredited institution. Undergraduate coursework in the social sciences (e.g., geography, political science, sociology, anthropology, planning or history) is not a prerequisite for admission but is generally advisable. Students may be admitted without such a background and may be required to acquire knowledge of the social sciences in a manner to be specified at the time of admission.
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 a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.
All applicants must submit:
- graduate admission application and application fee
- official transcripts
- personal statement outlining educational and professional goals
- current curriculum vitae or resume
- three letters of recommendation
- proof of English proficiency
Additional Application Information
An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency.
Applicants may include in the application materials an optional scholarly writing sample, not to exceed 30 double-spaced pages.
| Session | Modality | Deadline | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session A/C | In Person | 12/01 | Final |
The program trains students to move into teaching and research positions or to assume leadership roles in government, industry or nongovernmental organizations.
There is a demand in the job market 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 trained in this degree program 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 the private or public sector
- planning communities
- teaching
School of Human Evolution & Social Change
|
SHESC 233
shesc.grad@asu.edu
480-965-6215
Admission deadlines
3 year programs
These programs allow students to fast-track their studies after admission and earn a bachelor's degree in three years or fewer while participating in the same high-quality educational experience of a 4-year option. Students should talk to their academic advisor to get started.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Acceptance to the graduate program requires a separate application. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master’s during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
