ENVSS-MA - Environmental Social Sciences (MA)
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Program Overview
The department is not admitting students directly to the Master's Degree at this time. Currently the ENVSS-MA is only open to existing ENVSS-PHD students.
Minimum Units in the Program
Minimum University Units
Degree Requirements
A graduate student may request or be advised to withdraw from the doctoral program. This might be the result of continued unsatisfactory degree progress, non-admission to candidacy, personal circumstances, or because the student is no longer committed to doctoral study. In these cases, no thesis will be required. In order to confer the Master’s degree, students should meet the following criteria and requirements:
A minimum of 45 units
3.0 grade point average
Completion of subplan requirements, with all courses taken for a letter grade
Completion of one quarter of TAship
If the student has met the minimum university requirements for the Master’s degree, including completing a minimum of 45 units, the graduate program has discretion to waive or substitute its programmatic requirements for the Master's degree.
In the first year, students are required to complete the PhD Theory Core courses, Methods Core (Qualitative and Quantitative) courses, and 2 Advanced Theory courses. In the second year, students are required to complete the Data course, Ecology course, Advanced Methods course, and 2 additional Advanced Theory courses.
At the beginning of each academic year, the EBS subplan will specify the approved list of courses that meet these requirements. The updated list will be available on the Bulletin and circulated to students and advisors. Note that offerings rotate and that not all approved courses are offered yearly. Students should consult with the DGS and their advising team to ensure that the combination of courses they select meets their programmatic, educational, and research needs. The requirement of these courses is typically completed by the end of the second year of residency and must be met by the end of the third year.
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At least four from approved list. Two courses must be taken in Year One, and the other two courses must be taken in Year Two.
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Complete at least one 200+-level course from the approved Methods Core - Quantitative courses listed above, or
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If a course is not pre-approved, a student may petition EBS, via the Director of Graduate Studies, to allow the course to count toward the requirements. To be eligible for consideration:
the course must have a course number of 200 or higher
the course must be a minimum of 3 units (2 units may be considered)
the course must be taken for a letter grade, and
the course must be approved by the EBS Director of Graduate Studies
Students in the EBS subplan are required to participate in the EBS Workshop (EBS 300) and attend EBS Research Seminars during the first and second years of the PhD program; attendance is strongly encouraged throughout all years students are in the PhD program.
PhD students in the EBS subplan are required to complete at least (1) TA appointment at a rate of at least 25% over the course of study. They then have the option to complete a second TAship or a quarter-long service commitment, either by serving on departmental committees or participating in external service opportunities.
The major product of the PhD student’s first year is the Graduate Research Plan (GRP), a foundational document co-created by the student with support from their advising team. At the start of the Spring Quarter of the first year, the student will meet with their advisor(s) to begin drafting their GRP. After incorporating feedback from their advisor(s) and committee, the student will present their GRP by the end of the Spring Quarter of their first year.
The written GRP, and the oral presentation of it by the student at the end of the first year, will be evaluated by the three-person committee (advisor or co-advisors and one-to-two committee members). The GRP allows students to craft individualized programs of study with faculty guidance and approval.
The GRP is not merely a “to-do” list, but rather is an intellectual statement. Sections may include: Intellectual Aims, Proposed Methods, Preparation, Schedule, and Potential Problems, with the first two sections being written in the style of a professional review paper or grant proposal (with literature citations). The GRP allows graduate students to focus on the most important issues--what do I want to do and how will I do it---and facilitates faculty input and approval on these crucial parameters.
With the first-year GRP serving as a foundation, the GRP is updated each year as part of the annual report to ensure timely progress toward completion of the PhD. In addition to the updated GRP, the annual review will include a record of accomplishments presented by the student, written evaluations by the faculty advisor(s) of the student’s progress, and feedback from the committee on the student’s academic and research progress. The student should have no 'I' grades in core courses and must maintain at least a 3.0 grade-point average, and demonstrate evidence of productive and sustained research progress, with no conflict of interest or commitment. Possible outcomes of the annual review include: (1) continuation of the student in good standing, or (2) placing the student on probation, with specific written guidelines of the period of probation and the necessary steps for reinstatement to good standing.
Through coursework, students will develop expertise in key quantitative disciplines which they integrate in research that addresses unsolved global challenges, such as the management of climate change, biodiversity loss, food systems, pollution, global health, natural disasters, energy resources, use of outer space, water resources, and ecosystems. Students will be educated in GEP courses as well as in courses taught by Stanford’s leading departments of economics, computer science, environmental science, law, and political science.
Complete one causal inference sequence (ECON or POLISCI)
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Complete one CS 200 level course in deep learning (i.e. CS 231N)
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Complete a 2 course graduate sequence in one area of natural science or engineering, as determined with student's advisor.
Energy systems
Food systems
Ecology
Climate
Hydrology & Water resource engineering
Oceans
Land management
Health
Chemistry
Other
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Choose 3 open elective courses (may be in other departments or GEP) to be determined with student's advisor:
Political economy
Industrial organization
Development
Urban economics
Urban planning
Public finance
Health policy
International relations
Comparative politics
Trade
Management science
Up to one course in natural science or engineering
Students in the GEP subplan are required to participate in both the GEP Research Seminar and GEP Research Workshop throughout all years that they are in the PhD program.
PhD students in the GEP subplan are required to complete at least (2) TA appointments at a rate of at least 25% over the course of study.
Students will work with their advisor, dissertation committee, and Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) for GEP to develop a program of study that aligns with their objectives.
Students will review their progress annually with their primary advisor and Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) to ensure they are making adequate progress in their program of study. The student must maintain at least a 3.0 grade-point average.