ENVSS-PHD - Environmental Social Sciences (PhD)

Environmental Social Sciences is a new department at Stanford. The program guidelines set forth below are a starting point for the new department. Iterations on this foundation will be forthcoming.

The PhD is a research degree. Teaching students to conduct high-quality independent research is thus a primary objective of the Environmental Social Sciences (ESoS) graduate program. Carrying out and publishing such research as a graduate student, in addition to its central pedagogical role, has also become a prerequisite for obtaining professional positions. As such, our graduate program is structured to encourage research, and the development of research skills, to the maximum extent possible. 

The ESoS PhD program follows a cohort model, admitting students to the department and not tying student funding to a specific faculty member. This approach allows students and faculty to find advisor matches that work for both, and to transfer advisors if necessary.  

The ESoS department has two faculty groups within it: Environmental Behavioral Sciences (EBS) and Global Environmental Policy (GEP). The ESoS PhD program runs with independent EBS and GEP subplans. Students apply and are admitted to a specific subplan. EBS and GEP subplanss have different course requirements, advisors, and subplan-specific expectations.

For admission to the PhD program in the department of Environmental Social Sciences, minimum expectations include: completion of an undergraduate degree, demonstration of potential for independent research, provision of a personal statement, and submission of three letters of recommendation. 

The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is optional for both subplans but the GEP subplan strongly encourages the GRE submission for full consideration.

Applicants whose first language is not English must submit TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) scores from a test taken within the last 18 months, with a minimum score of 100. Individuals who have completed a BS degree or two-year master’s program in the United States and/or other English-speaking country and/or universities are not required to submit TOEFL scores.

Both the EBS and GEP subplans are accepting PhD applications in Fall 2025 for the 2026-2027 academic year.