Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences
All students working for the Ph.D. degree must satisfy the general requirements as listed in the SSE Graduate Handbook. The master’s degree is not a requirement for the Ph.D. in Earth and Environmental Sciences.
Candidates must demonstrate a high degree of creative or research ability and fulfill the following requirements:
- Pass a qualifying examination during the fourth semester
- Complete at least 48 semester hours of course work approved by the graduate advisor
- Form a dissertation committee and present a dissertation prospectus that will serve as a guideline for dissertation
- Present an original contribution in the form of a written dissertation suitable for publication in a learned journal and successfully defend it in a public oral defense of the work
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Transform location intelligence into insight to protect our planet. Earn a Penn State GIS certificate online, on your time. Gain new career-ready technical skills to enhance your career.
Join our students and alumni working to design, create, and implement strategies and solutions to create an equitable, sustainable, and climate-resilient future.
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