 Holmes Hummel presenting at the BP Clean Energy Centre, Beijing, China |
Degree Requirements
Master of Science
Doctorate of Philosophy
Doctorate of Philosophy
IPER is designed to create leaders in interdisciplinary research and problem solving on the environment. The minimum requirements outlined here represent fundamental steps in developing first-rate research and in acquiring skills key to success in both academic and non-academic career paths. Please note that these are in addition to the University's basic requirements for the PhD, which can be accessed in the Stanford Graduate Student Handbook.
Coursework
A faculty advising team works with a student to design a course of study that allows him or her to develop and exhibit:
a) |
familiarity with a wide variety of analytical tools and research approaches for interdisciplinary problem-solving, and a mastery of those tools and approaches central to the student’s thesis work; |
b) |
interdisciplinary breadth in each of four areas: culture and institutions; economics and policy analysis; engineering and technology; and natural sciences; and |
c) |
depth in at least two distinct fields of inquiry. |
This advising team has primary responsibility for ensuring the adequacy of the course of study. The IPER faculty advising team is comprised minimally of two lead advisers, each representing a field of inquiry selected by the student. At a minimum, the student meets with these advisers quarterly during the first year and annually thereafter.
Depth in the fields of inquiry is monitored by a student’s two lead faculty advisers who must certify that:
| a) |
the two fields of inquiry are sufficiently distinct such that work integrating the two is actually interdisciplinary; and |
| b) |
the course work and independent study of a student has given him or her substantial depth of understanding, as normally expected of one at the Ph.D. level. |
Breadth requirements vary by concentration area and are normally satisfied through a sequence of courses, independent study, and/or demonstration of proficiency through prior course work and/or experience. Breadth fulfillment is certified by a student’s two lead faculty advisers, and the IPER faculty director.
The three core courses to be taken by all PhD students are IPER 310: Environmental Forum Seminar, IPER 320: Research Design and Techniques for Data Collection and Analysis, and IPER 330: Research Approaches for Environmental Problem Solving. All core courses must be taken for a letter grade whereby a grade of “B” or higher must be earned. Normally, IPER PhD students are expected to take all courses, apart from undergraduate prerequisites, for a letter grade unless their advisers recommend otherwise.
Candidacy
To be admitted to candidacy for the PhD degree, a student must have successfully completed at least 25 graded units (not including research credits) of graduate courses (200 level and above) maintaining a ‘B’ average. In addition, the student must pass an Oral Qualifying Exam that demonstrates command of two areas of specialization as well as interdisciplinary breadth. The student may not have any incompletes on his or her transcript.
By the end of the sixth quarter of study, students present a PhD candidacy plan to their primary advisers, which includes:
| a) |
the names of 4-5 proposed oral qualifying exam committee members; |
| b) |
a list of courses or experiences used to fulfill the IPER breadth and depth requirements; |
| c) |
courses TA’d or which the student intends to TA to fulfill the teaching requirement; |
| d) |
an unofficial transcript to ensure completion of the IPER core curriculum; and |
| e) |
a proposed date for the oral qualifying exam. |
Oral Qualifying Procedure
By the end of the quarter prior to the quarter during which the Oral Qualifying Exam will be taken, a student must formally designate his or her committee and the primary advisors must certify that the student is eligible to take the exam. The Oral Qualifying Exam Committee of 4-5 members should include the student’s two lead faculty advisers and other faculty with expertise in at least two of the student’s fields of inquiry; it may also include a member-at-large.
The Oral Qualifying Exam consists of two parts: a 20-40 minute presentation of a dissertation proposal and a question and answer period during which the student should be prepared to address questions about the dissertation proposal and broader questions arising from IPER breadth and depth course work.
A written dissertation proposal should be distributed to a student’s Oral Qualifying Exam Committee 10 days prior to the actual examination. The proposal should be 15 to 30 pages in length, double-spaced, excluding appendices and references. It should include a title page, an abstract, an introduction outlining and motivating the research questions, a background literature review establishing the intellectual context of the proposed work, a description of the methodology/approaches to be taken in the work, a discussion of results and other progress made to date, a timeline for future research, and a references section. The proposal should discuss explicitly the interdisciplinary nature of the research and why it is appropriate for a degree in environment and resources. The Oral Qualifying Exam should be successfully completed by the end of the eighth quarter.
To complete the PhD, the student must pass a University Oral Examination in defense of the dissertation.
Teaching
Teaching experience is an essential element of training in the PhD program. Each student is required to complete one quarter of teaching, which can be fulfilled by serving as a teaching assistant for IPER 320 or IPER 330 or by serving as a TA for any other course, in any department or program, with a discussion section or with an opportunity to lecture in at least two class sessions.
Master of Science
Only students enrolled in a Stanford professional degree program will be eligible to apply for the Masters degree.
The MS in Environment and Resources degree provides training in interdisciplinary environmental problem solving for students currently enrolled in Stanford’s Graduate School of Business and Schools of Law and Medicine. Upon completing their professional degree and MS in Environment and Resources degree, these emerging business leaders, legal practitioners and medical professionals will be poised to address the environment and resource challenges of a rapidly changing world.
Beginning Academic Year 2007-08, Graduate School of Business students and Stanford Law School students will have the option to pursue a joint MBA-MS Environment and Resources degree or joint JD-MS Environment and Resources degree, respectively. The joint MBA-MS degree requires a total of 129 units (84 for the MBA; 45 for the MS) to be completed over approximately eight academic quarters. The joint JD-MS degree allows up to 30 semester or 45 quarter units to count towards both degrees, potentially allowing the joint degree to be completed in three academic years (depending on when student enter joint degree program and courses selected).
Students in the School of Medicine may apply to pursue the dual degree, which requires that they meet all requirements for their MD and complete an additional 45 units for the MS Environment and Resources degree; no course may be counted toward both degrees. Completion of the dual MS degree is anticipated to require three quarters in addition to the quarters required for the MD degree.
The MS Environment and Resources degree is academically rigorous but highly flexible. Students will take IPER core courses, IPER 310: Environmental Forum Seminar and IPER 335: Environmental Science for Managers and Policy Makers and at least eight additional courses within one of the four focal areas:
Courses counted toward the degree must be graded and at the 100 level or higher, and include at least two at or above the 200 level. Students must maintain a 'B' average in their IPER courses. Directed research and independent study may count for a maximum of four units for the joint MBA/MS in Environment and Resources degree or eight units for the dual JD or MD degree.
The student’s program of study is subject to the approval of the student’s advising team, consisting of at least one faculty member from the applicable professional school and one faculty member from the student’s chosen focal area within IPER. The MS in Environment and Resources degree is conferred when the requirements for both IPER and the professional degree program have been fully met.
The MS in Environment and Resources degree program is administered by IPER in collaboration with Stanford’s Graduate School of Business and Schools of Law and Medicine.
back to top
|
