Graduate Program

The Environmental Social Sciences PhD program offers subplans in Environmental Behavioral Science (EBS) and Global Environmental Policy (GEP). Each subplan requires students to take core courses, attend weekly visiting-speaker seminars, participate in quarterly workshop, write a second-year paper, and have teaching experience. This is a general overview of the PhD program. Learn more about the ESoS PhD program and degree requirements in the Stanford Bulletin.

 

 

 

 

Courses

Both subplans are required to take core introductory methods courses and develop the advanced methodological skill needed for their area of focus.

EBS Subplan

Theory Core

  • Human Ecology (1 course)
  • Human Behavior and the Environment (1 course)
  • Institutions and Environmental Social Science (1 course)

 

Methods Core

  • Qualitative Research Methods (1 course)
  • Quantitative Research Methods (1 course)

 

Advanced Theory Courses (4 courses)

Data Course (1 course)

Ecology Course (1 course)

Advanced Methods Course (1 course)

GEP Subplan

Methods sequence

  • Causal inference sequence (2-3 courses)
  • Data science sequence (2 courses)
  • GEP quantitative methods sequence (2 courses)

 

Economics sequence

  • Microeconomics (2 courses)
  • Macroeconomics (2 courses)
  • Environment, resource & energy economics (1 course)

 

Science/Engineering sequence (3 courses)

Policy sequence

  • GEP sequence (3 courses)
  • LAW elective (1 course)
  • Open elective (2 courses)

Workshop

All Environmental Social Science students will enroll in a three-quarter workshop sequence in either Environmental Behavioral Sciences (EBS 300) or Global Environmental Policy (GEP 300). The workshop will introduce students to the breadth of the subplan, focusing each quarter on a different topic.

Seminar

An essential component of the intellectual and professional development of Ph.D. students in Environmental Social Science is regular attendance at the weekly visiting-speaker seminar.

Teaching

Students are required to complete 1-2 quarter of teaching experience. Teaching experience includes teaching assistantships within the department.

Second-Year Paper

A key milestone during the second year of the PhD program is the second-year paper. This paper is frequently collaborative with the student’s advisor or lab members, but must be led by the student and should be of publishable quality. During the second year, the student identifies a 3-person committee - their advisor and two other faculty from the department - who advise and evaluate the second-year paper.

Stanford Bulletin Environmental Social Sciences PhD program