Why Pursue a PhD in Environmental Science & Engineering
This PhD program draws on the resources of the College of Sciences and the College of Engineering and Integrated Design. Faculty share responsibilities in providing courses, research supervision, and facilities for this program. Areas of research emphasis include water resources, environmental quality, environmental remediation, pollution control, conservation ecology, spatial analysis, remote sensing, and natural hazards. This degree is awarded to candidates who display an in-depth understanding of the subject matter and demonstrate the ability to make an original contribution to knowledge in their field of specialty.
Dissertation research focuses on hydrology, water quality, water pollution control, waste disposal, environmental quality, remediation, ecology, conservation, restoration, contaminants, air pollution control, global change, atmospheric chemistry, environmental geochemistry, environmental microbiology, microbial geochemistry, volcanic hazards, tectonics, seismic hazards, or other anthropogenic changes. Overall, students will be educated in the fundamental areas of Environmental Science and Engineering.
Facilities
The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering has state-of-the-art laboratories for each major technical area. Housed in the Engineering Building and Biotechnology, Sciences and Engineering Building, these laboratories are used for hands-on research training of graduate students. In addition, computer labs are available for demonstrating cutting-edge application software similar to the ones used by practicing engineers.
Advanced Visualization Laboratory
The UTSA Advanced Visualization Laboratory (VizLab), the core facility of the Center for Simulation Visualization and Real-Time Prediction, allows researchers from all disciplines of art, science and engineering to conduct simulation and visualization research to better understand complex phenomena and translate data into images on large-scale and high resolution visualization walls or other display devices.
Admission & Application Requirements
Applications are submitted through the UTSA Graduate Application. Please upload all required documents (listed below) on your UTSA Graduate Application. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure completion and submission of the application, a nonrefundable application fee, and all required supporting documents are on file with UTSA by the appropriate application deadline.
| Environmental Science & Engineering (PhD) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Required Degree | Master’s Degree from an accredited college or university in the United States or have proof of equivalent training at a foreign institution. | |
| Minimum GPA | 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) Departments may consider GPA of last 60 semester credit hours | |
| Coursework | Completed adequate credit hours or foreign institution equivalent coursework as preparation for the program. | |
| Transcripts* | Required from all institutions attended; international transcripts must be recorded/translated to English | |
| Credential Evaluation | Required if you have earned university-level credit from foreign institutions. Submit an evaluation of your transcripts from Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE) directly from the graduate admission application platform | |
| English Language Proficiency | 550 TOEFL Paper / 79 TOEFL Internet / 6.5 IELTS / Duolingo 100 | |
| Purpose Statement | Required | |
| Resume | Required | |
| Letters of Recommendation | 2 academic or professional reference(s) demonstrating your attributes for successful completion of this program (you will request these through the Graduate Admissions Application; let your recommenders know of your deadline to ensure submissions are on time) | |
| *Unofficial transcripts will be taken into consideration for admissions; however, if admitted into the program, you must submit official transcripts to the University. | ||
Application Deadlines
Applicants are encouraged to have their admission file completed as early as possible. All applications, required documents and letters of recommendation, if applicable, must be submitted by 5:00 PM U.S. Central Time on the day of the deadline. Deadlines are subject to change.
| Environmental Science & Engineering (PhD) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Timing on Admission Decision: Completed applications will be reviewed for admission on a rolling basis. Decisions generally will be made and sent to applicants within 4 to 6 weeks of receiving the application. | |||
| Application Deadlines for: | Priority | International | Domestic |
| Spring 2025 | Not Available | October 1 | October 1 |
| Summer 2025 | Not Available | Not Available | Not Available |
| Fall 2025 | February 1 | June 1 | August 1 |
| Spring 2026 | Not Available | October 1 | October 1 |
| Summer 2026 | Not Available | Not Available | Not Available |
Funding Opportunities
All doctoral applicants applying for full-time status may compete for up to $20,000 stipend support per academic year. Other funding opportunities, such as teaching assistant and research assistant positions are available. Scholarships are available from a variety of sources, while graduate students may be fully supported through research and teaching assistantships.
For information about graduate student funding, click below.
Learn MoreCareer Options
UTSA prepares you for future careers that are in demand. The possible careers below is data pulled by a third-party tool called Emsi, which pulls information from sources like the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Census Bureau, online job postings, other government databases and more to give you regional and national career outlook related to this academic program.
Most, if not all, classes are offered in the evening.
