Ecology (Plants, Soils, and Climate) - PhD

College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences

Department of Plants, Soils and Climate

The Department of Plants, Soils and Climate offers a Ph.D. degree in Ecology administered by the interdepartmental Ecology Center. Ecology majors who are housed in the Department of Plants, Soils and Climate also have the option of adding a specialization in Climate Adaptation Science. For this optional specialization, please see the Climate Adaptation Science Specialization Program Page .

Interdepartmental Program in Ecology

Director: Dr. Peter Adler
Location: Natural Resources 208B
E-mail: peter.adler@usu.edu

Correspondence for catalog questions should be sent to the Ecology Center/CAS Program Coordinator:

Program Coordinator: Dr. Lexi Turano
Location: Natural Resources 208
Phone: (435) 797-2555
E-mail: alexandra.turano@usu.edu

Graduate Program in Ecology

The Ecology degree programs at Utah State University are administered by the interdepartmental Ecology Center. The Ecology Center aims to promote research and graduate education in ecology and to provide expert, professional information and advice for decision-makers. The research carried out by the center’s associates covers the full spectrum of ecology. Students earn their degrees in Ecology while maintaining residence in one of the participating home departments (BIOL, ENVS, PSC, WATS, WILD); the Ecology Center itself does not grant degrees. The candidate must select a major professor from their home department, appropriate to their interests.

Ecology (Plants, Soils and Climate) – Ph.D. Requirements

Requirements for graduate degrees in Ecology include the graduate school, home department, and Ecology Center program requirements, outlined below. Please also visit your home department catalog page to confirm that all degree requirements have been met.

Graduate School and Home Department Requirements:

Submission of dissertation to the School of Graduate Studies and library for review and approval.
Completion of academic forms required by the PSC Program and the School of Graduate Studies
- Supervisory committee approval form
- Program of Study form
- Application for Candidacy
Completion of academic forms required specifically by the School of Graduate Studies
- Appointment for Examination
- Record of Examination
- Graduation Check Form
- Application for Graduation
Completion of required trainings
A cumulative GPA of 3.0
No grades of C- or lower

Qualifying Exams

Each Ph.D.student must undergo some sort of qualifying experience. Depending on the student’s particular research and their faculty committee, the exam can either be a traditional oral and written exam, a scholarly proposal, or another option best suited to the student’s individual situation.

Plants, Soils, and Climate & Ecology Center Credit Requirements:

Ph.D. (post-master’s)
- 30 required credit hours (minimum), including:
  - 2 credits of PSC 7890 – Plants, Soils and Climate Graduate Seminar
    - Ph.D. students must pass this 1-credit course at least two times during their program of study
  - 3 credits of BIOL /ENVS /PSC /WATS /WILD 6870 - Ecology Seminar
    - Ph.D. students must pass this 1-credit course at least three times during their program of study
  - 12 credits of PSC 7970 - Research and Thesis

9 credits of a demonstrated breadth of knowledge in Ecology
- - Ph.D. students must take 3 credits from at least three of the five Ecology Blocks (see below)
    - Block #1: Biophysical Ecology
    - Block #2: Organismic, Population, and Evolutionary Ecology
    - Block #3: Community, Ecosystem, and Landscape Ecology
    - Block #4: Quantitative Ecology
    - Block #5: Human Ecology

Students are advised to discuss course options with their Graduate Program Coordinator to fulfill block requirements.

Remaining credits to reach 30 credit hours (minimum)
- Fulfilled via:
  - Graduate level course work (6000 and above)
  - No more than 12 credits of 5000-5990 level courses
Ph.D. (post-baccalaureate)
- 60 required credit hours (minimum) including:
  - 2 credits of PSC 7890 - Plants, Soils, and Climate Graduate Seminar
    - Ph.D. students must pass this 1-credit course at least two times during their program of study
  - 3 credits of BIOL /ENVS /PSC /WATS /WILD 6870 - Ecology Seminar
    - Ph.D. students must pass this 1-credit course at least three times during their program of study
    - 18 credits of PSC 7970 - Research and Thesis
9 credits of a demonstrated breadth of knowledge in Ecology
Ph.D. students must take 3 credits from at least three of the five Ecology Blocks (see below)
- Block #5: Human Ecology
- Block #4: Quantitative Ecology
- Block #3: Community, Ecosystem, and Landscape Ecology
- Block #2: Organismic, Population, and Evolutionary Ecology
- Block #1: Biophysical Ecology

Students are advised to discuss course options with their Graduate Program Coordinator to fulfill block requirements.

Remaining credits to reach 60 credit hours (minimum)
- Fulfilled via:
  - Graduate level course work (6000 and above)
  - No more than 12 credits of 5000-5990 level courses

Optional Climate Adaptation Science Specialization:

Ecology majors who are housed in the Department of Plants, Soils and Climate have the option of adding a specialization in Climate Adaptation Science to appear on their transcript upon completion. To opt for this specialization, students must declare this to their home department (Plants, Soils and Climate). Please use specialization code CLAD.

For course requirements, please see the Climate Adaptation Science Specialization Program Page .