Doctorate

PSU’s School of Earth, Environment and Society offers two programs leading to a PhD degree: Earth, Environment and Society, and Systems Science. Our goal is to train researchers and scientists who will make fundamental and lasting contributions to their fields.

Both programs also participate in the PSU RECHARGE (Research and Education for Cascading Hazards And Resilient Group Engagement) research traineeship program and the Sloan Centers for Systemic Change initiative.

Professor and student collecting data at field site

Earth, Environment and Society PhD

Engage in relevant research while acquiring advanced academic training in environmental science and management, geography, geology or a related field. Our graduates find success in academia, non-governmental organizations, government agencies and the private sector.

Earth, Environment and Society

Systems Science PhD

Get advanced training in systems ideas and methods, including system structure and dynamics, data modeling, computer simulation, networks, complex adaptive systems and decision analysis. Considerable demand exists in industry and government for professionals who are skilled in systems thinking and design.

Systems Science PhD

PSU RECHARGE NRT

This NSF Research Traineeship (NRT) program, open to students in the Earth, Environment and Society PhD, focuses on the causes, consequences of and community responses to cascading natural hazards. Trainees will learn to apply a convergence approach to cascading hazards and emergency management.

PSU RECHARGE

Doctoral graduates and faculty at commencement

Sloan Centers for Systemic Change

PSU was one of 10 institutions selected to participate in the initiative aimed at improving the recruitment, retention and graduation of domestic Black, Indigenous and Latiné doctoral students in STEM programs, including Earth, Environment and Society and Systems Science.

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