Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Degree in the field of Environmental Engineering
Program Learning Outcomes for the PhD Degree in the field of Environmental Engineering
Upon completing the PhD degree in the field of Environmental Engineering, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate a solid foundation in civil and environmental engineering at the graduate level.
- Acquire advanced knowledge of the principles of civil and environmental engineering and apply them to advanced technical problems.
- Conduct an independent research program.
- Demonstrate professional written and oral communication skills.
Requirements for the PhD Degree in the field of Environmental Engineering
For general university requirements, please see Doctoral Degrees. For additional requirements, regulations, and procedures for all graduate programs, please see All Graduate Students. Students pursuing the PhD degree in the field of Environmental Engineering must:
- Complete 90 credit hours at the 500-level and above of approved courses past the BS degree (60 credit hours past the MS degree) with high standing (see guidelines on the department website).
- Complete at least 6 core courses required by the department with a minimum GPA of 3.00 or higher and a minimum grade of B- (2.67 grade points) in each course.
- Spend at least four semesters in full time study at Rice and successfully accomplish the following:
- Pass a preliminary examination in environmental engineering (see guidelines on the PhD Program > Preliminary Exam tab of the department website).
- Pass a qualifying examination on coursework, proposed research, and related topics.
- Complete a thesis indicating an ability to conduct original and scholarly research.
- Pass a formal public oral examination on the thesis and related topics.
Course requirements are stipulated to prepare and train students for rigorous and high-quality education, research, and practice. These courses, usually completed within the first two years of graduate school, are designed to train and test the student's aptitude for higher-level thinking, problem-solving, and independent research. Core courses also contribute breadth beyond minimum competency as civil and environmental engineers. The students are expected to strive for breadth and depth in core course selection, by working with their advisor and preliminary examination committee, and ensure that minimum core competency expectations are met. Reasonable replacements to core courses from CIVI and ENVI fields of study will be considered and permitted by the CEE graduate committee when requested by the student with approval of advisor. For example, students may choose core courses from across the fields of study when it strengthens their degree program.
PhD students in the EES field will be scheduled to take their preliminary examination no later than after two semesters of coursework at Rice. A student who enters in the spring semester needs to take the preliminary exam in the following spring semester along with other students. A student who passes the written and oral parts of the preliminary exam becomes eligible for taking the qualifying exam.
The qualifying examination is administered by the doctoral committee after students develop a research proposal to demonstrate their preparation for the proposed research and identify any areas requiring additional coursework or study. As part of the advanced degree training, we also may require students to assist the faculty in undergraduate courses and laboratory instructions.
The requirements listed in the General Announcements (GA) satisfy the minimum requirements for this degree program. In certain instances, courses (or requirements) not officially listed here may be substituted upon approval of the program's academic advisor or, where applicable, the department or program's Director of Graduate Studies. Course substitutions or any exceptions to the stated official curricular requirements must be approved by the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. Students and their academic advisors should identify and clearly document the courses to be taken.
Summary
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Total Credit Hours Required for the PhD Degree in the field of Environmental Engineering | 90 | |
Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirements 1, 2 | ||
| Select 6 courses from the following: | 18 | |
| ADVANCED MECHANICS OF MATERIALS | ||
| CHEMISTRY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE | ||
| NONLINEAR FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS | ||
| ATOMSPHERIC PARTICULATE MATTER | ||
| HYDROLOGY AND WATER RESOURCES ENGINEERING | ||
| ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY AND CLIMATE | ||
| COASTAL HAZARDS IN A CHANGING CLIMATE | ||
| ENVIRONMENTAL HYDROGEOLOGY | ||
| TIME-DEPENDENT SYSTEM RELIABILITY METHODS AND APPLICATIONS | ||
| SUSTAINABLE INFRASTRUCTURE MATERIALS | ||
| PHYSICS GUIDED MACHINE LEARNING & DATA DRIVEN MODELING FEM | ||
| DESIGN AND BEHAVIOR OF CONCRETE BUILDINGS AND BUILDING ELEMENTS | ||
| FATE AND TRANSPORT OF CONTAMINANTS IN THE ENVIRONMENT | ||
| PHYSICAL CHEMICAL PROCESSES FOR WATER QUALITY CONTROL | ||
| ENVIRONMENTAL BIOTECHNOLOGY AND BIOREMEDIATION | ||
| ADVANCED STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS | ||
| DESIGN AND BEHAVIOR OF STRUCTURAL STEEL BUILDINGS AND BUILDING ELEMENTS | ||
| STATISTICAL-PHYSICAL METHODS FOR HYDROCLIMATE EXTREMES AND CATASTROPHES | ||
| ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY AND MICROBIAL ECOLOGY | ||
| ORIGAMI ENGINEERING | ||
| ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIC CHEMISTRY | ||
| BRIDGE ENGINEERING AND EXTREME EVENTS | ||
| INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE TO MULTIPLE HAZARDS | ||
| STRUCTURAL DYNAMIC SYSTEMS | ||
| EARTHQUAKE ENGINEERING | ||
| MODELING AND ANALYSIS OF NETWORKED SYSTEMS | ||
| SYSTEM IDENTIFICATION OF DYNAMIC SYSTEMS WITH MACHINE LEARNING | ||
| APPLIED STOCHASTIC MECHANICS | ||
| APPLIED MONTE CARLO ANALYSIS | ||
| Additional Coursework as Approved by the Department | 72 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 90 | |
Footnotes and Additional Information
| 1 | Substitutions will be considered when a Core Requirement is not offered, or under special circumstances related to the professional goals of the student. Substitutions will be considered on a case-by-case basis, and will require approval by the faculty. CEVE 520 is a potential substitute course. |
| 2 | Students should consult with their advisor and committee to select 6 courses (18 credit hours) from the Core Requirements in an Area of Specialization most relevant to their pursuits. See course lists below. |
Course Lists to Satisfy Requirements
Areas of Specialization
Students should consult with their advisor and committee to select 6 courses (18 credit hours) in an Area of Specialization most relevant to their pursuits. Students may select one of the following typically approved Areas of Specialization or from a student-designed Area of Specialization in consultation with the advisor and committee. The 6 courses (18 credit hours) can be chosen from the Core Requirements or from Department Approved Area of Specialization.
Please Note: Course offerings may vary from year to year. Course substitutions will be considered when a Core Requirement is not offered, or under special circumstances related to the professional goals of the student. Substitutions will be considered on a case-by-case basis, and will require approval by the faculty advisor and the Graduate Studies Committee.
Area of Specialization: Climate, Energy, and the Environment
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirements | ||
| Select up to 6 courses from the following: | 6-18 | |
| ATOMSPHERIC PARTICULATE MATTER | ||
| ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY AND CLIMATE | ||
| COASTAL HAZARDS IN A CHANGING CLIMATE | ||
| CLIMATE RISK MANAGEMENT | ||
| SMART MATERIALS FOR THE ENVIRONMENT | ||
| Department Approved Area of Specialization Electives | ||
| Select up to 4 courses from the following: | 0-12 | |
| HYDROLOGY AND WATER RESOURCES ENGINEERING | ||
| FATE AND TRANSPORT OF CONTAMINANTS IN THE ENVIRONMENT | ||
| ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY AND MICROBIAL ECOLOGY | ||
| WATER-ENERGY NEXUS | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 18 | |
Area of Specialization: Resilient Urban Infrastructure
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirements | ||
| Select up to 6 courses from the following: | 6-18 | |
| COASTAL HAZARDS IN A CHANGING CLIMATE | ||
| CLIMATE RISK MANAGEMENT | ||
| TIME-DEPENDENT SYSTEM RELIABILITY METHODS AND APPLICATIONS | ||
or CEVE 592 | MODELING AND ANALYSIS OF NETWORKED SYSTEMS | |
| SUSTAINABLE INFRASTRUCTURE MATERIALS | ||
| ORIGAMI ENGINEERING | ||
| INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE TO MULTIPLE HAZARDS | ||
or CEVE 560 | BRIDGE ENGINEERING AND EXTREME EVENTS | |
| Department Approved Area of Specialization Electives | ||
| Select up to 4 courses from the following: | 0-12 | |
| SMART MATERIALS FOR THE ENVIRONMENT | ||
| PHYSICS GUIDED MACHINE LEARNING & DATA DRIVEN MODELING FEM | ||
| STATISTICAL-PHYSICAL METHODS FOR HYDROCLIMATE EXTREMES AND CATASTROPHES | ||
| SYSTEM IDENTIFICATION OF DYNAMIC SYSTEMS WITH MACHINE LEARNING | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 18 | |
Area of Specialization: Structural Engineering and Multi-Scale Mechanics
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirements | ||
| Select up to 6 courses from the following: | 6-18 | |
| ADVANCED MECHANICS OF MATERIALS | ||
| NONLINEAR FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS | ||
| PHYSICS GUIDED MACHINE LEARNING & DATA DRIVEN MODELING FEM | ||
| SYSTEM IDENTIFICATION OF DYNAMIC SYSTEMS WITH MACHINE LEARNING | ||
| ADVANCED STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS | ||
| STRUCTURAL DYNAMIC SYSTEMS | ||
or CEVE 560 | BRIDGE ENGINEERING AND EXTREME EVENTS | |
| APPLIED STOCHASTIC MECHANICS | ||
| APPLIED MONTE CARLO ANALYSIS | ||
| Department Approved Area of Specialization Electives | ||
| Select up to 4 courses from the following: | 0-12 | |
| DESIGN AND BEHAVIOR OF CONCRETE BUILDINGS AND BUILDING ELEMENTS | ||
| DESIGN AND BEHAVIOR OF STRUCTURAL STEEL BUILDINGS AND BUILDING ELEMENTS | ||
| EARTHQUAKE ENGINEERING | ||
| MODELING AND ANALYSIS OF NETWORKED SYSTEMS | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 18 | |
Area of Specialization: Sustainable Water Management
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirements | ||
| Select up to 6 courses from the following: | 6-18 | |
| CHEMISTRY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE | ||
or CEVE 550 | ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIC CHEMISTRY | |
| HYDROLOGY AND WATER RESOURCES ENGINEERING | ||
or CEVE 518 | ENVIRONMENTAL HYDROGEOLOGY | |
| PHYSICAL CHEMICAL PROCESSES FOR WATER QUALITY CONTROL | ||
or CEVE 534 | FATE AND TRANSPORT OF CONTAMINANTS IN THE ENVIRONMENT | |
| ENVIRONMENTAL BIOTECHNOLOGY AND BIOREMEDIATION | ||
| ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY AND MICROBIAL ECOLOGY | ||
| WATER-ENERGY NEXUS | ||
| Department Approved Area of Specialization Electives | ||
| Select up to 4 courses from the following: | 0-12 | |
| ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION RESTORATION | ||
| SMART MATERIALS FOR THE ENVIRONMENT | ||
| INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE TO MULTIPLE HAZARDS | ||
| MODELING AND ANALYSIS OF NETWORKED SYSTEMS | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 18 | |
Policies for the PhD Degree in the field of Environmental Engineering
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Graduate Program Handbook
The General Announcements (GA) is the official Rice curriculum. As an additional resource for students, the department of Civil and Environmental Engineering publishes a graduate program handbook, which can be found here: https://gradhandbooks.rice.edu/2025_26/Civil_Environmental_Engineering_Graduate_Handbook.pdf.
Admission
Applicants pursuing graduate education in environmental engineering or hydrology should have a BS or BA in related areas of science and engineering and preparation in mathematics, science, and engineering or related courses. A BS degree in Engineering or a degree in natural science is preferred.
Successful applicants typically have at least a 3.00 (B) grade point average in undergraduate work and high Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores. For general university requirements, see Graduate Degrees and Admission to Graduate Study.
Transfer Credit
For Rice University’s policy regarding transfer credit, see Transfer Credit. Some departments and programs have additional restrictions on transfer credit. Requests for transfer credit must be approved for Rice equivalency by the appropriate academic department offering the Rice equivalent course (corresponding to the subject code of the course content) and by the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (GPS). Students are encouraged to meet with their academic program’s advisor when considering transfer credit possibilities.
Additional Information
For additional information, please see the Civil and Environmental Engineering website: https://cee.rice.edu/.
Opportunities for the PhD Degree in the field of Environmental Engineering
Fellowships and Opportunities
- NASA Internships: multiple opportunities are available for undergraduate and graduate students for spring and fall semesters, as well as year-long appointments.
- NRC Research Associateship Program: the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine offer paid postdoctoral, senior, and graduate fellowships.
- NASA Fellowships and other opportunities: NASA offers several internships, fellowships, and scholarships for both undergraduate and graduate students.
- NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF-GRFP): provides fellowships to individuals selected early in their graduate careers based on their demonstrated potential for significant achievements in science and engineering.
- Fullbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad Program (DDRA): provides grants to fund individual doctoral students to conduct research in other countries in modern foreign languages and area studies for periods of 6 to 12 months.
- DOE Computational Science Graduate Fellowship: The Department of Energy Computational Science Graduate Fellowship (DOE CSGF) program provides outstanding benefits and opportunities to students pursuing doctoral degrees in fields of study that utilize high performance computing to solve complex problems in science and engineering.
- DOD National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship (NDSEG): it is a highly competitive portable fellowship that is awarded to US citizens and nationals who intend to pursue a doctoral degree in one of fifteen supported disciplines.
- Pathways to Science: it is a project of the Institute for Broadening Participation. The organization places emphasis on connecting underrepresented groups with STEM programs, funding, mentoring, and resources. Fellowships for masters and doctoral students are available, as is funding for travel and summer institutes.
Student Clubs
- Civil and Environmental Department Graduate Student Association: The main purpose of the club is to 1) foster better professional and personal relationships among students and between students and faculty members 2) provide a forum for concerns, both professional and personal, about graduate student life and 3) foster professional growth through mentoring, recruitment, and affiliate/internship relationships.
- Earthquake Engineering Research Institute: https://eeri.rice.edu/
The objective of this student chapter is to encourage, facilitate, and promote learning and interest among students in the field of earthquake engineering through interaction with professionals and experts and through interdisciplinary involvement.
Additional Information
For additional information, please see the Civil and Environmental Engineering website: https://cee.rice.edu/.