Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Natural Resources Conservation and Research

A PhD in Natural Resources Conservation and Research trains students to conduct advanced research on sustainable management and protection of natural resources, leading to careers in academia, government, or environmental organizations.

4 to 7 years
Length
Doctorate
Level
After master's degree
Entry level
94
Schools
00
Exit level
Doctorate
Length
4 to 7 years
Work-study
Uncommon
Selectivity
Highly selective
Direct careers
6 métiers
Where to study
94 établissements

About

This PhD program focuses on the advanced study and research of natural resources conservation. It is designed for students who have completed a master's degree and are interested in deepening their knowledge and skills in environmental science and resource management. The degree prepares graduates to become researchers, university professors, or experts in environmental agencies and organizations. It involves original research contributing to the understanding and sustainable use of natural resources.

  • The program typically lasts four to seven years, depending on the research progress.
  • It is aimed at students with a strong background in environmental sciences or related fields.
  • Graduates can work in research institutions, government agencies, or non-profit organizations focused on conservation.
  • The degree requires the completion of a doctoral dissertation based on original research.
  • It develops skills in scientific analysis and environmental policy.

What you study

The PhD program combines coursework and extensive research over several years. Early years focus on advanced classes and developing research proposals, while later years are dedicated to conducting research and writing the dissertation. Practical work often includes field studies and laboratory experiments.

  • Students take courses in ecology, resource management, and research methods during the first years.
  • The program emphasizes independent research guided by faculty advisors.
  • Fieldwork and data collection are important parts of the training.
  • Students learn to analyze environmental data and develop conservation strategies.
  • Regular seminars and presentations help develop communication skills.
  • The final stage involves writing and defending a doctoral thesis.

How to get in

Admission to a PhD program in the US requires a relevant master's degree and a strong academic record. Applicants must submit research proposals and letters of recommendation. Selection is competitive and based on academic achievements and research potential.

  • Applicants need a master's degree in environmental science or related fields.
  • They must provide a research proposal outlining their intended study.
  • Letters of recommendation from professors or professionals are required.
  • Some programs require GRE scores, but this varies by institution.
  • Interviews or discussions with faculty may be part of the process.

Day to day

A typical year involves a mix of coursework, research, and teaching responsibilities. Students spend significant time collecting and analyzing data, often in field settings. Collaboration with advisors and peers is frequent.

  • Early years include attending advanced classes and preparing research plans.
  • Later years focus on fieldwork and laboratory analysis.
  • Many students assist in teaching undergraduate courses.
  • Regular meetings with advisors help track progress.
  • Participation in conferences and seminars is common.

Careers this degree leads to

Graduates with this PhD often find work in research, academia, or environmental policy. They may become university professors, researchers in government agencies, or specialists in conservation organizations. The job market values their expertise in sustainable resource management.

  • Possible careers include environmental researcher and university professor.
  • Government agencies hire PhD holders for policy development roles.
  • Non-profit organizations seek experts in conservation projects.
  • The demand for specialists in natural resource management is generally steady.

Continuing your studies

After earning a PhD, graduates may continue postdoctoral research or move into academic positions. Some may shift towards environmental consulting or policy advising roles. The degree opens doors to specialized career paths rather than further formal studies.

  • Postdoctoral research positions allow further specialization.
  • Some graduates pursue careers in environmental consulting.
  • Others transition to policy advisory or management roles.

Where to study this degree (94)

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Oregon Health & Science University
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Oregon Health & Science University
University
📍Portland, 🇺🇸 United States
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University of Georgia
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University of Georgia
University
📍Athens, 🇺🇸 United States
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Antioch University
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Antioch University
University
📍Yellow Springs, 🇺🇸 United States
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University of California-Berkeley
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University of California-Berkeley
college
📍Berkeley, 🇺🇸 United States
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University of Idaho
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University of Idaho
University
📍Moscow, 🇺🇸 United States
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University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
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University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
college
📍Minneapolis, 🇺🇸 United States
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University of Arizona
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University of Arizona
University
📍Tucson, 🇺🇸 United States
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George Mason University
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George Mason University
University
📍Fairfax, 🇺🇸 United States
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Mississippi State University
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Mississippi State University
University
📍Starkville, 🇺🇸 United States
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University of California, Merced
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University of California, Merced
University
📍Merced, 🇺🇸 United States
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Michigan State University
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Michigan State University
University
📍East Lansing, 🇺🇸 United States
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University of Colorado Boulder
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University of Colorado Boulder
University
📍Boulder, 🇺🇸 United States
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University of California-Santa Barbara
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University of California-Santa Barbara
college
📍Santa Barbara, 🇺🇸 United States
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University of Virginia-Main Campus
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University of Virginia-Main Campus
college
📍Charlottesville, 🇺🇸 United States
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University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
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University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
University
📍Urbana, 🇺🇸 United States
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Iowa State University
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Iowa State University
University
📍Ames, 🇺🇸 United States
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Stanford University
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Stanford University
University
📍Stanford, 🇺🇸 United States
TypeUniversity
Founded—
Students—
Institution
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University of Nebraska–Lincoln
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University of Nebraska–Lincoln
University
📍Lincoln, 🇺🇸 United States
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Institution
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SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
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SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
School
📍Syracuse, 🇺🇸 United States
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Institution
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Yale University
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Yale University
University
📍New Haven, 🇺🇸 United States
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Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College
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Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College
college
📍Baton Rouge, 🇺🇸 United States
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Cornell University
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Cornell University
University
📍Ithaca, 🇺🇸 United States
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University of Wisconsin–Madison
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University of Wisconsin–Madison
University
📍Madison, 🇺🇸 United States
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Institution
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University of California, Riverside
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University of California, Riverside
University
📍Riverside, 🇺🇸 United States
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Institution
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The University of Texas at Arlington
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The University of Texas at Arlington
University
📍Arlington, 🇺🇸 United States
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University of California-Santa Cruz
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University of California-Santa Cruz
college
📍Santa Cruz, 🇺🇸 United States
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Arizona State University Campus Immersion
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Arizona State University Campus Immersion
college
📍Tempe, 🇺🇸 United States
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University of Maryland-College Park
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University of Maryland-College Park
college
📍College Park, 🇺🇸 United States
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Rutgers University-New Brunswick
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Rutgers University-New Brunswick
college
📍New Brunswick, 🇺🇸 United States
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Montana State University
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00
Montana State University
University
📍Bozeman, 🇺🇸 United States
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Oregon State University
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Oregon State University
University
📍Corvallis, 🇺🇸 United States
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University of Oregon
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University of Oregon
University
📍Eugene, 🇺🇸 United States
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University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University
📍Chapel Hill, 🇺🇸 United States
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Montclair State University
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00
Montclair State University
University
📍Montclair, 🇺🇸 United States
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Founded—
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Institution
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Central Michigan University
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Central Michigan University
University
📍Mount Pleasant, 🇺🇸 United States
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The University of Montana
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The University of Montana
college
📍Missoula, 🇺🇸 United States
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Antioch University New England
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Antioch University New England
University
📍Keene, 🇺🇸 United States
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Indiana University-Indianapolis
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Indiana University-Indianapolis
college
📍Indianapolis, 🇺🇸 United States
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Ohio State University-Main Campus
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Ohio State University-Main Campus
college
📍Columbus, 🇺🇸 United States
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Tennessee Technological University
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Tennessee Technological University
University
📍Cookeville, 🇺🇸 United States
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University of Miami
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University of Miami
University
📍Coral Gables, 🇺🇸 United States
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University of Massachusetts-Amherst
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University of Massachusetts-Amherst
college
📍Amherst, 🇺🇸 United States
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University of Maine
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University of Maine
University
📍Orono, 🇺🇸 United States
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University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras
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University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras
college
📍San Juan, 🇺🇸 United States
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University of Massachusetts Boston
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University of Massachusetts Boston
University
📍Boston, 🇺🇸 United States
TypeUniversity
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Students—
Institution
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University of Washington-Seattle Campus
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University of Washington-Seattle Campus
college
📍Seattle, 🇺🇸 United States
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Princeton University
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Princeton University
University
📍Princeton, 🇺🇸 United States
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University of Missouri-Columbia
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University of Missouri-Columbia
college
📍Columbia, 🇺🇸 United States
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Jackson State University
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Jackson State University
University
📍Jackson, 🇺🇸 United States
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Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
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Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
University
📍Tallahassee, 🇺🇸 United States
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Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Gurabo Campus
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Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Gurabo Campus
college
📍Gurabo, 🇺🇸 United States
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Texas A & M University-College Station
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Texas A & M University-College Station
college
📍College Station, 🇺🇸 United States
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North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
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North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
University
📍Greensboro, 🇺🇸 United States
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Texas State University
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Texas State University
University
📍San Marcos, 🇺🇸 United States
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University of New Hampshire
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University of New Hampshire
University
📍Durham, 🇺🇸 United States
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University of Tennessee at Knoxville
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University of Tennessee at Knoxville
University
📍Knoxville, 🇺🇸 United States
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Baylor University
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Baylor University
University
📍Waco, 🇺🇸 United States
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Ball State University
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Ball State University
University
📍Muncie, 🇺🇸 United States
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Duke University
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Duke University
University
📍Durham, 🇺🇸 United States
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Indiana University Bloomington
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Indiana University Bloomington
University
📍Bloomington, 🇺🇸 United States
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New Jersey Institute of Technology
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New Jersey Institute of Technology
School
📍Newark, 🇺🇸 United States
TypeSchool
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Utah State University
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Utah State University
University
📍Logan, 🇺🇸 United States
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Founded—
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University of Nevada, Reno
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University of Nevada, Reno
University
📍Reno, 🇺🇸 United States
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University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
college
📍Ann Arbor, 🇺🇸 United States
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University of North Texas
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University of North Texas
University
📍Denton, 🇺🇸 United States
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Kansas State University
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Kansas State University
University
📍Manhattan, 🇺🇸 United States
TypeUniversity
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Oklahoma State University-Main Campus
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Oklahoma State University-Main Campus
college
📍Stillwater, 🇺🇸 United States
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University of Vermont
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University of Vermont
University
📍Burlington, 🇺🇸 United States
TypeUniversity
Founded—
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Florida Institute of Technology
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Florida Institute of Technology
School
📍Melbourne, 🇺🇸 United States
TypeSchool
Founded—
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Institution
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University of Oklahoma
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University of Oklahoma
University
📍Norman, 🇺🇸 United States
TypeUniversity
Founded—
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Drexel University
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Drexel University
University
📍Philadelphia, 🇺🇸 United States
TypeUniversity
Founded—
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Institution
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Washington State University
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Washington State University
University
📍Pullman, 🇺🇸 United States
TypeUniversity
Founded—
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Wright State University
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Wright State University
University
📍Dayton, 🇺🇸 United States
TypeUniversity
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Northeastern University
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Northeastern University
University
📍Boston, 🇺🇸 United States
TypeUniversity
Founded—
Students—
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Portland State University
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Portland State University
University
📍Portland, 🇺🇸 United States
TypeUniversity
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The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
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The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
University
📍Houston, 🇺🇸 United States
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North Carolina State University
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North Carolina State University
University
📍Raleigh, 🇺🇸 United States
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University of Delaware
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University of Delaware
University
📍Newark, 🇺🇸 United States
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University of California-Los Angeles
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University of California-Los Angeles
college
📍Los Angeles, 🇺🇸 United States
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Rutgers University-Newark
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Rutgers University-Newark
college
📍Newark, 🇺🇸 United States
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University of North Dakota
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University of North Dakota
University
📍Grand Forks, 🇺🇸 United States
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University of Connecticut
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University of Connecticut
University
📍Storrs, 🇺🇸 United States
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Arkansas State University
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Arkansas State University
University
📍Jonesboro, 🇺🇸 United States
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University of Toledo
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University of Toledo
University
📍Toledo, 🇺🇸 United States
TypeUniversity
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Brown University
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Brown University
University
📍Providence, 🇺🇸 United States
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Oregon State University Cascades
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Oregon State University Cascades
University
📍Bend, 🇺🇸 United States
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Southern Illinois University Carbondale
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Southern Illinois University Carbondale
University
📍Carbondale, 🇺🇸 United States
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University of Alaska Fairbanks
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University of Alaska Fairbanks
University
📍Fairbanks, 🇺🇸 United States
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University of Rhode Island
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University of Rhode Island
University
📍Kingston, 🇺🇸 United States
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Western Illinois University
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Western Illinois University
University
📍Macomb, 🇺🇸 United States
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South Dakota State University
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South Dakota State University
University
📍Brookings, 🇺🇸 United States
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University of Nevada, Las Vegas
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University of Nevada, Las Vegas
University
📍Las Vegas, 🇺🇸 United States
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Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi
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Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi
University
📍Corpus Christi, 🇺🇸 United States
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University of California-Irvine
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University of California-Irvine
college
📍Irvine, 🇺🇸 United States
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Liste des 94 établissements

Frequently asked questions

What is the typical duration of this PhD program?

The program usually takes between four and seven years, depending on the research progress and dissertation completion.

Do I need a master's degree to apply?

Yes, applicants must have completed a master's degree in a related field to be eligible for admission.

Is there a lot of practical work involved?

Yes, students spend significant time conducting fieldwork and laboratory experiments as part of their research.

Can I work while doing this PhD?

Many students assist with teaching or research projects, but the program requires a strong focus on original research.

What careers can I pursue after this PhD?

Graduates often become researchers, university professors, or work in environmental policy and conservation organizations.

Is the admission process competitive?

Yes, admission is very selective and based on academic achievements and research potential.

Are there opportunities for internships or alternance?

Alternance is generally not available, but students may collaborate on projects with external organizations.

Can I continue studying after this PhD?

Further formal studies are uncommon, but many graduates pursue postdoctoral research to deepen expertise.