Environmental Engineering and Science Direct-Admit Ph.D. Track
Normally, applicants without a Master's degree are initially admitted to the MS program in Environmental Engineering and Science. This track allows completion of the MS degree with 3 quarters of classes. Students enrolled in the MS program can apply to continue on for a PhD by filling out a simple form in January of their Master's year. However, we recognize that some especially-motivated applicants would prefer to be admitted directly to the PhD program at the start of their graduate career. For those applicants who are highly-motivated and unusually well-qualified to pursue PhD-level research, a direct PhD track has been established within the Environmental Engineering and Science program.

Students admitted to the direct PhD track who do not have a Master's degree are required to sign up for 5-6 units of Environmental Research (CEE370) during each of their first 3 quarters of full-time graduate study. This gives students an early opportunity to gain experience working in research laboratories within the Environmental Engineering and Science program before choosing a PhD advisor. To be considered, interested applicants must note in their Statement of Purpose their desire to be considered for direct admission to the PhD track. Only a small number of students will be admitted directly to this track each year; the other applicants will automatically be considered for the MS program.

Because of its research orientation, the PhD track involves fewer lecture-type classes per quarter than the MS program. It should be emphasized that the PhD track is not suitable for students who might decide to opt just for a Master's degree: only 9 units of CEE370/CEE399-type courses can count towards the MS degree, so students in the PhD track typically do not complete class requirements equivalent to a Master's degree until the end of Autumn quarter in their second year of study. Thus, students who are less-than certain about whether they want to pursue a PhD should initially apply to the MS program, where they can fulfill the requirements for a Master's degree with three quarters of classwork. Initially opting for the MS route will also give such students additional time to evaluate their level of interest in the PhD.

Besides 15-18 units of CEE370, students entering directly into the PhD track also are required to take 18 units of CEE270-level classes, and 45-48 units of additional classes (excluding CEE299, CEE300, and CEE400; up to 9 units of CEE399 may be included for preparation of the thesis proposal). While students initially admitted to the MS track have considerable flexibility in choosing their classes, those admitted directly to the PhD track are assumed to have more focused interests in research, and will be expected to work closely with their Environmental Engineering and Science research supervisor(s) in choosing classes each quarter. A typical schedule for a PhD-track student is:*

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	First Year				Second Year				Subsequent
	Aut	Win	Spr	Sum	Aut	Win	Spr	Sum	Quarters
Classes
CEE270-level units	9	6	3	--	--	--	--	--	--
Addl.class units	1-0	4-3	7-6	3	6	9	9	--	--
Research
CEE370 units	5-6	5-6	5-6	--	--	--	--	--	--
CEE399 units	--	--	--	6	3	--	--	--	--
Thesis units	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	9	9

*NOTE: Typically, graduate students enroll in 15 units/qtr for their first 3 quarters of study, and then sign up for 9 units/qtr subsequently to allow more time for their doctoral research.
Description of CEE370 Course:

CEE370A,B,C: Environmental Research. Introductory research experience intended for first-year graduate students in the Environmental Engineering and Science program who are pursuing the PhD degree. Involves working 15-18 hrs/week on research with one or more EES faculty members over a 3-qtr period. CEE370A requires written literature survey on a research topic; CEE370B requires oral presentation on experimental techniques and research progress; and CEE370C requires writtenor oral presentation of preliminary doctoral research proposal. Students must obtain a faculty sponsor from within the EES program. 5-6 units Aut, Win, Spr (Staff)

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