Doctor of Philosophy - Water Resources

Plan Description

The Water Resources Ph.D. program provides an interdisciplinary course of study that is a technically and scientifically based program that blends the physical, chemical, and biological aspects of water resources with those of public health, policy, and management. Students enter this interdisciplinary program from a wide variety of undergraduate or Master’s programs. After entering the program, course selections will be guided by the students’ advisory committee, with focus areas including Water Technology, Water Science and Health, or Water Policy and Management. The research component of the degree may involve faculty from the UNLV College of Sciences, Greenspun College of Urban Affairs, Howard R. Hughes College of Engineering, College of Liberal Arts, and School of Public Health; and the Desert Research Institute (DRI). Students in this program may also work with researchers and practitioners at governmental agencies or private industry who qualify for Graduate Faculty Status at UNLV.

For more information about your program, including your graduate program handbook and learning outcomes please visit the Degree Directory.

Admission Requirements

Application deadlines

All application materials are submitted through the Graduate Rebel Gateway portal located on the UNLV Graduate College website.

The Program Admission Committee will examine the applicant’s academic credentials and will make the final determination regarding admissibility to the Ph.D. program. Admission is open to those students who meet the following requirements:

1. Application must be made to the Interdisciplinary PhD Program in Water Resources. Applications must include all documentation as required by the Graduate College.
2. The applicant must have a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree from a regionally accredited university in a field related to one or more of the following three areas: Water Technology, Water Science and Health, or Water Policy and Management. 
3. The applicant must submit a 1-page written statement of purpose. The statement of purpose must address the applicant’s goals and rationale for pursuing a Ph.D. in this program.
4. The applicant must submit three letters of recommendation from individuals qualified to assess the applicant’s ability to pursue doctoral studies.
5. In general, a minimum post-baccalaureate GPA of 3.40 on a 4.00 scale or equivalent is expected for applicants with a Master’s degree. Applicants with a Bachelor’s degree are expected to have a minimum baccalaureate GPA of 3.20 on a 4.00 scale or equivalent.
6. All domestic and international applicants must review and follow the Graduate College Admission and Registration Requirements.

Students are accepted into a degree program as described in the Graduate Catalog. The faculty and described program are subject to change at any time.

Plan Requirements

See Subplan Requirements below.
Subplan 1: Post Bachelor’s
Subplan 2: Post Master’s

Subplan 1: Post-Bachelor’s

Total Credits Required: 69

Subplan 2: Post-Master’s

Total Credits Required: 45

Degree Requirements

In addition to those requirements imposed by the UNLV Graduate College, the following conditions must be met for a student to complete the Interdisciplinary PhD in Water Resources. 

1. Credit hours totaling 45 (Post-Master’s) or 69 (Post-Bachelor’s) with an average GPA of no less than 3.00 must be completed in accordance with the Subplan Course Requirements listed above.

2. A Doctoral Advisory Committee (DAC) composed of at least four members of the UNLV graduate faculty or approved committee member by the committee chair and aligned with graduate policies. The DAC must include at least two members from outside the home unit of the student’s academic committee chair. One of these two outside members must meet UNLV Graduate College requirements to serve as the Graduate College Representative (GCR). 

3. In order to show mastery (breadth and depth) of knowledge in their concentration, the student must pass a written qualifying exam. The examination is arranged by the academic advisor and supervised by the Program Co-director(s). The qualifying exam must be scheduled after the completion of one year of study, preferably in the 4th semester (summer semester excluded) of the program, but not before the completion of at least 12 credits of coursework.

4. The student must pass a preliminary exam consisting of the preparation of a written proposal for the dissertation research, followed by an oral defense of the proposal. In order for the student to advance to candidacy for the Ph.D., the dissertation research proposal must be approved by the Doctoral Advisory Committee, and all required coursework must be completed.

5. Completion of the proposed dissertation research, submission of a satisfactory dissertation, successful oral defense of the dissertation, and submission of all required Graduate College documents.

Graduation Requirements

1. The student must submit and successfully defend their dissertation by the posted deadline. The defense must be advertised as specified in the UNLV Graduate Catalog and open to the general public.
2. After the dissertation defense, the student must electronically submit a properly formatted PDF copy of their dissertation to the Graduate College for format check. Once the dissertation format has been approved by the Graduate College, the student will submit the approved electronic version to ProQuest. 
3. Students may apply for graduation up to two semesters prior to completing their degree requirements. All required forms must be submitted to the graduate college via the Grad Rebel Gateway.