Semester Requirements
http://www.rit.edu/gis/academics/ph.d-sustainability/
Program overview
The doctorate program in sustainability is the first program in the world to focus on sustainable production systems. It seeks to advance research and education in alternative-energy development, sustainable production, sustainable mobility, and eco-IT.
The program’s curriculum emphasizes sustainable production systems, which create goods and services using processes that are non-polluting; conservation of energy and natural resources; economic viability; and safety for workers, communities, and consumers. Course work and research take a systems level and interdisciplinary approach to solving seemingly intractable sustainability problems.
Students have the opportunity to work with multidisciplinary faculty and researchers in numerous research centers, including the Center for Remanufacturing and Resource Recovery, the Center for Sustainable Manufacturing, the Center for Sustainable Mobility, the Center for Sustainable Energy Systems, and the New York State Pollution Prevention Institute--all of which are housed in the Golisano Institute for Sustainability.
Curriculum
Students must complete 60 semester credit hours of course work and research.
Sustainability, Ph.D. degree, typical course sequence (semesters), effective fall 2013
| Course | Sem. Cr. Hrs. | |
|---|---|---|
| First Year | ||
| ISUS-600 | Graduate Seminar | 2 |
| ISUS-802 | Fundamentals of Sustainability Science | 3 |
| ISUS-804 | Industrial Ecology | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| ECON-810 | Economics of Sustainability | 3 |
| ISUS-806 | Risk Analysis | 3 |
| ISUS-808 | Multicriteria Sustainable Systems Analysis | 3 |
| Second Year | ||
| ISUS-805 | Technology Policy and Sustainability or Approved Substitute | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| ISUS-899 | Dissertation Research | 7 |
| ISUS-800 | Graduate Seminar | 2 |
| Third Year and Beyond | ||
| ISUS-899 | Dissertation Research | 21 |
| ISUS-800 | Graduate Seminar | 4 |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 60 | |
Admission requirements
To be considered for admission to the Ph.D. program in sustainability, candidates must fulfill the following requirements:
- Hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution (course work must include at least one year of college science and one year of college mathematics including calculus and statistics),
- Submit scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE),
- Submit official transcripts (in English) from all previously completed undergraduate and graduate course work,
- Submit at least two letters of academic and/or professional recommendation,
- Participate in a personal interview with the faculty committee (by teleconference if necessary), and
- Complete a graduate application.
- International applicants whose native language is not English must submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language. Minimum scores of 600 (paper-based) or 100 (Internet-based) are required. International English Language Testing System (IELTS) scores will be accepted in place of the TOEFL. Minimum scores will vary, however, the absolute minimum score required for unconditional acceptance is 6.5. For additional information about the IELTS, please visit www.ielts.org.
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Click to view program requirements in the Quarter Calendar
Quarter Curriculum - For Reference Only
Effective fall 2013, RIT will convert its academic calendar from quarters to semesters. The following content has been made available as reference only. Currently matriculated students who began their academic programs in quarters should consult their academic adviser for guidance and course selection.
Program overview
The doctorate program in sustainability is the first program in the world to focus on sustainable production systems. The program seeks to advance research and education in alternative-energy development, sustainable production, sustainable mobility, and eco-IT.
The program’s curriculum emphasizes sustainable production systems, which create goods and services using processes that are non-polluting; conserving of energy and natural resources; economically viable; and safe for workers, communities, and consumers. Course work and research take a systems level and interdisciplinary approach to solving seemingly intractable sustainability problems.
Students in the program will have the opportunity to work with multidisciplinary faculty and researchers in numerous research centers, including the institute’s National Center for Remanufacturing and Resource Recovery, the Center for Sustainable Production, the Center for Sustainable Mobility, the Systems Modernization and Sustainment Center, the New York State Pollution Prevention Institute, and the NanoPower Research Labs.
Curriculum
Students must complete a minimum of 60 quarter credit hours of course work and a minimum of 27 quarter credit hours of research to total 99 quarter credit hours.
Sustainability, Ph.D. degree, typical course sequence (quarters)
| Course | Qtr. Cr. Hrs. | |
|---|---|---|
| First Year | ||
| 5001-802 | Fundamentals of Sustainability Science | 4 |
| 5001-810 | Economics of Sustainability | 4 |
| 5001-804 | Industrial Ecology | 4 |
| 5001-805 | Technology, Policy, and Sustainability (or approved substitute) | 4 |
| 5001-806 | Risk Analysis | 4 |
| 5001-808 | Multi-criteria Sustainable Systems Analysis | 4 |
| 5001-800 | Graduate Seminar | 3 |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Second Year | ||
| 5001-805 | Technology, Policy, and Sustainability | 4 |
| 5001-800 | Graduate Seminar | 3 |
| 5001-820 | Dissertation Research | 8 |
| Electives | 12 | |
| Third Year and Beyond | ||
| 5001-820 | Dissertation Research | 20 |
| 5001-800 | Graduate Seminar | 6 |
| Electives | 20 | |
| Total Quarter Credit Hours | 99 | |
Admission requirements
To be considered for admission to the Ph.D. program in sustainability, candidates must fulfill the following requirements:
- Hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution (course work must include at least one year of college science and one year of college mathematics including calculus and statistics),
- Submit scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE),
- Submit official transcripts (in English) from all previously completed undergraduate and graduate course work,
- Submit at least two letters of academic and/or professional recommendation,
- Participate in a personal interview with the faculty committee (by teleconference when necessary), and
- Complete a graduate application.
- International applicants whose native language is not English must submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language. Minimum scores of 600 (paper-based) or 100 (Internet-based) are required. International English Language Testing System (IELTS) scores will be accepted in place of the TOEFL. Minimum scores will vary, however, the absolute minimum score required for unconditional acceptance is 6.5. For additional information about the IELTS, please visit www.ielts.org.