Environmental Social Science (Urbanism), PHD

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  1. Degree Programs
  2. Graduate Degrees
  3. Environmental Social Science (Urbanism)

Are you interested in focusing on the social dynamics of environmental issues? In this transdisciplinary program, you'll gain an understanding of human impacts on the environment and develop sustainable environmental practices to reduce them.

ASU is not currently accepting applications for this program.


Program Description

Degree Awarded: PHD Environmental Social Science (Urbanism)

The Doctor of Philosophy program in environmental social science is one of the few doctoral programs in the U.S. that draw on the premise that reducing human impacts and developing more sustainable environmental practices will be difficult or impossible to achieve without focusing on the social dynamics of environmental issues using critical social science perspectives.

The program is organized around theoretically based conceptual domains:

  • culture and the environment
  • environmental hazards and vulnerability
  • environmental justice
  • human environment impacts
  • political ecology
  • science and technology studies

These are the bases for addressing various topical foci, including urban environments, technologies and their consequences, landscapes, institutions, and health and the environment.

Students work with faculty who have expertise in a wide variety of fields, including:

  • archaeology
  • community resources
  • cultural and medical anthropology
  • demography
  • environmental history
  • geographic information systems
  • human and physical geography
  • planning
  • public affairs
  • science and technology studies
  • sociology

The program trains students to move into teaching and research positions or to assume leadership roles in government, industry or nongovernmental organizations.

Coursework is focused on developing real-world skills and a solid grasp of complex social science approaches to environmental issues. Students work closely with their committee to develop a curriculum appropriate to their interests and career goals.

The concentration in urbanism leverages the varied interests in urbanism and helps emerging scholars as they attempt to compare, contrast and take stock of different aspects of urbanism. Working with faculty across a number of departments and programs at ASU, doctoral students are able to capture the creative tensions that scholarship on urbanism has inspired to stimulate a provocative, constructive kind of inquiry.


At a Glance: program details
  • Location:
    Tempe campus
  • Second Language Requirement: No

Degree Requirements

Curriculum Plan Options

  • 84 credit hours, a written comprehensive exam, an oral comprehensive exam, a prospectus and a dissertation

Students entering with a master's degree in a related field may be granted up to 30 credit hours toward the 84 credit hour total required for the doctorate, leaving 30 credit hours of coursework, 12 credit hours of research and 12 credit hours of dissertation (54 credit hours total) to be earned after admission.

Students entering without a master's degree must complete an additional 30 credit hours of graduate coursework, produce a research portfolio that is formally evaluated by a faculty committee, and present that research in a public forum before continuing to the later stage of the doctorate program.

All students must maintain an average GPA of 3.20 in their courses and complete degree requirements per the program's satisfactory progress policy.

All students entering the program complete 18 credit hours of core classes in conceptual domains and topical foci. For the concentration in urbanism, students select 15 credit hours from an approved list of applicable courses related to urbanism. Some of the environmental social science core courses also count toward the concentration in urbanism. These courses include the core urbanism course GCU 516, as well as one course from each of the four urbanism clusters: built form, culture and society, institutions and governance, and natural environment.

Additional credit hours come from courses in research design, technical expertise and electives. Students may select from a substantial variety of courses to satisfy noncore requirements.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree from a regionally accredited institution. Undergraduate coursework in the social sciences (e.g., geography, political science, sociology, anthropology, planning or history) is not a prerequisite for admission but is generally advisable. Students may be admitted without such a background and may be required to acquire knowledge of the social sciences in a manner to be specified at the time of admission.

Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.

All applicants must submit:

  1. graduate admission application and application fee
  2. official transcripts
  3. personal statement outlining educational and professional goals
  4. current curriculum vitae or resume
  5. three letters of recommendation
  6. proof of English proficiency

Additional Application Information
An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency.

Applicants may submit with their application materials an optional scholarly writing sample, not to exceed 30 double-spaced pages.


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Career Opportunities

Individuals with keen thinking skills who can manage, evaluate and interpret large amounts of data are in high demand in the job market. As the many spheres of human interaction expand globally, people with the training of this degree are increasingly sought-after for their broad, holistic knowledge and perspectives. Some career opportunities include:

  • acting as legal advocates in international cases
  • analyzing and proposing policies
  • conducting postgraduate academic research
  • consulting for private and public organizations
  • curating cultural resources
  • directing nonprofit organizations
  • directing programs in the private or public sector
  • managing culture or heritage resources in private or public sectors
  • planning communities
  • teaching

Program Contact Information

If you have questions related to admission, please click here to request information and an admission specialist will reach out to you directly. For questions regarding faculty or courses, please use the contact information below.

  • [email protected]
  • 480/965-6215


Concurrent degree programs are specially designed academic programs which provide high-achieving undergraduate students the opportunity to complete two distinct but complementary bachelor degrees at the same time. Students must meet minimum admissions standards for both programs and be accepted individually by both colleges offering the concurrent program.
Students pursuing concurrent degrees earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. ASU offers students two ways to earn concurrent degrees: by choosing a predetermined combination or creating their own combination. Predetermined combinations have a single admissions application and one easy to follow major map. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor. Either way, concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests.
Accelerated bachelor's and master's degree programs are designed for high-achieving undergraduate students who want the opportunity to combine undergraduate coursework with graduate coursework to accelerate completion of their master's degree. These programs feature the same high-quality curriculum taught by ASU's world-renowned faculty.
ASU students may accelerate their studies by earning a bachelor's and a master's degree in as little as five years (for some programs) or by earning a bachelor's degree in 2.5 or 3 years.

Accelerated bachelor's and master's degree programs are designed for high-achieving undergraduate students who want the opportunity to combine undergraduate coursework with graduate coursework to accelerate completion of their master's degree. These programs, featuring the same high-quality curriculum taught by ASU's world-renowned faculty, allow students to obtain both a bachelor's and a master's degree in as little as five years.

Accelerated bachelor's degree programs allow students to choose either a 2.5- or a 3-year path while participating in the same high-quality educational experience of a 4-year option. Students can opt to fast-track their studies after acceptance into a participating program by connecting with their academic advisor.
This is only the first required math course. This program may contain additional math courses; See Major Map for details.
The level of intensity represents a measure of the number and academic rigor of math courses required.
The level of intensity represents a measure of the number and academic rigor of math courses required. Courses included in the General level: MAT 142
The level of intensity represents a measure of the number and academic rigor of math courses required. Courses included in the Moderate level: MAT 117, MAT 119, MAT 170, MAT 210, SOS 101, CPI 200
The level of intensity represents a measure of the number and academic rigor of math courses required. Courses included in the Substantial level: MAT 251, MAT 265. MAT 266, MAT 267, MAT 270, MAT 271, MAT 272, MAT 274, MAT 275
A rolling deadline means that applications will continue to be reviewed on a regular basis until the semester begins. International students should be mindful of visa deadlines to ensure there is time to produce necessary visa documents. Applicants are encouraged to complete and submit application materials as soon as possible for consideration.
A final deadline means that all applications and application materials must be received by Graduate Admissions by the deadline date. Applications that are incomplete may not be considered after the final deadline. Applications that are submitted past the final deadline may not be considered.
A priority deadline means that applications submitted and completed before the priority deadline will receive priority consideration. Applications submitted after the priority deadlines will be reviewed in the order in which they were completed and on a space available basis. An application is complete after all materials are received by Graduate Admissions.
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