The Graduate Certificate in Environmental Studies is structured to be highly interdisciplinary and provide currently enrolled PhD students in any discipline an opportunity to add an environmental dimension to their studies. Because the High Meadows Environmental Institute (HMEI) does not offer graduate degrees, students must first gain formal admission to a degree-granting program or department at Princeton before pursuing the certificate.
The following list of departmental courses contain substantial environmental content.
Students wishing to earn a graduate certificate in environmental studies are encouraged to consult with the faculty adviser for the Graduate Program in Environmental Studies, Luc Deike. Individual programs of study should be determined in consultation with the student’s home department adviser(s) and the Director of the Graduate Program in Environmental Studies, who must approve the final program.
Requirements for the certificate include formal coursework, independent research and participation in a graduate colloquium or seminar. Each certificate student must complete four courses related to the environment, which must be from at least three of the University’s four divisions: humanities, social sciences (including policy), natural sciences and engineering. This implies a maximum of two courses from the student’s home division. Because courses must be taken in multiple disciplines, the planning of individual programs should take place as early as possible. In addition, each student must complete independent research related to an environmental issue. This work is typically incorporated as part of the student’s dissertation, although a stand-alone report or paper also is acceptable.
Finally, students enrolled in the certificate program are expected to participate in a graduate colloquium focused on issues related to the environment. All enrolled students are expected to attend the colloquium for at least four semesters. Upon completion of the requirements, the program director will award the student a letter of certification in environmental studies.
Contact Amber Lee, Undergraduate/Graduate Program Manager, for more information about the Graduate Certificate in Environmental Studies.
