PhD Requirements

Core Sequence

E-IPER core courses introduce students to the diverse skill sets and research designs required for interdisciplinary research.

*Co-requisite with ENVRES 320 - ENVRES 315: Environmental Research Design Seminar

Areas of Concentration 

Areas of Concentration (AoCs) are the two areas of study in which students will develop and demonstrate expertise through their dissertation work. An AoC is a distinct domain of academic investigation characterized by its own intellectual history, core literature and theories, methodological approaches, and communities of practice. The AoCs are concentrations within broader academic disciplines. For example, within the discipline of economics, "agricultural economics" is an AoC; within epidemiology, “tropical disease ecology” is an AoC. Other AoC examples include areas like marine governance, global environmental politics, or behavior change psychology. 

Identifying AoCs is a critical exercise for students’ development as scholars for several reasons.

  • Clarifying research focus
  • Building methodological and theoretical expertise
  • Facilitating academic networking
  • Strengthening scholarly identity
  • Improving access to specialized resources
  • Enhancing interdisciplinarity

E-IPER students identify and critically discuss their two AoCs as part of the qualifying process during the second year. Students submit an AoC essay that describes each AoC, reviews key literature and theories associated with each, and explains how the AoCs complement each other in the student’s research program. The student’s two co-advisors must certify expertise in the AoC aligned with their discipline. E-IPER applicants should ensure that their prospective faculty advisors align with their intended AoCs.