Doctor of Philosophy in Water Resources

Program Overview

The Water Resources Ph.D. program at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas is an interdisciplinary program that focuses on solving water-related challenges. It blends the physical, chemical, and biological aspects of water resources with public health, policy, and management. The program aims to provide students with the knowledge and skills to become water resource professionals who can support water-related entities in Nevada and beyond. Graduates have diverse career opportunities in scientific and engineering consulting firms, private industries, academic and research institutions, government sectors, non-governmental organizations, and international organizations.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The Water Resources Ph.D. program at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, is an interdisciplinary program that focuses on solving water-related challenges that transcend traditional academic boundaries. It is a technically and scientifically based program that blends the physical, chemical, and biological aspects of water resources with public health, policy, and management. The program aims to provide students from a wide-range of educational backgrounds an opportunity to develop into water resource professionals who can become part of a diverse, highly educated, and well-trained interdisciplinary workforce that supports water-related entities in Nevada and beyond.

Objectives:

• To develop, evaluate, and assess new techniques, skills, and tools to solve water resources related problems in an interdisciplinary manner.
• To acquire extensive water resources related knowledge in their area of interest (Water Technology, Water Science and Health, and Social Science and Public Policy) and demonstrate mastery of knowledge in that area.
• To demonstrate mastery of knowledge in the chosen sub-plan concentration (Water Technology, Water Science and Health, and Social Science and Public Policy).
• To critically read and analyze literature, develop research hypothesis, and create methodology to solve research problems related to water resources.
• To collect and analyze research data, and interpret and synthesize the findings through peer reviewed conference proceedings and journal papers.
• To effectively communicate technical and research information.

Outline:

Post-Bachelor's Plan:

• Research Methods Courses:
• Complete one of the following 3-credit courses or an advisor-approved course:
• CEE 700 - Research Methods in Civil and Environmental Engineering
• EAB 700 - Research Methods for Public Health
• GEOL 701 - Research Methods in Geoscience
• PUA 723 - Research and Analytical Methods
• WRM 706 - Research Methods in Water Resources Management
• Hydrologic Sciences Courses:
• Complete 9 credits of program-approved courses with BIOL, CEE, or GEOL prefixes
• Policy, Management, and Social Science Courses:
• Complete 9 credits of program-approved courses with AAP, ATH, ECO, ENG, ENV, FIN, HIST, MGT, MBA, PPY, PSC, PUA, SOC, ULD, or WMST prefixes
• Electives Courses:
• Complete 11 credits of advisor-approved courses
• Seminar Course:
• Complete 1 credit of WRS 793 Seminar in Water Resources
• Dissertation:
• Complete 27 credits of WRS 799 Dissertation Research

Post-Master's Plan:

• Hydrologic Sciences Courses:
• Complete 6 credits of program-approved courses with BIOL, CEE, or GEOL prefixes
• Policy, Management, and Social Science Courses:
• Complete 6 credits of program-approved courses with AAP, ATH, ECO, ENG, ENV, FIN, HIST, MGT, MBA, PPY, PSC, PUA, SOC, ULD, or WMST prefixes
• Public Health Courses:
• Complete 6 credits of program-approved courses with EAB, EOH, or HED prefixes
• Electives Courses:
• Students who have not previously completed an advisor-approved graduate-level research methods course must complete 5 credits of electives and one of the following 3-credit courses:
• CEE 700 Research Methods in Civil and Environmental Engineering
• EAB 700 Research Methods for Public Health
• GEOL 701 Research Methods in Geoscience
• PUA 723 Research and Analytical Methods
• Students who entered the program with a previous advisor-approved graduate-level research methods course must complete 8 credits of advisor-approved electives
• Seminar Courses:
• Complete 1 credit of WRS 793 Seminar in Water Resources
• Dissertation:

Careers:

Professional opportunities for graduates of the program are diverse, including but not limited to:

• Scientific and engineering consulting firms
• Private industries that deal with water
• Academic and research institutions
• Government sectors (e.g., United States Environmental Protection Agency, United States Agency for International Development, United States Department of Energy, United States Department of Defense, United States Geological Survey, state departments of health/environment, and cities and municipalities)
• Non-governmental organizations (e.g., Greenpeace, Sierra Club, Kenny Guinn Center for Policy Priorities)
• International organizations (e.g., World Bank, World Health Organization, United Nations Environment Program)