Program
Details
EES students should keep in mind that they have two sets of
requirements to complete the program and their PhD:
(1) Departmental
Requirements
Departmental requirements must be satisfied to
receive the PhD degree.
Review the Ph.D. requirements for
the department
that will confer your degree
(Economics
or Bren School).
(2) EES program
requirements
EES requirements must be satisfied to continue
participating in EES activities
and, for IGERT
Fellows, to continue receiving IGERT financial support. The EES
requirements are distinct from the PhD degree
requirements of either
department.
General EES Philosophy vis-a-vis Program Requirements
The general philosophy of the EES program is to have few hard and fast requirements after the first year. At the beginning of your second year, you choose a faculty advisor from among the UCSB environmental economists. Your advisor and the rest of your research committee become the authority (in large part) in deciding what you should and should not do for your PhD program (in addition to department requirements).
Progress Reports and Deadlines
Students receiving EES fellowship support are required to file a progress report (there is a specific form) at the beginning of each year of support (excluding the first year). These progress reports are the basis for decisions regarding continuation of funding. Consequently, if a student is unable to meet the submission deadline, it is advisable to petition in advance for an extension of the deadline.
Course Load
EES students are expected to be full time students. The minimum load for graduate students, including those working 20 hours per week as teaching assistants, is 12 units per quarter. IGERT Fellows on fellowship support are expected to carry a heavier load than students with teaching assistantships or research assistantship.
Dissertation
The dissertation is the most important product of a student's PhD program and should be an original contribution to knowledge. Although the expectation is that a student's dissertation be a contribution to economics, the specific subject of the dissertation is a matter between the student and his or her PhD committee. Students should follow their passion in their PhD research and not feel constrained.
Students with Prior Graduate Preparation
We encourage students who have done relevant graduate work to accelerate through the program. This includes students with Masters degrees. However, these students must meet the economics preliminary exam requirement at UCSB.
Outside Employment
EES Fellows accepting compensation for other employment at UCSB or receiving other fellowships should report such income in advance to the EES office.
Fellows vs. Associates
Students participating in the EES program fall into two broad categories: those receiving NSF fellowship support (EES Fellows) and those without such support (EES Associates).
EES Program Requirements
The following are requirements for participation in the EES Training Program. Keep in mind that EES requirements are unrelated to the requirements of your department for the PhD. EES program requirements are relevant to continuing to receive EES fellowship support and other benefits of the EES program.
REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL STUDENTS
1. Research Rotations
During the first year, students undertake
a one quarter research mentorship with one of the environmental
economics faculty. Mentorships are assigned at the beginning of
fall quarter in the first year and are the result of matching student
interests and preferences with faculty programs. Register for ESM
596 or Econ 596.
2. Natural Science Focus
During their first year, students are expected to begin defining an
area of natural science in which they will establish competency.
Students will acquire a deep level of knowledge in their chosen focus
area, as well as a capability and appreciation for research. Specific
requirements are determined in consultation with a student's faculty
advisory committee and will depend on interests and objectives of the
student as
well as prior undergraduate and graduate training. Typically a student
will be involved in a mixture of formal classes, seminars, directed
readings, lab meetings and summer research. During the first
year, the goal is to choose an area; an advisor should be identified
prior to the beginning of the second year.
Students generally choose a focus in an area of natural science
consistent with the interests and expertise of the EES natural science
faculty. In the past, the most common areas have been applied
ecology, climate, hydrology and marine science. However, students
may define their own specialization with advice from their committees.
The main criterion is that the specialization be a true natural
science, generally experimentally based. Students should feel free to
affiliate with any of the EES natural science faculty. Students would
then
construct a program of study that establishes advanced training in some
area of natural science reflected by the interests of their natural
science faculty mentor. That natural science mentor may logically
be included on the student's PhD committee.
3. Ethics Class
NSF requires students to take a class in ethics prior to completion of
their PhD.
4. Environmental Economics Coursework
All EES students are
required to take the 3 course graduate sequence in environmental and
natural resource economics, as defined by the Department of Economics
as the set of field courses in environmental and natural resource
economics.
5. Seminar in Cross-disciplinary approaches to Economics
and Environmental Science.
Students are required to enroll in ESM 595EE during the first quarter
of their first year.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS, DEPENDING ON YOUR DEPARTMENT
Economics Department PhD Students
The only additional requirement for Economics PhD students is that they choose a research committee by the beginning of their second year. This consists of, at a minimum, a research advisor from among the environmental economists at UCSB. Preferably, it also includes your natural science mentor.
Bren School PhD Students
1. Pass
Preliminary Exam in Microeconomics and Quantitative Methods Prior to
Second Year. Bren students should plan on sitting for
the Department of Economics Preliminary exams in these two areas in
June of their first year. Students must receive a "PhD Pass" or
better. One retake of either or both exams in the September
following is permitted. In preparation for these exams, students
should take the seven course sequence Econ 210ABCD and 241ABC.
Achieving an A- grade or better in each of these seven courses (on the
first sitting) is sufficient to waive the requirement to take the
preliminary exam.
2. Specialize in a Second Field of Economics.
All students must establish proficiency in the field of Environmental
and Resource Economics. Most EES students
will also establish proficiency in a second field of economics.
Requirements for
establishing proficiency (also called "qualifying") in a field of
economics are
defined by the Department
of Economics but usually entail doing well in a series of 2-3
specified courses.
Alternatively, students may design a custom field, adapted to
his or her special interests and needs. A custom field of
study typically meets three criteria: (1) there is a significant body
of economic literature in
the field; (2) the field is sufficiently broad to be recognizable as
a field for teaching or research; and (3) PhD-level coursework in
support of the field is offered.
SELECTED OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR EES STUDENTS
1. Envrionmental Science Summer Research
During the first or
second summer of the program (in some cases, other periods of time may
be
appropriate), students are encouraged to become involved in a natural
science research project in the area of their natural science emphasis.
Students must take the initiative in contacting a faculty member and
developing a research plan. The objective of the summer experience is
for students
to gain an appreciation for how research is conceptualized and
conducted in
their chosen focus area by participating in a research project as a
researcher.
The student is not intended simply to be an uninvolved assistant but
someone
who is engaging at a real level with the research (though probably not
as a
research leader).
**The student research experience is not intended to include an
economics component but rather to
instill natural science research
experience and understanding. However,
research closely related to
issues with
policy relevance is more desirable than research
that is distant from
policy.
Some research projects may suggest a natural follow-on
related to
economics or
policy; such research would also be particularly attractive. EES
fellows may receive a stipend for one such summer.
2. Summer Policy internships
A critical part of being a researcher in an applied area such as
environmental economics is understanding the policy context for the
research. Too often academic researchers are disconnected from the
ultimate users of their research in solving environmental problems.
That is why EES students are encouraged to undertake a summer internship experience
related to environmental policy formation and implementation. Given
that students will all too quickly become involved in full-time
research, the first or second summer are obvious choices for this
policy experience. Students should keep in mind, however, the early
September retake dates for the economics preliminary exams. EES
fellows may receive a stipend for one such summer.
3. Seminars
A large number of seminars are offered and are highly appropriate to
the EES Program. The following seminars can be repeated.
The two marked with an asterisk are highly recommended to EES
students:
*
ESM 595SS: Multidisciplinary Seminar in Environmental Science and
Management
* ESM 595CC:
Multidisciplinary Speaker Series in Environmental
Science & Management
Econ 594ER: Workshop in
Environmental and Resource Economics
Natural Science Seminars:
in a variety of fields of environmental
science
4. Empirical Research Paper
One of the unique
features of the EES program is the opportunity to produce an original
empirical research paper of publishable quality. Some (but not
all) faculty require this of their students. The paper is
typically
prepared in the third year and is appropriate for an environmental
economics journal.
Sample
Set of Coursework for Environmental Economics Emphasis
Year 1:
- Seven course core sequence in
economic theory and
econometrics (Econ 210ABCD; Econ 241ABC)
- Research Rotation with Environmental Economics Faculty Member
- A course or directed reading with one of the EES natural science
faculty members
- One or more electives (natural science, macro or other)
- EES Cross-disciplinary seminar (ESM 595EE)
- Preliminary Exam in Micro and Econometrics
Summer after Year 1: Natural Science Research Experience or
Policy
Internship (optional)
Year 2:
- Natural Resource and Environmental Economics Sequence (3 courses)
- An additional field in economics (2-3 courses)
- Coursework and directed reading in chosen area of natural science
- Cross-disciplinary seminar (ESM 595SS)
- Environmental Economics Seminar (Econ 594ER) - Fall and Spring
Summer after Year 2: Natural Science Research Experience or
Policy
Internship (optional)
Year 3:
- Ethics Class
- 1-2 macroeconomics classes
- Qualifying Exam
- Original empirical economics research paper
- EES Cross-disciplinary seminar (ESM 595EE)
- Environmental Economics seminar (Econ 594ER)
- Dissertation Proposal and Defense
Years 4 & 5
- Dissertation Research
- Environmental Economics seminar (Econ 594ER)