Environmental Social Science

Many people who care deeply about the environment continue to engage in harmful practices that degrade environments and produce an increasingly precarious way of life. If we are to address these contradictions, we must understand the social dynamics that are at the root of human-environmental interactions.

The Ph.D. program in environmental social science at ASU is one of the few programs nationally that focuses on the social dynamics of environmental issues. The program combines the insights, methods and theories of various disciplines, including planning, geography, anthropology, sociology and political economy, while focusing on a series of environmental-related topics.

Students prepare to contribute professionally to environmental social science through positions in research, policy leadership and education. Admission requirements include a bachelor's degree and training that combines some depth of understanding in the social sciences and awareness of and interest in a relevant scientific field. While the program is housed within the School of Human Evolution and Social Change, it involves more than 30 faculty from numerous schools, centers and departments across the university. Students work closely with their committee to develop a curriculum appropriate to their chosen interests and career goals. Coursework for the degree is focused on developing real-world skills and a solid grasp of complex concepts.

An urbanism concentration is available in this degree program.

A complex adaptive systems science concentration is available in this degree program.

Bob Bolin
