Environmental Science and Management (PhD)

Successful applicants must have a bachelors degree from an accredited institution with an undergraduate grade point average of at least 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale and/or a masters degree with a graduate grade point average of at least 3.3 or higher on a 4.0 scale. Applicants with non-U.S. degrees, please visit the International Applicants page to review the U.S. degree equivalency information. Prospective students are strongly encouraged to contact possible research advisors and research projects prior to submitting an application and solicit letters of reference from university faculty who can specifically address your potential to conduct doctoral-level research.

In order to make applying for graduate school as seamless as possible for you, we have
created an application checklist. This checklist can be a reference point for you during the
application process to ensure that you have a comprehensive understanding of the steps
needed to apply, as well as all corresponding supplemental materials for your specific
program of interest.

• Application Deadline: Fall Admission Only: December 15th

Complete applications will be reviewed in December and January. Interviews for select candidates will be scheduled in February. Admission decisions (accepted, waitlisted, declined) will be sent shortly after interviews. Candidates who receive an accepted decision have until April 15th to respond to the university with their decision. After April 15th, unfilled positions may potentially be offered to those who were waitlisted.

Please note: Upon offer of admission, you will be required to submit an enrollment deposit which will be used towards your first semester’s tuition. To review the amount of the required enrollment deposit, please review our Graduate Student Enrollment Deposit webpage.

• Submit Online Application: Please create your online account and submit your application by following the general application instructions and pay (or waive) the non-refundable $60 application fee. Once this step has been completed, the online portal will allow you to upload your supplemental materials.

The following is a list of the supplemental materials that will accompany your application for the Environmental Science and Management (PhD) program:

• Transcript: One from each college attended.
• Essays/Personal Statement: Two.
  • General Statement of Purpose: A strong personal statement will highlight your academic background, research experience, specific interests, and career goals. You should explain your motivation for pursuing a PhD and describe your readiness for doctoral research (2 page maximum)
  • General Statement of Research/Inquiry: Your research statement should describe your general research interests, propose future research directions, and explain how these align with the program’s strengths and faculty expertise. The statement should highlight the significance of the work and its potential impact on the field. The essay should include a list of faculty members with whom you have communicated and who are willing to serve as your research advisor (2 page maximum).

• Resume: Required. Please include publications, professional reports, and professional presentations.
• Letters of Recommendation: Three required. These letters should be from university faculty or professional supervisors who can attest to your potential for success in doctoral level research and coursework.
• Standardized Test Scores: GRE Not Required. Applicants have the option of submitting GRE scores. Any applicant voluntarily choosing to do so should select Montclair State University as the receiving institution on their score report.
• Applicants with non-U.S. degrees, please visit the International Applicants page to review the US degree equivalency information.

Our program consists of 72 credits, evenly distributed between coursework and research. Please note that as the Montclair State University faculty grows, new expertise and new courses are constantly developed and added to our extensive list of electives. For more information, please visit the Environmental Science and Management (PhD) program listing in the University Catalog.

If you have any general questions regarding the application process and requirements, please email or call us:
Office of Graduate Admissions
Email: graduate@montclair.edu
Telephone: 973-655-5147
Fax: 973-655-7869

If you have specific inquiries regarding your program of interest, please contact the Environmental Science and Management (PhD) Program Coordinator:

*During the summer months, there will be a rotating department chair available to answer your inquiry. Find the updated summer chair for this program.*

Program Director: Dr. Matthew Schuler
Email: schulerm@montclair.edu
Telephone: 973-655-7191