Doctor of Philosophy in Earth System Science

Global change is one of the greatest challenges to sustainability in the 21st century. Earth System Science PhD students join the global scientific community in its effort to define the causes and impacts of climate and other environmental changes and to develop effective solutions for a sustainable future.

Students gain a perspective of the Earth as a coupled system, involving the atmosphere, ocean, land, cryosphere, and humanity, and develop critical research skills. With hands-on training in remote sensing, data analysis, modeling, and science communication, they acquire and hone the know-how for a successful STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) career. Advanced course work in oceanography, atmospheric chemistry and dynamics, biogeochemistry, ecology, and human systems presents students with the breadth of current research.

Dedicated expert faculty and research staff, state-of-the-art research instrumentation, and a commitment to team science provide an environment for a diverse student population to thrive, to conduct groundbreaking research, and to become the researchers, educators, and leaders of tomorrow.

Students with undergraduate degrees in physics, chemistry, engineering, mathematics, computer science, biology, ecology and any field of geophysical or environmental science, including atmospheric science, oceanography, geophysics, and geology are encouraged to apply. The general background expected of incoming graduate students includes:
Undergraduate courses in calculus, linear algebra, and differential equations.
One-year sequences of undergraduate physics (calculus based) and chemistry.
Students with undergraduate degrees in other fields are invited to apply, provided they meet the general background standards listed above. Undergraduate courses in atmospheric science, oceanography, and biology are useful but not required as part of the undergraduate background. Students who are unsure if their academic background or training matches the profile described above are encouraged to contact potential advisors.
Letters of Recommendation Three letters of recommendation are required.
Transcripts: For application review purposes only, scan and upload copies of transcripts for all institutions attended since high school. In the online application, you will be prompted to upload your scanned documents. Please upload both the front and back sides of the transcript. Uploaded transcripts should be recent and include the following: your name, dates of attendance, grades/marks received, credits and grading legend. UCI reserves the right to require official transcripts at any time during the admission process, and rescind any offer of admission made if discrepancies between uploaded and official transcript(s) are found. Official transcripts will be requested if and when you are admitted and decide to attend UCI. Do not send official transcripts until this time, unless you are requested to do so.
Supplemental Materials: Some programs require submission of additional materials, please contact your program of interest to determine if any additional materials are required.
TOEFL iBT minimum score of 80
IELTS - An overall minimum score of 7.0 for admission, with a score of no less than 6.0 on any individual module.
Have a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0