Bulletin
Full polices can be found in the BU Bulletin, and students are responsible for being familiar with them.
Registration
Class Registration (Fall and Spring)
Discuss your course selection with your advisor, and, with permissions provided by the Graduate Program Coordinator, register at MyBU Student. PhD students typically take between two and three courses (8-12 credits) per semester until all course requirements are fulfilled. It is permissible to take fewer than 8 or 12 credits upon conferring with your advisor. For example, the courses that you need may not be offered in each semester, or you may have extensive field work which precludes a substantial course load.
Continuing Study
Complete this form, being sure to check the box next to Continuing Study, and send it to the Graduate Program Coordinator.
Certified Full-time
Register for those one or two classes you intend to take as instructed above. Complete this form, being sure to check the box next to Certified Full-time and to write in the number of credits you will be taking, and send it to the Graduate Program Coordinator.
Directed Studies
Directed study or independent study courses can be taken either for course credit, if completing an assignment, or for research credit, if only completing research for your advisor. Email the Graduate Program Coordinator with the title and course number of the directed study, the instructor’s name who will be supervising, and the number of credits (variable but usually 4) that you wish the course to count for.
- GRS EE 910 Topics in Regional Geography
- GRS EE 911, 912 Geomorphology & Hydrogeology
- GRS EE 913, 914 Environmental & Urban Geology
- GRS EE 923 Problems in Atmospheric Chemistry
- GRS EE 929, 930 Problems in Climatology
- GRS EE 933, 934 Problems in GIS
- GRS EE 937, 938 Problems in Remote Sensing
- GRS EE 941, 942 Coastal & Marine Geology
- GRS EE 943, 944 Problems in Political Geography
- GRS EE 947, 948 Problems in Energy
- GRS EE 953, 954 Problems in Cultural Geography
- GRS EE 957, 958 Problems in Economical Geography
- GRS EE 966 Problems in Urban Geography
- GRS EE 971, 972 Geochemistry
- GRS EE 991, 992 Problems in Physical Geography
- GRS EE 995, 996 Problems in the Environment
Tuition Note
The Graduate School’s five-year funding guarantee includes tuition. However, only courses related directly to the PhD education are included. Students will be responsible for the tuition for any course beyond these parameters, including PDP (physical education) courses. In certain limited instances, students may petition the Graduate School for courses that are connected more tangentially, including undergraduate courses for remedial education, languages courses, or other courses outside degree requirements. To review the full policy, see Tuition Scholarships.
Advising
The authority on degree requirements is the BU Bulletin. The following information is pulled from this publication. The handbook is not intended to be a replacement for the Bulletin, but rather a supplement that clarifies and extends the Bulletin’s information base.
Advisors and Protocommittees
During the application process you will likely have identified a potential advisor or advisors. You will also be assigned a “protocommittee” during your first year, as part of advising in the Department. Committee membership will comprise the primary advisor and three additional Department faculty members whose research is similar to your own research interests. The expectation for protocommittees is that students will meet with the identified faculty members at to discuss their research interests and longer-term academic plan.
Throughout your tenure at BU, it’s likely your committee membership will evolve. Your protocommittees, qualifying exam committee, and dissertation committees will not be identical.
If you find that it is necessary to change primary advisors during your academic career in the Department, please consult with the GPC and/or the DGS.
Students must complete 64 credits at the graduate level (500-level or above). A minimum of 16 credits at the 500-800 level must be completed at BU or at the equivalent level at other institutions after matriculation in the PhD program. Appropriate coursework will be determined in consultation with the student’s major advisor and dissertation committee. All courses taken at BU or elsewhere must be completed with a grade of B- or higher. (The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences considers all grades of C+ and below as failing.) Receipt of 8 or more credits of failing grades results in automatic dismissal from the Graduate School. Incomplete grades must be resolved within one year, at which time the grade will be converted to the final grade indicated on the I Grade Report form, or “F” if no grade is indicated. For full policies regarding grades and course credits, visit https://www.bu.edu/academics/grs/policies/grades-and-course-credits/.
Satisfactory Academic Progress
Graduate students in the Department of Earth & Environment are required to make “Satisfactory Academic Progress” as defined by the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences (https://www.bu.edu/academics/grs/policies/failing-grades/). Students who are at risk of failing to make Satisfactory Academic Progress will be placed on Academic Probation in accordance with this policy. The Department of Earth & Environment defines an “at-risk student” as one who has earned a non-credit grade (below at a B-) in two or more courses or has received incomplete grades in two or more courses over two consecutive semesters. An at-risk student will be notified of their probationary status by their academic adviser, Department Chair, or the Director of Graduate Studies. The Academic Probation notice will include a statement of the reason for the probationary status, criteria for the cessation of probationary status that provide an opportunity for improvement, and appropriate deadlines for meeting these criteria. Students on academic probation are required to meet with their faculty advisor and develop a written plan that specifies the necessary steps to ensure academic progress.
Transfer Credits
Students with prior graduate coursework may transfer up to 32 credits towards the PhD requirements. Degree relevance is determined by GRS and the Department’s Director of Graduate Studies. To begin the process, the Graduate Program Coordinator. See https://www.bu.edu/cas/current-students/phd-mfa-students/transfer-credits/.
Non-Terminal MA Degree in Earth and Environment for PhD Students
The Earth and Environment faculty have voted in favor of adopting a policy that allows E&E PhD students to receive a non-terminal Master of Arts (MA) degree in Earth and Environment while progressing towards their PhD. This decision was made following a survey conducted by the Graduate Student Association (GSA), which indicated strong support among PhD students.
-Eligibility Criteria
PhD students will qualify for the non-terminal MA if they meet the following conditions:
- Successful completion of the PhD qualifying exam.
- Fulfillment of the MA coursework requirements outlined below.
-Coursework Requirements
To be eligible for the non-terminal MA, students must complete 32 graduate-level credits, subject to the following conditions:
- A maximum of 12 credits of 900-level Directed Study may be applied towards a BU Master’s degree. This typically requires students to complete five regular 4-credit courses at the 500-800 level.
- A maximum of 8 of the 32 credits may be transferred from another university, but only if those credits were not used to satisfy another degree.
The 32 graduate credits applied toward the non-terminal MA will also count towards the 64-credit requirement for the PhD, meaning that opting for the MA does not delay or penalize students in their PhD progress.
-Considerations for Students with Prior MA Degrees
PhD students who previously earned a Master’s degree before enrolling at BU are unlikely to qualify for a non-terminal BU MA. According to Graduate School of Arts & Sciences (GRS) policy, students earning both an MA and PhD within the same program must complete at least 48 of the required 64 credits at BU. Since most students transfer more than 16 credits from their prior MA towards their PhD, they may not meet this 48-credit requirement at BU.
-Application Process
Students who have fulfilled the requirements for the non-terminal MA may apply for graduation by completing the GRS “Master’s Intent to Graduate” form. This policy applies both to students who have yet to take their PhD qualifying exam and to those who passed the exam in previous years (provided they have not yet completed the PhD).
The Master’s Intent to Graduate form can be found at the following link: Master Intent to Graduate Form
Professional Development
The professional development requirement ensures that students are well prepared for academic research at BU and for pursuing their ultimate careers. The requirement may be satisfied through co-curricular activities sponsored by the University; professional or community organizations; or through activities approved by the student’s dissertation committee.
Residency and Time Limit
PhD candidates must satisfy a residency requirement of at least two consecutive regular semesters of full-time study at the University. PhD degrees must be completed within seven years after the first registration for that degree, except for periods of authorized leave of absence. In addition, a full-time or certified full-time PhD student who is in good academic standing and who becomes the primary caregiver of an infant or adopted child will receive a one-year extension of their approved time to degree. Extension of these time limits requires submission of a Petition for Extension of Time to Complete PhD Requirements. Funding cannot be guaranteed after the fifth year; the Department will do its best to support students as able, provided students are making sufficient progress toward the degree.
Affiliated Programs
Certificate in Biogeoscience
The Boston University Biogeoscience Program is a community of students, postdocs, and faculty whose research interests converge at the boundaries of traditional natural science disciplines. The program emphasizes interdisciplinary research and coursework, focusing on the biogeochemistry and biogeophysics of natural and managed ecosystems, with faculty and students drawn from the Departments of Biology and Earth & Environment.
For more information about the program and guidance on how to apply, prospective students are encouraged to read about our Certificate Program and to contact Professor Lucy Hutyra (lrhutyra@bu.edu), Director of the Biogeoscience Program. Students will need to submit the Program Application to commence the program, and a Certificate Program Completion Form to receive a certificate and have it marked on your transcript as complete.
Program in Biogeoscience & Environmental Health (BU URBAN)
The BU Urban graduate program is a newly NSF-funded PhD traineeship program that bridges the study of Biogeoscience, Environmental Health and Statistics to address contemporary and future urban environmental challenges. The emphasis of the program lies in interdisciplinary training of PhD with coursework in Biogeoscience and Environmental Health, as well as data analysis, field research methods, and city governance that draw from various departments of the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Public Health.
For more information about the program, guidance on how to apply, and other inquiries, please visit the BU Urban homepage. For any other questions please contact Pamela Templer, Director of the BU Urban Program, or Heather Ho, Manager of the BU Urban Program.