Ph.D. in Environmental Science and Engineering (EnSE) King Abdullah University of Science and Technology

The Environmental Science and Engineering Program (EnSE) prepares students to work on many of the world’s most pressing challenges. There is a worldwide concern with the availability of clean water; EnSE examines methods to purify and reuse water, as well as to reduce contamination of existing reserves. The focus of the program is on examining the impact of humans on our environment through resource exploitation; including over-consumption, land degradation, and pollution of water. The results of these efforts may offer solutions to water scarcity, soil contamination.

This program comprises four tracks: Water Quality, Chemistry, and Treatment; Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology; Environmental Hydrology and Fluid Mechanics; and Materials for Environmental Science and Engineering. Students entering the program enroll in a set of core courses and then take specialty courses in one of the three major tracks. The remaining courses are technical electives. The three tracks together cover the most important areas in Environmental Science and Engineering, and the core-plus specialty courses and electives will equip a student for a successful and productive career in these fields.

Ph.D. Degree

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree is designed to prepare students for research careers in academia and industry. It is offered exclusively as a full-time program.

There is a minimum residency requirement at KAUST of 3.5 years for students entering with a B.S. degree and 2.5 years for students entering with an M.S. degree. A minimum GPA of 3.0 must be achieved on all Doctoral coursework. Individual courses require a minimum of a B- to earn course credit.

The Ph.D. degree includes the following steps:

• Securing a Dissertation Advisor

• Successful completion of program coursework

• Passing the Qualifying Examination

• Passing the Dissertation Proposal Defense to obtain candidacy status

• Preparing, submitting and successfully defending a Doctoral dissertation

Internships and Visiting Opportunities available here.