Sustainable management of freshwater resources is an increasingly important and complex challenge in Colorado and worldwide, and we need scientists who can address complex water issues. The watershed science program focuses on how water moves through the landscape, what factors affect its quality, and how to manage water resources. Students in the Ph.D. in Watershed Science program work closely with research scientists in the classroom, laboratory, and field on both basic and applied watershed science research. Students are exposed to cutting-edge field, data analysis, and modeling techniques through flexible programs of study and access to a breadth of water-related courses throughout the university. Students also have opportunities to participate in seminars and field courses.
The Ph.D. in Watershed Science requires 72 credits, most of which are research credits. Coursework includes in-depth classes in the student’s area of research, as well as classes that expand into other disciplines. Each student develops an individualized program of study with the guidance and approval of the student’s graduate committee. Students in the Ph.D. program develop new contributions to the literature of the watershed science discipline.
Students interested in graduate work should refer to the Graduate and Professional Bulletin.
Program Learning Objectives
Upon successful completion, students will have valuable skills in the following areas:
- Systems understanding: Identify and distinguish systems components and their interactions to explain, illustrate and analyze system understanding.
- Watershed science content and principals: Apply complex watershed science principals to complex problems to develop sustainable solutions.
- Problem solving: Work in teams and communicate effectively using a diverse set of analytical and applied tools.
- Interdisciplinary understanding: Work in an interdisciplinary environment and demonstrate respect for alternative points of view.
- Research: Contribute new research and understanding of watershed processes and issues to the published literature of the discipline.
Institutional Learning Objectives
How the Program Learning Objectives (PLOs) relate to CSU's Institutional Learning Objectives:
- Creativity: Through the development of new research, students will employ creative techniques including visual, verbal, and written strategies for analysis and communication.
- Reasoning: The Watershed PLOs of problem solving and systems understanding inherently involve reasoning through logical and analytical skills. Students identify and analyze problems as part of their independent research and synthesize the results in their final publications and dissertation.
- Communication: Students develop communication skills through the program’s course sequence, which includes classes that emphasize both written and oral presentation. They also gain experience with communication through attending professional meetings and through writing and presenting their final research.
- Responsibility: Students in the PhD program move from being participants in research into developing and guiding their own research. They engage in collaborations with others internal and external to CSU and practice applying principles of ethical research conduct throughout their studies.
- Collaboration: The research experience in the PhD program is a collaborative process with advisors and other collaborators. Students gain experience working with partners from different backgrounds and accounting for different perspectives in their research practice and products.
Effective Fall 2024
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Foundation Courses | ||
| GRAD 544 | Ethical Conduct of Research | 1 |
| Discussion Courses | ||
| Select at least 3 credits from the following: | 3 | |
| Advanced Snow Hydrology | ||
| Hillslope Hydrology and Runoff Processes | ||
| Quantitative Courses | ||
| Select at least 3 credits from the following: | 3 | |
| Environmental Data Science Applications: Introduction | ||
| Spatial Statistical Modeling-Natural Resources | ||
| Quantitative Spatial Analysis | ||
| Design and Data Analysis for Researchers I | ||
| Design and Data Analysis for Researchers II | ||
| Environmental Data Science Applications: Water Resources | ||
| Data Issues in Hydrology | ||
| Skill Courses | ||
| Select at least 3 credits from the following: | 3 | |
| Groundwater Modeling | ||
| Remote Sensing of the Earth System | ||
| Remote Sensing and Image Analysis | ||
| Concepts in GIS | ||
| Watershed Measurements | ||
| Water Quality Analyses | ||
| Modeling Watershed Hydrology | ||
| Snow Hydrology Field Methods | ||
| Depth and Breadth Courses | ||
| Select at least 6 credits from the following: | 6 | |
| Applied Advanced Water Resource Economics | ||
| River Mechanics | ||
| Physical Hydrology | ||
| Water Resources Planning and Management | ||
| River Restoration Design | ||
| Risk Analysis of Water/Environmental Systems | ||
| Quantitative Eco-Hydrology | ||
| Integrated Analysis of Coupled Water Issues | ||
| Principles of Ecosystem Sustainability | ||
| Global Climate Change | ||
| Biogeochemical Cycling in Ecosystems | ||
| Hydrogeology | ||
| Advanced Topics in Hydrogeology | ||
| Fluvial Geomorphology | ||
| Ecosystem Services--Theory and Practice | ||
| Wetland Ecology and Restoration | ||
| Water and Social Justice | ||
| Sociology of Water Resources | ||
| Micrometeorology | ||
| Soil-Plant-Nutrient Relationships | ||
| Terrestrial Ecosystems Isotope Ecology | ||
| Land Use Hydrology | ||
| Land Use and Water Quality | ||
| Watershed Management in Developing Countries | ||
| Water Resource Development | ||
| Water Law for Non-Lawyers | ||
| Research and Dissertation | ||
| WR 798 | Research | 2 |
| WR 799 | Dissertation | 2 |
| Additional Credits (A maximum of 30 credits may be accepted from a master's degree toward the Ph.D.) | 52 | |
| Program Total Credits: | 72 | |
A minimum of 72 credits are required to complete this program.
For more information, please visit Requirements for All Graduate Degrees in the Graduate and Professional Bulletin.
Summary of Procedures for the Master's and Doctoral Degrees
NOTE: Each semester the Graduate School publishes a schedule of deadlines. Deadlines are available on the Graduate School website. Students should consult this schedule whenever they approach important steps in their careers.
Forms are available online.
| Step | Due Date |
|---|---|
| 1. Application for admission (online) | Six months before first registration |
| 2. Diagnostic examination when required | Before first registration |
| 3. Appointment of advisor | Before first registration |
| 4. Selection of graduate committee | Before the time of fourth regular semester registration |
| 5. Filing of program of study (GS Form 6) | Before the time of fourth regular semester registration |
| 6. Preliminary examination (Ph.D. and PD) | Two terms prior to final examination |
| 7. Report of preliminary examination (GS Form 16) - (Ph.D. and PD) | Within two working days after results are known |
| 8. Changes in committee (GS Form 9A) | When change is made |
| 9. Application for Graduation (GS Form 25) | Refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School Website |
| 9a. Reapplication for Graduation (online) | Failure to graduate requires Reapplication for Graduation (online) for the next time term for which you are applying |
| 10. Submit thesis or dissertation to committee | At least two weeks prior to the examination or at the discretion of the graduate committee |
| 11. Final examination | Refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School Website |
| 12. Report of final examination (GS Form 24) | Within two working days after results are known; refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School website |
| 13. Submit a signed Thesis/Dissertation Submission Form (GS Form 30) to the Graduate School and Submit the Survey of Earned Doctorates (Ph.D. only) prior to submitting the electronic thesis/dissertation | Refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School website. |
| 14. Submit the thesis/dissertation electronically | Refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School website |
| 15. Graduation | Ceremony information is available from the Graduate School website |