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Frequently Asked Questions
IPER offers two degree options: 1) Doctorate in Environment and Resources (PhD); 2) Masters of Science in Environment and Resources (MS). To be eligible to apply for the MS degree, you must be currently enrolled in one of the following: Stanford Graduate School of Business, Stanford Law School or the Stanford School of Medicine. There is no stand-along MS degree program and the dual/joint MS degree with Stanford’s professional schools is not a pathway for entering the PhD program.
PHD in Environment and Resources FAQs
MS in Environment and Resources FAQs
PHD in Environment and Resources FAQs
Eligibility
1) Do I have to hold a Masters degree to be eligible to apply for the PhD?
No, all individuals who hold a U.S. bachelors degree or its equivalent from a college or university of recognized standing are eligible to apply for admission to Stanford graduate degree programs. However, many of our successful applicants have a Masters degree and/or professional work experience.
2) Are there course prerequisites for application to the IPER PhD?
Though IPER has no course prerequisites for application purposes, it is expected that students will enter the program with foundational quantitative skills. These skills can certainly be obtained through IPER coursework as long as students understand that this may extend the length of their program. Additionally, the strongest candidates will be able to demonstrate coursework, experience or research in multiple disciplines including physical, biological and social sciences. Further, the admissions committee would hope to see some coursework or practical experience in the applicant's areas of proposed research.
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Time to Degree
1) How long will it take to complete the PhD in Environment and Resources?
As IPER is very flexible and individualized, the duration of the program is anticipated to be 5 years. Earning a PhD includes the completion of 135 units.
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Application Process
1) Which code do I send GRE scores to?
Scores should be sent officially to Stanford code 4704. IPER does not use a departmental code.
2) Must I apply using the electronic application and how early can I apply?
If you are unable to apply online, you may request a paper application from Stanford Graduate Admissions. You must do so in writing (no phone calls or e-mails), and your request must include a statement explaining why you are unable to use the online application. CLICK HERE for instructions.
When you initiate an electronic application, it will remain active until May 31 following the application deadline. After this date, the system will be taken down until mid-September. If you initiate an application during the window of time after the published application deadline and before June 1, it will be lost when the system is taken down. Applicants for the 2009-20010 academic year will not be able to create and submit an application until September 2008. Note: all dates are subject to change annually
3) What is the application deadline for the IPER PhD degree program? Are there autumn and spring deadlines?
IPER has only one acceptance cycle for the PhD program: spring admission notification for autumn matriculation. The application deadline for the PhD program is generally near the end of November; specific dates will be posted here annually.
4) Can I apply to more than (1) one Stanford graduate program per year?
Stanford policy allows applicants to apply for only (1) one graduate program per year. However, if the department reviewing your application feels you are better suited to another program, they can opt to transfer your file to another department if you authorize this action on your application. You must contact both departments/programs to specifically request this action. Although IPER makes every effort to accommodate such requests, it is not always possible.
5) Are there any Stanford sponsored programs that promote or support minority applications to graduate programs?
Stanford participates in a program called Project 1000, which is designed to help minority students apply to graduate programs. Project 1000 pays for the application and test fees. You send your application file to Project 1000, which then distributes it to participating Universities. However, should you apply to IPER through Project 1000, you must send another essay directly to IPER in which you discuss specifically why you want to pursue an interdisciplinary PhD, why you want to do it at Stanford, and how your research interests relate. Visit the Project 1000 website for more information. Please note that all communication regarding applying through Project 1000 should be done through an assigned Project 1000 coordinator.
6) What is the required length of the Statement of Purpose portion of the application? Should I submit a thesis proposal as well?
The Statement of Purpose should be approximately (2) pages. Your research topic should be identified in your personal statement; a separate document is not necessary. See our Application Process section for additional content information.
7) Is there a place on the application where I can explain extenuating circumstances?
There is an Additional Information section in which you can explain the circumstances of an incomplete class, low grade, or low score component.
8) Should I contact the faculty with whom I am interested in working prior to application submission?
While applicants are welcome to contact Stanford faculty members of interest, we ask that applicants first become familiar with faculty research projects via their websites and published works [the Woods Institute for the Environment's Faculty Database is a great resource]. Because applicants are not required to secure an advisor for application purposes, a faculty member may not respond to an inquiry at this early stage. This should not discourage one from applying. Applicants who proceed to the next round will be invited to Stanford in February to meet with potential advisors and current students to discuss research interests and collaborations. Please note that the IPER program does not arrange meetings prior to this event.
9) Do recommenders send letters to IPER or is this done electronically?
Either option is acceptable, but when possible, electronic submission is STRONGLY preferred. Three letters of recommendation must be received by the application deadline. If submitting electronically, your recommenders will do so through the online application system that you use to apply. When you have logged in to your application, the left side of your screen lists links to all application sections. Click "Recommendations" for detailed instructions. When you enter and save the name/contact information of the recommenders, an e-mail with instructions and a PIN will be sent to each designee. If this is a problem, your recommenders can send letters directly to the IPER. You can download a PDF of the recommender form by selecting, "Downloadable Forms" from the same list of links from which you selected “Recommendations.” Ask your recommenders to seal and sign the back of the envelope. Or, you can collect them and send them as a packet as long as they are sealed and the back is signed by the recommender.
Send to:
Danielle Nelson
IPER
Yang and Yamazaki Environment and Energy Building-4210
473 Via Ortega
Stanford University
Stanford, CA, 94305
10) Who should submit letters of recommendation on my behalf?
It is required by the University that at least one of the recommenders be a faculty member at the last school you attended as a full-time student unless you have been out of school for more than five years. Substitutions for faculty recommendations may include work associates or others who can comment on your potential for graduate work. It is advised by IPER that at least two letters of recommendation come from academic sources.
11) I applied to IPER last year and was not admitted; however I am applying again this year. Do I need to resubmit all application materials and am I required to pay the application fee?
You are required to complete the online application again, which does incur the application fee. Your application must include a revised Statement of Purpose. IPER will reuse your transcripts, and Letters of Recommendation if you wish, however, if any changes to these documents attest to your improved suitability to the program, they should be resubmitted. You must also arrange for ETS to resend all test scores to the Stanford general code 4704.
12) How do I submit the transcript portion of my application?
See our Application Process section for instructions.
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Test Requirements
1) When should I take the GRE and TOEFL?
GRE and TOEFL (if applicable) scores must be RECEIVED by IPER's annual early December application deadline (specific date posted here) to be considered as part of the application. It is strongly advised that you take both exams by the September prior to the December deadline to ensure that ETS is able to transmit your scores by the deadline. GRE scores must be from an exam taken within 5 years and TOEFL scores must be from an exam taken within 18 months of applying. ETS must transmit scores by the 5-year or 18-month expiration date, sometime between June 1 of the application year and the application deadline.
2) Are there any exceptions to the GRE requirement for applicants to the PhD program?
GRE scores are required for all doctoral applicants, no exceptions. Although test scores are not the determining factor, they are considered as part of the application packet. GRE scores must be from an exam taken within 5 years of applying. IPER will accept both CBT (Computer Based Test) and PBT (Paper based Test) formats.
3) Is there a minimum GRE score requirement?
There is no score requirement. Applications are reviewed comprehensively, and other areas of particular strength can in some cases outweigh a relatively weaker GRE component. However given the competitiveness of IPER admissions, an all-around exceptional application, including GRE scores as a factor, is expected.
4) Are there any exemptions to the TOEFL requirement?
Applicants who hold a bachelor’s degree or a two-year master’s degree from an accredited English speaking university are exempted from the TOEFL requirement. If you believe you are eligible for an exemption, send a request to gradadmissions@stanford.edu. If approved, Graduate Admissions will instruct you on how to communicate the exemption on your electronic application. For those required to take the TOEFL, a score of at least 600 on the paper-based, 250 on the computer-based or 100 on the internet-based TOEFL is expected in order to begin graduate studies. ETS must transmit scores by the 18-month expiration date, sometime between June 1 of the application year and the application deadline.
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Financial
1) Does Stanford offer any financial aid?
Ph.D. students are offered an IPER fellowship which covers tuition and a living stipend. However, IPER students are required to seek external funding beginning in their first year. The majority of our students have been successful is securing some form of external funding through their advisors, private foundations, University awards or government fellowship programs.
2) Are international students eligible for an IPER Fellowship?
Yes, all IPER students are eligible for the IPER Fellowship regardless of their citizenship. However, there are several fellowship programs, which fund international students to study in the U.S. Some of these programs are listed on the IPER website under Application Resources.
3) How do I go about requesting an IPER Fellowship and are supporting documents required?
On the electronic application, indicate "yes" to the question, “Are you applying for financial aid from Stanford University?” Supporting documents such as a FAFSA form are not required.
Additional questions? Contact IPER's Assistant Director, Danielle Nelson
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MS in Environment and Resources FAQs
Eligibility
1) Are there course prerequisites for application to the IPER MS?
Though IPER has no specific course prerequisites for application purposes, it is expected that students will enter the program with foundational quantitative skills. These skills can certainly be obtained through IPER coursework as long as students understand that this may extend the length of their program. Additionally, it is expected that most students will complete IPER 335: Environmental Science for Managers and Policy-Makers during the winter quarter of their first year in the professional degree program, prior to submitting an application to IPER.
2) What is the difference between dual and joint masters degrees and which I am eligible to apply for?
A dual degree configuration requires that both degrees be completed in their entirety and that no course can be counted toward both degrees. A joint degree configuration allows for a more coordinated curriculum, whereby certain courses can count toward both degrees, thus reducing the total number of units required to obtain both degrees. Please note that in the joint degree configuration, both degrees are conferred simultaneously. Currently, the MS/MBA and the MS/JD can be completed as a joint degree. IPER is following University procedures for establishing a joint degree option with the School of Medicine, however, for Academic Year 08-09, a dual MS/MD degree is the only option.
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Time to Degree
1) How long will it take to complete the MS in Environment and Resources?
As IPER is very flexible and individualized, the duration of the program varies by type of degree (dual or joint MS) and the correlating professional degree (MBA, JD or MD). The table below shows the anticipated time for a student to achieve both degrees:
|
MS/MBA |
MS/JD |
MS/MD |
DUAL |
N/A |
N/A |
5 yrs. |
JOINT |
2 yrs plus 2 qtrs. |
3 yrs |
N/A |
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Application Process
1)
What is the application deadline for MS in Environment and Resources degree program?
For students beginning at Stanford in the 2008-2009 academic year (or in exceptional cases, second year professional school students), it is anticipated that the application deadline will be in the middle of the spring quarter 08-09.
2) Is there an application fee associated with applying for the IPER MS?
There is no application fee, but please note that all admitted MS students are required to submit a Graduate Program Authorization Petition to activate simultaneous degree programs. Students will be assessed a $50 fee by the Office of the Registrar to process this form.
3)
What is the required length of the Statement of Purpose portion of the application?
The Statement of Purpose should be approximately (2) pages. See our Application Process section for additional content information.
4) Should I contact potential advisors during the application process?
IPER MS students are advised jointly by faculty from their professional school and from IPER (minimally, one from each is required). While you are asked to identify potential advisors in the application materials, you do not need to secure an endorsement for application purposes. You are welcome to contact potential IPER advisors during the application process but we ask that you first become familiar with faculty via their websites and published works [the Woods Institute for the Environment's Faculty Database is an excellent resource as is IPER’s Affiliated Faculty page]. Once admitted to a Stanford professional school, you are encouraged to speak with your advisor about your interest in IPER.
5)
How are letters of recommendation submitted to IPER and can they be the same letters that supported my professional degree application?
As part of the IPER application, we require a complete photocopy of your professional degree application which will (if permitted) include your letters of recommendation. In addition, IPER requires one new letter of recommendation from a Stanford faculty member. This letter can be submitted by the recommender directly or can be submitted as part of your complete packet provided the letter is contained in an envelope sealed and signed by the recommender. See our Application Process section for specific submission instructions.
6) Does IPER require official transcripts, including one from my professional degree program?
IPER requires transcripts from all postsecondary institutions you have attended for at least one year as a full-time student, including your professional degree program. However, they do not have to be official. Your professional degree program transcript may be downloaded from AXESS. All other transcripts should be submitted as a component of the required copy of your professional school application.
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Test Requirements
1) If I am currently enrolled in one of Stanford’s professional schools, am I still required to take the GRE to apply to the IPER MS program?
The GRE is recommended, but not necessarily required. You can demonstrate your quantitative aptitude by submitting transcripts, other standardized test scores, etc. However, should this documentation fail to demonstrate your quantitative capability to the review committee, you will be required to submit GRE scores. You are required to submit a copy of your professional school application, which must include LSAT, MCAT, or GMAT scores, as applicable.
2) Is there a minimum score requirement on the GRE or any standardized exams?
There is no specific score requirement, however, IPER is a highly competitive program and exceptional scores in all components are expected.
3) Are there any exemptions to the TOEFL requirement?
If you were required to submit TOEFL scores as part of your application to your professional school, please ensure a copy of the score report is included in your IPER application packet. Applicants who hold a bachelor’s degree or a two-year master’s degree from an accredited English speaking university are exempted from the TOEFL requirement. For those required to take the TOEFL, a score of at least 600 on the paper-based, 250 on the computer-based or 100 on the internet-based TOEFL is expected in order to begin graduate studies. ETS must have originally transmitted your TOEFL scores to Stanford within 18-months of the exam date to be valid for your IPER application.
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Financial
1) Is there funding available for MS students?
MS students are not eligible for program funding for tuition or stipend through IPER at this time. They are encouraged to seek available funding through their professional schools and/or sources outside Stanford.
Additional questions? Contact IPER's Assistant Director, Danielle Nelson
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