A minimum 3.0/4.0 GPA and excellent GRE scores (top tiers in all categories) are our general qualification criterion for admission. However, we take all aspects of an application into consideration. This means that the strength of letters of recommendation and statement of purpose, as well as the GRE scores and GPA, will be part of the overall consideration.

Students pursuing advanced degrees focus their course work and research in:
Environmental Materials & Materials Durability
Nuclear Environmental Engineering
Resilience & Sustainability
Water Resources, Quality, & Treatment
The master of science (M.S. degree) in environmental engineering requires completion of 30 hours of graduate credit (5000-level or higher) and may be earned through: (1) 24 hours of didactic graduate coursework, including at least 15 hours of graduate level courses at Vanderbilt in the major area (i.e., within Environmental Engineering graduate program) and a research thesis of at least 6 semester hours - Thesis M.S. Degree or (2) 30 hours of didactic graduate coursework, including at least 15 hours of graduate level courses at Vanderbilt in the major area (i.e., within Environmental Engineering graduate program) and a substantive report of 3 semester hours of independent study - Non-Thesis M.S. Degree.

The Ph.D. degree required completion of 72 hours of graduate credit (5000-level or higher), a minimum of which must be 30 hours of didactic graduate coursework with a minimum 24 course credit hours to be completed at Vanderbilt and 6 hours of didactic graduate coursework (excluding directed study) in the major area (i.e. within Environmental Engineering graduate program). The remaining credit hours can be fulfilled with courses or research hours. During the fall semester, entering graduate students are required to a take a 1-hour, zero credit seminar to orient them to how critical review of a topic is conducted and how research proposals are prepared. In addition, all Ph.D. students must pass the Environmental Engineering Graduate Program comprehensive exam, must complete the university-required qualifying exam, and must write and defend a dissertation.