Each BU URBAN trainee is required to fulfill the program requirements during their enrollment in order to successfully complete the program. A summary of additional opportunities exclusively available to trainees in the program can also be found below. All trainees (both Ph.D. and Master’s) will participate in URBAN workshops focused on science communication, urban governance, and professional development. These workshops provide opportunities to develop key skills and to engage with master’s and doctoral students across the university.
Ph.D. Program Requirements
Training elements of the Boston University Graduate Program in Urban Biogeoscience and Environmental Health for all Ph.D. trainees include:
- Introductory Workshop for new trainees
- Urban Governance Series
- Science Communication
- Professional Development
- Annual Symposium
- Colloquium (2 credits)
- One course in Biogeoscience (4 credits)
- One course in Environmental Health (4 credits)
- One course in Statistics or Data Analytics (4 credits)
The courses are designed to provide trainees with a foundation in Biogeoscience, Environmental Health, and Statistics across topics that span air, water, and climate. The Colloquium, typically taught in the fall semester, includes presentations by participating faculty and speakers from outside Boston University followed by an intensive reading and discussion period. This course is a keystone in interdisciplinary training, as it highlights the inter-departmental linkages and introduces new trainees to faculty research at Boston University and elsewhere.
Internship
Each student is required to carry out an internship for a minimum of 80 hours with a city government office, NGO, and/or the private sector. Trainees also enroll in a companion course (CDS DS 795) for 0–4 credits. Trainees may use the internship experience to help formulate future scientific research activities to support these entities and to provide the foundation for some of the trainee’s dissertation research. The goals for trainees are to learn how policies are made and to develop collaborations with partner organizations that are focused on local, “real-world” environmental problems that have environmental policy implications.
Ph.D. Dissertation Research
Trainees fulfill dissertation research requirements of the department they are enrolled in and are required to form an interdisciplinary dissertation committee. Trainees in the Departments of Biology, Earth & Environment, and Environmental Health must form a dissertation committee with at least one faculty member from Environmental health and one faculty member from either BU URBAN with a Biology or Earth & Environment affiliation or the Biogeoscience Program. Trainees in the Department of Mathematics & Statistics and the Faculty of Computing & Data Sciences must form a dissertation committee with at least one faculty member from either Environmental Health, BU URBAN with a Biology or Earth & Environment affiliation, or the Biogeoscience Program. If a trainee would like additional support with meeting the URBAN dissertation committee requirement, they are encouraged to reach out to the URBAN leadership team by sending the Program Manager (urban@bu.edu) a 1-page summary of the focus of their dissertation. Students for whom this structure is not viable should submit a written petition explaining how they will fulfill the interdisciplinary objectives of an URBAN-affiliated dissertation in the absence of this faculty committee structure. Additional committee members may be chosen from other faculty at Boston University (including the Department of Mathematics & Statistics and the Faculty of Computing & Data Sciences), faculty from other universities, representatives from the City of Boston or other cities, or representatives from the private sector. Discussions at committee meetings and with individual committee members help trainees develop a specific line of research. Expectations for the work provided by faculty on PhD committees varies by department, so please check in with your advisor to learn about these expectations and explicitly discuss work and time expectations for faculty from participating departments at your first committee meeting.
NSF Acknowledgments and Reporting
All presentations and publications generated by students enrolled in the URBAN program must acknowledge funding support from NSF with the following statement: “This work was initiated with support from a National Science Foundation Research Traineeship (NRT) grant to Boston University (DGE 1735087) and has also been supported by institutional funds from Boston University.”
In addition, we expect trainees to complete a bi-annual self-report survey to aid in the documentation of the program’s progress and outcomes.
Master's Program Requirements
Master’s trainees in the Boston University Graduate Program in Urban Biogeoscience and Environmental Health have the option to choose between two different tracks:
URBAN Master’s Coursework Track
- Introductory Workshop for new trainees
- Urban Governance Series
- Science Communication
- Professional Development
- Annual Symposium
Interdisciplinary coursework requirements:
- One course in Biogeoscience (4 credits)
- One course in Environmental Health (4 credits)
- One course in Statistics or Data Analytics (4 credits)
Master’s students in the URBAN Coursework Track take 12 credits of interdisciplinary coursework across Biogeoscience, Environmental Health, and Statistics. This will typically include classes students are already taking as part of their master’s program and some classes that would fit as electives. Selection of the specific courses that would best fit your program and professional aspirations would be supported by your advisor and the URBAN Program Manager, with the goal to help to you better understand urban environmental challenges from a range of perspectives and skill sets.
URBAN Master’s Internship Track
- Introductory Workshop for new trainees
- Urban Governance Series
- Science Communication
- Professional Development
- Annual Symposium
Internship
Master’s students in the URBAN Internship Track co-develop an internship project with a city government office, NGO, and/or the private sector. The internship timing and structure vary across degree programs, and can be used to fulfill related degree requirements (e.g., the MPH practicum). Trainees also enroll in a companion course (CDS DS 795) for 0–4 credits. The URBAN Program Manager can work with trainees to connect with internship partners and support the development of an appropriate project. Additionally, the Program Manager can help trainees determine how to fit the internship within their degree progression and timeline. The goals for trainees are to learn how policies are made and to develop collaborations with partner organizations that are focused on local, “real-world” environmental problems that have environmental policy implications.
Program Opportunities
- Research and Travel Awards. There are competitive funds set aside for all BU URBAN trainees to carry out interdisciplinary research projects or for conference travel. Calls for application to these competitive funds open at the beginning of the Fall and Spring semesters, and are only open to BU URBAN trainees.
- Scholarships and Stipends. Ph.D. students at Boston University typically receive five (5) years of funding through various sources. There are also external financial sources you can apply for to support your work (e.g. NSF GRFP, Switzer Fellowship). BU URBAN Ph.D. trainees are also eligible to apply for an URBAN non-service stipend that covers basic BU health insurance, tuition and fees. We typically ask for applications for stipend support annually in early May (for the following Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters), and will focus on reaching out to faculty advisors to determine need.
Hear from trainee Beth Haley about how BU URBAN program elements support research at the nexus of community, environment, and health.
For more information please review the trainee handbook.