Graduate Studies

It is common for students who are teaching assistants during their first year of graduate study to switch to a research assistantship for their second year. Graduate assistants pay a reduced academic fee (tuition) that is the same for both resident and non-resident students. Selection of financial assistance recipients and the amount awarded is made by the graduate faculty based on many factors, including undergraduate transcripts, recommendations, science and math background, and (for international students) English language proficiency.

Teaching Assistantships Teaching assistants (TAs) play an important role in the department. TAs may be required to teach laboratories that parallel introductory courses in geology and physical science or assist with various other courses. In general, TAs work approximately 20 hours per week, which includes preparation, teaching, and grading. Most TAs teach 3 two-hour laboratory sections per week. Each year an award is presented to the outstanding graduate teaching assistant in the department.

Research Assistantships Research assistants receive financial support while performing research on a specific project. Usually, but not always, this work coincides with an RA's thesis research. The responsibilities of RA's vary according to the specific grant from which they are being paid. In many cases, the research expenses of RA's are paid in addition to a stipend and reduction in overall tuition.

Two major types of fellowships are awarded: those that provide full financial support and those that augment an assistantship. Fellowships include Graduate Alumni Fellowships, University Research Fellowships, and George R. MacDonald Fellowships are Universitywide awards administered by the Graduate School. These awards of $5,000 each for the academic year are made competitively to nominees selected by the departments. Scholarly potential and academic excellence are the sole criteria for the awards.

South Carolina Graduate Incentive Fellowships $5,000 for master's students or $10,000 for doctoral students, are available to minority graduate students. These awards are renewable. Master's students must be citizens of South Carolina. Preference is given to new applicants and those who commit to remaining and being employed in the state for two years. The Graduate School administers these fellowships.

OCRWM Fellowships Clemson University is one of only 18 universities nationwide from which graduate students may apply for fellowships from the OCRWM of the U.S. Department of Energy. Technical emphasis areas include earth science (hydrology-geology) and engineering. Contact the Graduate Program Coordinator for more information or if you would like to be considered for the OCRWM Fellowship.

Scholarship Opportunities

1. National Science Foundation (NSF): Graduate Fellowships
2. National Science Foundation East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes for U. S. Graduate Students
3. U.S. Department of Energy: Multiple Opportunities
4. Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE)
5. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
6. Graduate Fellowships for STEM Diversity
7. American Association of University Women (AAUW)
8. Society of Women Engineers (SWE)
9. SETAC / EA Engineering Jeff Black Award
10. SETAC / ICA Chris Lee Award for Metals Research
11. American Water Works Association (AWWA) Fellowships
12. Brown and Caldwell: Dr. Wesley Eckenfelder, Jr. Scholarship & Minority Scholarship
13. Sigma Xi: Grants-in-Aid of Research
14. Sigma Delta Epsilon: Graduate Women in Science
15. Ford Foundation: Fellowships Programs
16. Morris K. Udall Foundation
17. American Geological Institute: Minority Geoscience Student Scholarship Program/Graduate
18. Environmental Research and Education Foundation
19. Capital City Fellows Program (policy program in D.C.)
20. Organization of American States (OAS): Graduate Fellowships
21. Graduate Women International
22. National Research Council (NRC): Post-Doctoral Fellowships

Additional Resources

International Education Financial Aid
IEFA is the premier Internet resource for financial aid information for international students wishing to study in a foreign country. At this site, you will find the most comprehensive listing of grants, scholarships, loan programs, and other information to assist students in their pursuit to study abroad.
http://www.iefa.org/

Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors (AEESP)
The AEESP posts position announcements for postdoctoral associates and tenure-track faculty regularly.
http://www.aeesp.org/

Fellowship information and career advice
This online magazine provides weekly updates on fellowship and grant information across the sciences and engineering disciplines. There is also information about job markets for people with advanced degrees in science and engineering. There is information appropriate for postdoctoral associates, too.
https://www.science.org/careers

Federal Stafford Loan The Federal Stafford Loan has extended loan limits for graduate students and is available to most students regardless of income. US citizens and eligible non-citizens can apply for the Federal Stafford Loan by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The suggested deadline to apply is April 1 for the following Fall semester. Further information and application forms are available from the Office of Student Financial Aid, G01 Sikes Hall, Box 345123, Clemson, SC 29634-5123.

All students applying for graduate study in the Department of Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences (EEES) must have a baccalaureate degree and provide evidence indicating an aptitude for continued studies at the graduate level. All official graduate applications must include:

Scores for the GRE (General Test) are not required for admission.

1. Official graduate school application form (completed online)
2. Unofficial transcripts (undergraduate plus graduate, if applicable)
3. resume
4. Statement of purpose in which applicants describe their education, past research and/or work experience, and why they want to pursue study in their selected graduate program at Clemson University
5. Recommendation letters
6. English Language Proficiency test scores (international applicants only)

Applicants are not required to report GRE scores.

Descriptions of the individual graduate programs in EEES include any additional instructions specific to that degree curriculum. We consider the entire official application package when deciding on suitable candidates for graduate study.

Resume Your resume should be a brief highlight of your experiences and education. Sample resumes and helpful tips can be found on the Clemson University's Center for Career and Professional Development website.;

Statement of Purpose Because the decision to admit applicants to a graduate program in EEES at Clemson University is based on many diverse factors, we would like to get to know you as well as possible. Accordingly, we ask that you submit a one- to two-page essay (Statement of Purpose) to tell us about yourself and the experiences that helped shape you and your life's goals and professional aspirations. Include an indication of your preferred area of specialization and research in the field of environmental engineering and science, biosystems engineering, hydrogeology, or the Earth sciences, and state why you are interested in that particular field.

Recommendation Letters We require two letters of recommendation for all MS degrees and three letters of recommendation for all PhD degrees. We carefully consider letters of recommendation from professors from your undergraduate and master's education. The letters should be from evaluators who are familiar with your academic performance and any research experience that you have. The letter writers should know you well and be able to write about your skills, talents, experiences, and abilities. A recommendation letter from a supervisor from any work experience can also be helpful but do not include more than one letter from a non-academic evaluator.

English Language Proficiency For international applicants, an English language proficiency test is required – we currently accept the following tests (minimum scores in parentheses): TOEFL (90), IELTS (7.0), PTE (61), or Duolingo (115).

We encourage visits to the Department or phone calls or emails with faculty who share your research interests. Please contact Barbara Smith if you are interested in visiting.

No application fees and no GRE scores are required.

All applications for graduate programs are first submitted to the Clemson Graduate School. From there, entries are forwarded to the department associated with the degree track to determine eligibility for the program. Typically, candidates admitted to the department will choose a research advisor in the first term of residence; however, students with a substantial interest in a particular study area are encouraged to indicate this on their application and contact individual faculty members to discuss potential research options.

To be considered fully for financial assistance beginning in the Fall semester, completed applications for graduate study should be received by January 15, though applications may be submitted at any time. Applications received after January 15 may be considered for financial assistance, depending upon the availability of funds. Notice of acceptance to the program and financial aid offers are typically given to new students in March-April for fall enrollment. Students are typically informed of acceptance for the upcoming fall term by the end of April.

NOTE: In general, the majority of students are admitted in the Fall semester. Admission for the spring and summer semesters is possible, but students are less likely to be considered for an assistantship. Applications must be submitted by January 15th to receive full consideration for financial assistance. To be considered, all supporting materials (e.g., recommendation letters and unofficial transcripts) must be received by the deadline. The earlier you apply, the more likely you will be considered for an assistantship.

If you have questions about our programs, financial aid, or any part of the application process, we encourage you to contact us!

For general questions or help with the application process, please contact our Student Services Coordinator:

Barbara Smith
☏ 864.656.3278
⇢ L. G. Rich Environmental Research Laboratory
342 Computer Court
Anderson, SC 29625
✉ barbar2@clemson.edu

Program Coordinators

For specific questions regarding our programs contact the appropriate graduate program coordinator for the area you are interested in pursuing.

Biosystems Engineering, M.S. and Ph.D.
Dr. Christophe Darnault
☏ 864.656.1398
✉ cdarnau@clemson.edu

Environmental Engineering & Science, M.S.
Environmental Engineering & Earth Sciences, Ph.D.
Dr. Mark Schlautman
☏ 864.656.4059
✉ mschlau@clemson.edu

Hydrogeology, M.S.
Dr. Larry Murdoch
☏ 864.656.2597
✉ lmurdoc@clemson.edu