PhD in Sustainability

Class Profile

Class Size

25

Average Age

27

Average Work Experience

2 Years

Career Outcomes

Median Earnings After Graduation

$95,000 / year

Graduation Rate

69%

Job Placement

94%

Top recruiters

Jacobs

Mott MacDonald

AECOM

URS

WorleyParsons

Golder Associates

Stantec

Tetra Tech

Aurecon

GHD

Fees and Funding

Tuition Fees

$61,762 / year

Overall Cost

$76,762 / year

FAQs

• Do I need a background in sustainability to apply?
  
  No, applicants do not need a prior background in sustainability. The program welcomes students from a wide range of fields—including biotechnology, business, engineering, and more—as long as they have a desire to create positive change in the world
• What is the focus of the PhD in Sustainability at RIT?
  
  The program is inherently interdisciplinary, designed to foster innovation and creativity in solving real-world sustainability challenges across social, economic, technological, and business realms. Students learn to optimize sustainable systems and practices in engineering, manufacturing, energy, education, and more, with an emphasis on both big-picture solutions and practical applications
• Are there funding opportunities?
  
  Yes, students accepted into a sponsored research project receive a fully funded education, a stipend for living expenses, and office space
• Are there funding opportunities?
  
  Students have access to state-of-the-art research facilities, including a 75,000-square-foot LEED Platinum certified building with over nine labs and six technology testbeds. Faculty are active researchers who directly involve students in their scholarship
• What are the facilities and resources?
  
  Students have access to state-of-the-art research facilities, including a 75,000-square-foot LEED Platinum certified building with over nine labs and six technology testbeds. Faculty are active researchers who directly involve students in their scholarship
• What are the main research areas?
  
  Active research areas include: Sustainable energy (fuel cells, photovoltaics, energy models, energy policy) Circular economy (life cycle assessment, e-waste and battery recycling, waste-to-energy, food waste management, remanufacturing) Sustainable urban systems (smart cities, transportation systems, food-energy-water nexus).
• What is the curriculum like?
  
  The curriculum is integrative, providing a deep foundation in sustainability science, sustainable systems, and risk analysis. Students can select electives from across RIT’s colleges, such as Computational Modeling and Simulation or Principles of Statistical Data Mining, to tailor their degree and build interdisciplinary relationships. The program requires completion of 60 semester credit hours of coursework and research.