The Department of Environmental and Natural Resource Economics was recently ranked the fourth most productive research department in the country.
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Our graduate programs offer qualified students an unparalleled opportunity to work on applied and theoretical issues in the area of natural resource economics, with an emphasis on coastal and marine resource development and management. Department faculty members are well-known for their research in environmental economics and in fisheries economics, including management, marketing, and international trade. There is a special focus on marine pollution, water quality, and other resource use issues in the coastal zone. The faculty includes recognized experts with national and international reputations who have played key roles in the academic profession and in the formulation of regional, national and international policies.

We seek applicants with a focused interest in applying economic principles to solve environmental problems and natural resource use issues. We do not require a specific background in either economics or environmental sciences, but we do look for people who can approach problems analytically. This could come from college science courses or from work experience in jobs that require analytical decision making or the ability to break problems into smaller pieces and then address each of the smaller problems. Previous students have come from diverse background in, for example, biology, economics, consulting, engineering, database programming, and resource management. In addition, we have a diversity of students in terms of cultural backgrounds and ages..

For more information regarding the degrees offered, please visit the links below:

• Doctor of Philosophy, Environmental and Natural Resource Economics
• Master of Science, Environmental and Natural Resource Economics

The University of Rhode Island is a state university located in the southern part of Rhode Island in Kingston. Four miles from the ocean and centrally located in southern New England, the area is predominately rural, but it is also a major summer tourist destination for the Northeast because of its world-class beaches, fishing harbors, and historic attractions. Sailing, swimming, and fishing are unparalleled, and because of its proximity to the ocean, the region's climate is more moderate than that of the rest of New England. Just 20 minutes to Newport, 2 hours to Boston, and 3 hours to New York City, the University is also ideally situated for access to almost every academic and recreational pursuit.

It is recommended that applicants have completed undergraduate course work in microeconomics, macroeconomics, statistics, and computer science. The department has considerable experience in working with students who do not have undergraduate majors in economics or resource economics. Applicants must complete the application furnished by the University of Rhode Island Graduate Admission Office . Applying online is the preferred method of submitting your application. [Click here to access the online application.] The Graduate School has additional documents that may assist you in completing your application. [Click here to access additional documents.] Students must also submit official transcripts of previous academic work, three letters of recommendation, a statement of purpose, results from the GRE General Test, and, for international students, results from the TOEFL. The graduate admission committee accepts applications at any time. Applications received before Feburary, however, receive priority consideration for admission in the fall semester and will be considered for financial aid.

Graduate assistantships are offered on a competitive basis. Because our assistantships are provided mostly through grant-funded research projects, which vary from year to year, we cannot guarantee that every student admitted will be funded for their full degree program. However, we make every effort to ensure every student is funded during the academic year as well as during the summer. In past years most of our students have been funded. Students may also find additional employment opportunities on faculty research projects funded externally to the University. Research and teaching assistantships waive tuition, but students remain responsible for fees.

Graduate students in the Department of Environmental and Natural Resource Economics have several facilities available to them. The department has a computer lab, solely for use by the graduate students. This lab includes 11 Dell Pentium machines, laser printer and scanner. All machines have Microsoft Office Professional, SAS and ArcView. Other software programs available include SHAZAM, EVIEWS, Limdep, and Mathcad. A laptop is available for student use for presentations, as are 2 LCD projectors. In addition to the main campus library, since moving into the new building the department has begun to build its own library. This includes copies of old theses, back issues of journals, several tables for study groups, and carrels for visiting scholars.

Dr. Kurt Schnier
Graduate Admission Committee
Department of Environmental and Natural Resource Economics
1 Greenhouse Road
University of Rhode Island
Kingston, RI 02881 USA
Tel: (401) 874-4586
FAX: (401) 782-4766
schnier@uri.edu