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Education & Programs

Several academic units at Stanford provide educational opportunities related to water, sanitation, hygiene, wastewater re-use, health, energy and urbanization. Students have the opportunity to engage in multidisciplinary training and research. Additional information about degree programs and course offerings can be found on the website of each of these units. 

Class Information 

Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering

Stanford’s Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering (CEE) offers undergraduate and graduate degrees, with educational and research opportunities for students that focus on major sustainability challenges of the century, including water supply and sanitation. CEE’s Water & Environment Studies (EWS) program, for example, offers coursework and training in hydrology, water re-use, water and wastewater treatment technologies, and policy and planning. Students have many opportunities to participate in fieldwork within developing country settings. 

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Earth System Science

Stanford’s Department of Earth System Science (ESS) focuses on human-caused and natural environmental change at the local to global scale. Coursework, research opportunities, and graduate degree programs are available in multiple research areas related to water, health and development. For example, faculty and students in ESS work on issues related to sustainable agricultural production in the face of increasing water scarcity, as well as contaminant and nutrient cycling through surface and groundwater systems.

Emmett Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources

Stanford's Emmett Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources (E-IPER) develops the knowledge, skills, perspectives, and ways of thinking needed to understand and help solve the world’s most significant environmental and resource sustainability challenges. E-IPER offers a PhD in Environment and Resources and, for students in the Graduate School of Business, Stanford Law School, and School of Medicine, a Joint Masters of Science. E-IPER students have explored a myriad of issues related to water, health, and development, including urban water supply modeling in India, hygiene behavior change in Tanzania, and water cooperatives in Argentina.
 

Center for Innovation in Global Health

Stanford’s Center for Innovation in Global Health (CIGH) enables collaborative programs in global health for residents, medical students and undergraduates. CIGH supports residents and fellows to gain experience in both clinical and research settings abroad, including opportunities to explore the health implications of water and sanitation access. In addition, Stanford’s Medical Scholars Program enables medical students to carry out research under the guidance of a faculty member, including possible fieldwork abroad.