Graduate Certificate in Hydrology

The URI Graduate Certificate in Hydrology provides students and working professionals specialized education and advanced training in the practice and processes that affect the availability and quality of groundwater- and surface water resources.  These hydrologic processes influence management decisions and influence ecosystems, human health and economic vitality

On completion of the hydrology graduate certificate, students will have the knowledge and skills to

  • Understand water resources in the region, the USA, and the world in the context of the complex interplay between climate, land use, geology, soils and human demands.
  • Integrate information required to develop hydrologic analysis of water issues.
  • Appreciate the relationships between raw data and their interpretation(s), and how lack of knowledge or uncertain knowledge influence decision making relevant to water.
  • Critically analyze quantitative and qualitative data relevant to water quality, use and management.
  • Manipulate quantitative data and develop conceptual models of complex systems.

After completing the URI Hydrology Certificate program, you will have the opportunity to use your newly acquired skills in class projects and specialty courses such as modeling watersheds or devising remediation strategies for polluted water resources.

Admission requirements:

To apply you will need to provide:

  1. College transcripts certifying successful completion of a bachelor’s degree,
  2. Two letters of recommendation from peers, mentors, or colleagues attesting to your ability to complete graduate-level coursework, and
  3. A personal written statement explaining why you are seeking a graduate certificate in hydrology.
  4. GRE’s are not required.

Graduate students currently enrolled at URI fill out the “Request to change/Add a Degree Program” form and have it approved by the certificate coordinator, Dr. Boving. Currently enrolled undergraduate students can enroll in the certificate program but must apply through the Graduate School. Undergraduate students will receive their Certificate only after they have received their bachelor’s degree.

Applications for fall semester admission should be completed by 10 August and applications for spring semester admission should be completed by 1 December.


Admission requirements for working professionals and new students:

  • College transcripts certifying successful completion of a bachelor’s degree.
  • Two letters of recommendation from peers, mentors, or colleagues attesting to your ability to complete graduate-level coursework, and
  • A personal written statement explaining why you are seeking a graduate certificate in hydrology.
  • No GRE’s required
  • Submit the application to the URI Graduate School at: http://web.uri.edu/graduate-school/admission/   On that website, the Hydrology certificate can be found under Interest Area: Environmental Sciences.

Current URI graduate students:


Current URI undergraduate students

  • Can enroll in the Graduate Certificate Program after completion of at least 75 credits and a GPA of 3.0 or above.
  • No GRE scores or letters of recommendation needed.
  • Must apply through the URI Graduate School at: http://web.uri.edu/graduate-school/admission/   On that website, the Hydrology certificate can be found under Interest Area: Environmental Sciences.
  • Important: Undergraduate students cannot count courses for the Certificate toward their undergraduate degree.
  • Certificate will be issued only after receiving the bachelor’s degree and only after registering for at least a one Graduate level credit course, such as GEO 599 Independent Study supervised by Dr. Boving, in the semester following the completion of the B.S. degree.

Applications for fall semester admission should be completed by 10 August and applications for spring semester admission should be completed by 1 December.