Explore All Programs

The Columbia Climate School supports all different interests and desired levels of climate knowledge for students across the university.

Columbia University offers an array of undergraduate, postbaccalaureate, masters, doctoral, and certificate programs in the fields of environmental studies, sustainable development, and climate. These academic offerings represent one of the largest and richest collections of environmental education programs in the world.

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Master's Programs - Full-time

School: Columbia Climate School
Credits Required: 34
Focus: Impacts of Climate Change on Society and the Environment

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School: Professional Studies
Credits Required: 36
Focus: Analytic Techniques of Sustainability Management, Sustainability Management and Finance, the Physical and Social Dimensions of Organizational Sustainability

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School: Professional Studies
Credits Required: 36
Focus: Environmental Science, Scientific Data Modeling and Analysis

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School: International and Public Affairs
Credits Required: 54
Focus: Public Policy, Environmental Science, Management

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School: International and Public Affairs
Credits Required: 54
Focus: Sustainable Development

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School: Mailman School of Public Health
Credits Required: 52
Focus: Climate and Health, Environmental Health Policy, Molecular Epidemiology, Toxicology, and Global Health

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School: Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Credits Required: 47-49
Focus: Biological Sciences and Conservation Policy

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School: School of Engineering
Credits Required: 30-48
Focus: Environmentally sound mining and processing of primary materials (minerals, energy, and water) and the recycling and proper disposal of used materials.

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Executive Education and Certifications

School: School of Professional Studies

The management adage “What Gets Measured Gets Done” is particularly true as it relates to the implementation of sustainability initiatives. The Certification in Sustainability Analytics trains professionals to develop skills in analytic methods and quantitative analysis that enable practitioners to measure, report, and communicate the sustainability of organizations, products, and services.

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School: School of Professional Studies

The Certification of Professional Achievement in Sustainable Finance prepares students to meet the growing demand for professionals who understand and can apply the fundamentals of both corporate sustainability and finance. Courses cover environmental risk management, the environmental, social, and governance issues that affect capital markets, project finance, sustainable investing, green and carbon accounting, and environmental markets. Students will learn traditional financial and accounting tools supplemented with sustainability-specific methods and topics. The certification program equips graduates with the practical information and tools they need to understand the impact of environmental sustainability in corporate financial management and in financial markets and enable them to prepare for and manage the consequences of both.

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School: School of Professional Studies

This new certification equips professionals with the skills to conduct integrated water management and water systems analysis. These professionals—ranging from urban planners for local governments to operations managers for large supply chains to NGO workers focused on issues of health in developing communities—can benefit from gaining the skills necessary to improve water access, delivery, and quality. The curriculum covers concepts of hydrology, water policy and regulation, economics, finance and conflict resolution. It is designed to provide sophisticated and multidisciplinary training in water issues—the nexus of natural science, social science and public policy.

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Master's Programs - Part-time

School: International and Public Affairs
Credits Required: 54
Focus: Environmental Sustainability, Management

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School: Professional Studies
Credits Required: 36
Focus: Conservation Science, Environmental Policy, Management and Finance

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School: Professional Studies
Credits Required: 36
Focus: Environmental Science, Scientific Data Modeling and Analysis

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Doctoral Programs

School: School of International and Public Affairs
Credits required: 60

Sustainable Development is critically important because many of the most important policy challenges facing the planet require a central focus on sustainability and development. The new interdisciplinary Ph.D. in Sustainable Development is designed to educate researchers, university teachers, and world leaders in the social and natural science disciplines that underpin sustainable development.

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School: School of Engineering (EngScD), Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (PhD)

Bridge the divide between natural and engineered systems: Earn a Ph.D. through the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences or an Eng.Sc.D. through the School of Engineering.

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School: Graduate School of Arts and Sciences,

The Ph.D. program aims to train broadly educated Earth scientists for careers in academia, research, government, and industry; along the way, our students move swiftly from receiving knowledge to creating it. Students at the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences conduct research at one of three affiliated institutions: the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, or the American Museum of Natural History.

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School: Mailman School of Public Health
 

Dr.P.H. students at the School of Public Health focus on understanding and predicting the health effects of environmental and occupational exposure to chemicals and radiation. Students acquire a general background in public health, specialize in an area of interest and undertake an intensive research project. Ph.D. students develop scholarly expertise and focus on laboratory-based investigation.

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School: Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

The Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB) program is designed to provide the broad education needed to describe, understand and conserve the Earth’s biological diversity in all its forms. Matriculating students will develop the skills to conduct ecological, behavioral, systematic, molecular and other evolutionary biological research, as well as to formulate and implement environmental policy.

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School: Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

Columbia has offered a Ph.D. program in Evolutionary Primatology for over a decade. Many aspects of this program are coordinated with the New York Consortium of Evolutionary Primatology (NYCEP), which provides a multi-institutional venue for graduate training leading to the Ph.D., emphasizing all aspects of the behavioral, ecological, morphological and evolutionary biology of primates.

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Undergraduate Majors and Concentrations

In conjunction with the Earth Institute, Columbia College and the School of General Studies offer a major and a special concentration in sustainable development for students interested in studying the complex issues of development as they relate to the interactions of the natural and social systems. Students may also pursue an accelerated program that allows them to earn a BA and an MS in Sustainability Management in just five years.

The Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences offers majors in environmental science, earth science, and climate science* as well as a concentration in these areas. Students gain an understanding of the natural functioning of our planet and consider the consequences of human interactions with it.

*In November 2022, the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (DEES) launched its first climate science major, the Climate System Science Major (CSS), in partnership with the Columbia Climate School. A central goal of the CSS major is to attract a large and diverse pool of undergraduate students to address the critical needs of climate science, beginning with an education at Columbia and its new Climate School – where they will join an inclusive program that will prepare them as highly informed citizens, and for professional opportunities in the rapidly growing and diversifying climate job market.

The Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology offers majors and concentrations in environmental biology and in evolutionary biology of the human species. Students gain a multi-disciplinary perspective on the Earth's declining biodiversity, integrating understanding from relevant fields in biology with insights from relevant fields in the social sciences.

Through the Department of Earth and Environmental Engineering, students can pursue a major in earth and environmental engineering, or can choose to blend their scientific pursuits with a liberal arts experience through a dual-degree combined program. The programs prepare students for a wide range of careers that value the Earth, its environment, and its resources.

Through Barnard College’s Department of Environmental Science, students can choose to major in environmental scienceenvironmental biology or environmental policy. Students are trained to cope with balancing human requirements and environmental conservation and may choose to pursue one of several five-year, dual-degree programs. 

Other Learning Opportunities

School: Columbia Climate School

The Professional Learning program is meant for working professionals and adult learners who want to develop new skills and explore new topics to further job-related interests, without the long-term commitment of a degree program. These offerings will help participants develop an understanding of climate and sustainability challenges through the expertise of Columbia researchers. The programs cover a range of cutting-edge and applicable science in a flexible workshop format, where participants will also have an opportunity with network with other professional learners.

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School: Columbia Climate School

Our Pre-College program is for high-school students (Grades 9-12) who want to sharpen their knowledge and skills in the areas of climate change and sustainability. The programs will help participants build important skills, advance their learning outside of school, and prepare for the college experience. These workshops are excellent supplements to classroom learning and will help students develop important skills needed in the 21st century workforce. All participants will join a supportive Columbia University community and learn from world-renowned instructors who are experts in their fields.

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School: Columbia Climate School

Climate LIVE will feature experts from across the Climate School presenting relevant climate and sustainability content in 45-minute live sessions for K12 students and educators. Through these videos, we hope to bring our interdisciplinary research across our centers to classrooms. Each session will have an appropriate targeted age range based on the topic, and the sessions will vary between topical lectures, demos, and skills-based training. In addition to the videos, and whenever possible, we will offer additional educational resources related to the content covered in these online sessions.

The Educator Training program is designed to provide K-12 educators with cutting-edge tools and content to address climate change, the environment, and sustainability in their classrooms through our world-renowned scientists. With this series, we hope to engage students through science learning and teaching that goes beyond textbooks and worksheets.

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