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USING THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF SCIENCE TO CHANGE THE WORLD

The World's Top Sustainability Programs

M.S. IN SUSTAINABILITY SCIENCE

Study with the top minds in the field at the world’s leading sustainability institution, with more sustainability experts and course options than at any other school. The Master of Science in Sustainability Science program is designed for current and aspiring leaders who wish to help organizations understand the technical aspects of sustainability, including predicting and addressing environmental impacts. Candidates with an undergraduate degree in science, engineering, math, or related fields will benefit from a cutting-edge curriculum designed by the world’s top sustainability scientists. Graduates will be skilled in the practical application of scientific skills and tools to address the sustainability issues impacting everything from local environments to the global climate. Full- and part-time options are available for those with current professional obligations.

*Those interested in a sustainability career but without an undergraduate STEM degree may be interested in the MS in Sustainability Management.

SIZE

Columbia's Earth Institute is the largest university-wide sustainability research organization in the world.

STRENGTH

The graduate programs in Earth Science at Columbia are nationally recognized by The National Research Council.

BREADTH

Columbia offers more than 200 environmental and sustainability courses each year, more than any other university.

REACH

Columbia’s global alumni network includes over 2,000 graduates associated with the Earth Institute's education programs.

OUR STUDENTS LEARN TO

  • Employ scientific tools to respond to pressing sustainability issues

  • Integrate science in the decision-making of organizations

  • Use scientific methods to observe and monitor sustainability

  • Analyze and model data to understand the environment

A diverse group of individuals talking in front of the Low Memorial Library.

Stay in the Know

Upcoming Events & Information Sessions

09

Tue

Apr

What FLACO taught us: thoughts on urban wildlife and the human connection

6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Butler Library, Columbia University

18

Thur

Apr

MS in Sustainability Science

6:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Zoom

23

Sat

Apr

Sustainability Programs Final Capstone Briefings: Spring 2024

6:15 PM - 9:00 PM

The Kraft Center, Columbia University | Zoom

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT...

Past, Present, and Future: The Role of Life Cycle Assessment in Sustainability Management
01:00:07

Past, Present, and Future: The Role of Life Cycle Assessment in Sustainability Management

Life Cycle Assessment—the process of tracking a consumer product's environmental and social impact from "cradle to grave"—is gaining in popularity, thanks to progress in respective accounting rules and databases, evolving software, and, crucially, ever-increasing consumer awareness. Existing and forthcoming policies, from sustainable fuel standards to carbon offset credits and the European Environmental Footprint, will drive this evolution forward, as will advances in AI-based tools. But what does this mean for manufacturers and their suppliers? Where are their pain points? And what R&D skills in university graduates are needed to overcome remaining obstacles? Dr. Steven Cohen interviewed a panel of experts from both the private sector and Columbia University's own Research Program on Sustainability Policy and Management to begin to address these important questions. As one of the seventeen prestigious schools affiliated with Columbia University, the School of Professional Studies is expanding the reach and impact of an Ivy League education so more students can take their education and careers to the next level. We are at the epicenter of industry and innovation, with flexible programs in New York City and online. From the beginning, SPS has provided students with the knowledge, skills and strategies they need to advance their personal and professional goals. The SPS faculty consists of renowned educators and leading-edge practitioners across every major sector. SPS is home to prominent executives and scholars who provide strategic counsel, mentor students, and cultivate partnerships between the school and the professional world. For information about program offerings at Columbia University’s School of Professional Studies, please contact an Admissions Counselor at 212-854-9666 or inquire@sps.columbia.edu. sps.columbia.edu
Solving the Biodiversity Crisis: Strategic & Interdisciplinary Approaches
01:30:06

Solving the Biodiversity Crisis: Strategic & Interdisciplinary Approaches

This event held at the Columbia School of Journalism on January 31st, 2024 aimed to introduce the importance of biodiversity in sustainable business decisions and to highlight key trends in the current biodiversity crisis and solution pathways. -- Study with the top minds in the field at the world’s leading sustainability institution, with more sustainability experts and course options than at any other school. The Master of Science in Sustainability Management program is designed for current and aspiring leaders who wish to pursue a career in management at the intersection of business and the environment. Graduates transform organizations by formulating and implementing the sustainability strategies necessary to compete and win in the 21st century. The coursework combines the study of management with classes in state-of-the-art sustainability practice and science, with full-time and part-time options for those with current professional obligations. Join a global alumni network of leaders at top organizations like Google, Patagonia, Nike, the National Resources Defense Council, and many others. The Master of Science in Sustainability Science program is designed for current and aspiring leaders who wish to help organizations understand the technical aspects of sustainability, including predicting and addressing environmental impacts. Candidates with an undergraduate degree in science, engineering, math, or related fields will benefit from a cutting-edge curriculum designed by the world’s top sustainability scientists. Graduates will be skilled in the practical application of scientific skills and tools to address the sustainability issues impacting everything from local environments to the global climate. Full- and part-time options are available for those with current professional obligations. If you would like to receive more information about the M.S. in Sustainability Science or the M.S. in Sustainability Management programs, visit science.ei.columbia.edu or sustainability.ei.columbia.edu
Sustainability Management: Panel on SEC Commission's Climate Disclosure Rule
01:19:18

Sustainability Management: Panel on SEC Commission's Climate Disclosure Rule

Experts across the disciplines of law, finance, sustainability, and corporate reporting discussed how the SEC climate disclosure rule will change the way corporations approach business, risk, and the landscape of ESG and corporate reporting. Moderator: Steven A. Cohen is a Professor in the Practice of Public Affairs at the Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA), the Senior Vice Dean at the Columbia University School of Professional Studies (SPS), the Program Director of the M.S. in Sustainability Management program at SPS and the MPA in Environmental Science and Policy program at SIPA, and the Director of the Earth Institute’s Research Program on Sustainability Policy and Management. From 2006 to 2018, he was the Executive Director of Columbia University’s Earth Institute. Satyajit Bose is a Professor of Professional Practice in Sustainability Management at the Columbia University School of Professional Studies (SPS) and the Associate Director of the M.S. in Sustainability Management program at SPS. He is also a member of the Earth Institute’s Research Program on Sustainability Policy and Management. Michael Gerrard is the Andrew Sabin Professor of Professional Practice at the Columbia University Law School, a Professor of Professional Practice at the Columbia University Climate School, and the Director of the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law. From 2015 to 2018, he was the chair of the faculty of Columbia University’s Earth Institute. Taylor Pullins is a Lecturer in Professional Studies in the M.S. in Sustainability Management program at the Columbia University School of Professional Studies (SPS). He is a partner in the Global Mergers & Acquisitions Practice of White & Case and Head of the Firm’s ESG & Sustainability Specialty Practice. He advises domestic and international clients in drafting and negotiating of environmental terms and indemnity provisions in complex business transactions. Celine Ruben-Salama is a Lecturer in Professional Studies in the M.S. in Sustainability Management program at the Columbia University School of Professional Studies (SPS). She runs FOR THE LONG-TERM, LLC, a corporate strategy consulting firm, dedicated to long-term value creation through corporate sustainability planning, implementation, and reporting, and works with some of the world's biggest listed companies in Tech, Food, Financial Services, Real Estate, Retail, and Professional Services. For further information please contact Sarah Howard at sch2162@columbia.edu. For additional information about program offerings at Columbia University’s School of Professional Studies, please contact an Admissions Counselor at 212-854-9666 or inquire@sps.columbia.edu. -- Study with the top minds in the field at the world’s leading sustainability institution, with more sustainability experts and course options than at any other school. The Master of Science in Sustainability Science program is designed for current and aspiring leaders who wish to help organizations understand the technical aspects of sustainability, including predicting and addressing environmental impacts. Candidates with an undergraduate degree in science, engineering, math, or related fields will benefit from a cutting-edge curriculum designed by the world’s top sustainability scientists. Graduates will be skilled in the practical application of scientific skills and tools to address the sustainability issues impacting everything from local environments to the global climate. Full- and part-time options are available for those with current professional obligations. If you would like to receive more information about the M.S. in Sustainability Science program, please contact Samantha Ostrowski, Associate Director, at sostrowski@ei.columbia.edu. Admissions Counselor +1 (212) 854-9666
How We Cover The Biggest Story On Earth: Climate Change
01:15:54

How We Cover The Biggest Story On Earth: Climate Change

New York Times climate and environment reporter Raymond Zhong talks about his work and journalism with prize-winning science writer Claudia Dreifus of the Sustainability Management Program at Columbia University's School of Professional Studies. Zhong was a part of the New York Times team that won the 2021 Pulitzer Prize in public service for coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic. Before joining the Times climate desk, he was an international-affairs correspondent in China and Taiwan and a reporter for the Wall Street Journal’s New Delhi bureau. For further information please contact Maria Gray mlg17@columbia.edu. As one of the seventeen prestigious schools affiliated with Columbia University, the School of Professional Studies is expanding the reach and impact of an Ivy League education so more students can take their education and careers to the next level. We are at the epicenter of industry and innovation, with flexible programs in New York City and online. From the beginning, SPS has provided students with the knowledge, skills and strategies they need to advance their personal and professional goals. The SPS faculty consists of renowned educators and leading-edge practitioners across every major sector. SPS is home to prominent executives and scholars who provide strategic counsel, mentor students, and cultivate partnerships between the school and the professional world. For information about program offerings at Columbia University’s School of Professional Studies, please contact an Admissions Counselor at 212-854-9666 or inquire@sps.columbia.edu. sps.columbia.edu
Image of Earth from Outer Space, partially covered in shadow.

The M.S. in Sustainability Science program is offered by Columbia’s School of Professional Studies in partnership with The Columbia Climate School, which includes Columbia’s Earth Institute and Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, and all their affiliated research centers and educational programs. The climate crisis is one of the greatest threats facing humanity, presenting challenges that are immense and urgent. In response, Columbia has created the Climate School to develop innovative education, support groundbreaking research, and foster essential solutions, from local to planetary in scale.

The Columbia Climate School

WHAT'S THE STATE OF THE PLANET?

State of the Planet is the official news site of the Columbia Climate School.

Prospective Student Interest Form

Please click the “Go” button below to complete a brief student interest form after which we’ll provide you with more detailed information about the program including an email to contact us directly. You may also use the form to ask any quick questions you may have.

Image of the Low Memorial Library, with students sitting throughout it's steps

CONTACT US

If you have a quick question or would like to receive more information about the M.S. in Sustainability Science program, please contact us via the prospective student interest form above or click here.

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