Master's Programs
Students interested in continuing their education in Earth, environmental sciences, and engineering, or integrating their scientific interests with a career in public policy, management, education, conservation or journalism, will find a graduate program to suit their needs at Columbia University.
Our unique affiliation with top-level science and research institutes, together with an immense interdisciplinary effort within Columbia University departments and schools, provides an array of programs expressly designed for M.S. and M.A. students.
(M.A.)
Dept. of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology (E3B) and the Center for Environmental Research and Conservation (CERC):
The M.A. in Conservation Biology focuses on biological sciences with the addition of a basic foundation in environmental policy and economics. This interdisciplinary approach provides students with a range of options for advancing their environmental careers.
(M.A./M.S.)
Dept. of Earth and Environmental Science and the Columbia School of Journalism:
A two-year dual-degree program in which students learn to blend scientific knowledge with journalistic skills and to deal with some of the central issues of the 21st century.
(M.S.)
Dept. of Earth and Environmental Engineering in the School of Engineering and Applied Science:
A flexible program (full- or part-time) for engineers and scientists pursuing careers in environmental management or development. The focus is on the environmentally sound provision of primary materials (minerals, fuels, water), the recycling or proper disposal of used materials, and assessment and remediation of past damage to the environment.
Learn how to address the pressing and complex issues of environmental and sustainability management.
- Study with Earth Institute, Columbia University faculty who are leaders in the fields of earth science, engineering and environmental management.
- Join a unique interdisciplinary community dedicated to making lasting advances in global sustainability practice.
- Receive practical training, utilizing environmental and sustainable development research.
(M.A.)
Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences:
The twelve-month M.A. Program in Climate and Society trains professionals and academics to understand and cope with the impacts of climate variability and climate change on society and the environment. This rigorous program emphasizes the problems of developing societies.
Master's 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 and specialize in an area of interest.
(M.P.A.)
The Earth Institute and School of International and Public Affairs:
An intensive 12-month program integrating environmental science with policy analysis and management principles, offered by Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs and the Earth Institute. An initial summer of science studies is followed by fall and spring terms where policy and management studies are closely integrated with environmental science in hands-on applied consulting workshops.
The Energy and Environment Concentration provides students with the analytical tools and substantive knowledge to address the key economic and environmental challenges of the 21st Century, and to pursue leadership careers in the fields of energy and environment in the public, private or nonprofit sectors.
School of International and Public Affairs:
The graduate-level global classroom: “Integrated Approaches to Sustainable Development Practice” provides students with a general introduction to the cross-disciplinary knowledge and skills required of a development practitioner. Offered simultaneously at universities around the world, students have the opportunity to learn from expert practitioners by viewing on-demand lectures available from the course website and participating in “live” weekly discussions. Course topics are grounded in a practical, cross-disciplinary approach that focus on the inter-relationships between the core issues including poverty, health, nutrition, economics, energy, infrastructure, agriculture, climate change, ethics and community participation. Both conceptual and practical management issues are stressed throughout each course topic. State-of-the-art web-based technologies are used to enable the sharing of lectures across countries and the facilitation of global discussion and collaboration among students at participating universities. Columbia’s Center for New Media Teaching and Learning (CCNMTL) supports the interactive, web-based components of the course including the development of electronic learning resources and the lecture videos.
First offered in January 2008 with participation of approximately 240 students from 11 universities and one development organization, the course includes live discussions with some of the world’s best known development experts, including Helene Gayle (President and CEO of CARE), Freddie Kwesiga (Coordinator, African Water Facility, African Development Bank), Lee Yee Cheong (President, ASEAN Academy of Engineering and Technology), RK Pachauri (Chairman, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), Jim Yong Kim (Co-founder, Partners in Health), among others.
Jeffrey Sachs and John McArthur (CEO and Executive Director, Millennium Promise) serve as lead faculty for the course, which will be offered each fall semester through the School of International and Public Affairs.
The 22-month M.P.A. degree in Development Practice is designed to train aspiring practitioners to understand and manage integrated approaches to sustainable development challenges. This rigorous, cross-disciplinary academic program combining the social and natural sciences emphasizes the development of critical knowledge, skills, and attributes of an effective professional in developing societies.
Student Visit to Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge