Frequently Asked Questions
General
Students must first apply and be accepted into Columbia College (CC) or the School of General Studies (GS) to be eligible to declare the Sustainable Development or Climate and Sustainability major.
Columbia College primarily serves traditional-aged students coming directly from high school. Undergraduate applicants who have taken a break of more than a year in their education, as well as those who wish to attend part time for a compelling personal or professional reason, are encouraged to apply to the Columbia University School of General Studies.
Once admitted to CC or GS, students should review the course requirements and schedule an appointment with the program administrators at [email protected] to discuss any questions regarding the requirements.
Students who have trouble registering for courses should contact the course instructor and let them know they are part of the major or special concentration. Students can also contact program managers at [email protected] for assistance.
Yes, and we encourage students to study abroad. The best place to get information is from the Columbia University Center for Undergraduate Global Engagement. Courses accepted by the University for credit can be applied toward the major by working with your program adviser to find logical substitutions within the curriculum.
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Can classes taken in the Tropical Biology and Sustainability program in Kenya counts towards the Sustainable Development requirements?
Yes. Student majoring in Sustainable Development who enroll in the Tropical Biology and Sustainability program in Kenya can apply four courses below toward (1) Analysis and Solutions to Complex Problems; (1) Skills and Actions; and (2) elective program requirements. Students in the special concentration can apply two courses towards (1) Analysis and Solutions to Complex Problems; (1) Skills and Actions.
EEEB OC3920: Biology of African Animals and Ecosystems
EEEB OC3921: Tropical Agriculture
EEEB OC3922: Field Ecohydrology
EEEB OC3923: Ecology and Conservation of African Landscapes
EEEB OC3924: Natural History of African Mammals
EEEB OC3926: Vector Biology
EEEB OC3928: Paleoecology -
Can the SEE-U course be taken as six credits?
Yes. If students in the major or the special concentration take SEE-U as a six-credit course, they can use three credits towards the Analysis and Solutions to Complex Problems requirement and three credits towards the Skills/Actions requirement. If SEE-U is taken for three credits it will count as one Analysis and Solutions to Complex Problems class. Please note: No more than 6 SEE-U credits can be applied towards the program requirements.
Graduates of the program go on to work in public, private and non-profit organizations and many go on to pursue graduate studies. Graduates are working at organizations such as: the Natural Resources Defense Council; Earthjustice; Booz & Company; Clinton Global Initiative; USAID; ICF International; Unilever; Boston Consulting Group and Teach for America. Former students are also pursuing higher degrees in sustainable development, environmental law, earth and environmental engineering, and public policy.
Sustainable Development Focus
Program staff are available to discuss requirements, course substitutions and registration. Please direct these questions to [email protected].
Columbia College students typically declare their major or concentration (and any special concentration) through the Center for Student Advising during the spring semester of their sophomore year. Students in the School of General Studies may declare a major or concentration online during the months of March and October. Juniors and seniors who have already declared their major or concentration can also still declare the special concentration by speaking with their advising dean. Students will need to obtain departmental approval to declare and should have their major/special concentration declaration form signed by associate director Sylvia Montijo ([email protected]), located in Hogan Hall.
The program seeks to balance emphasis in both of these areas. To be knowledgeable in the field of sustainable development, students need a strong foundation in both of these areas and then must concentrate on the unique interactions between them. The subtle emphasis among the various fields can then be directed by the student and their advisers to fit their interests and career plans. Ultimately, the program’s flexibility in this regard is one of its strengths, allowing you to tailor your education to fit your interests.
Yes. EESC UN2330 Science for Sustainable Development fulfills the Columbia Core science requirement, as do some of the natural science courses. Students should refer to their school bulletins for specific courses that fulfill their science requirement.
A letter grade of C- or better is considered a passing grade, and is required of all courses taken for credit in the Sustainable Development Program.
Yes, to complete the science sequence, majors may take EEEB UN2001 and EEEB UN2002 OR EEEB UN2001 and EESC UN2300.
EESC 1600/4600 are separate sections of the Earth Resources and Sustainable Development course. Both sections of the course to count toward the program, but for different requirements. The 1600 section satisfies one of the 2-course natural science foundation requirement, which is intended to provide an in-depth introduction to natural science concepts at the 1000/2000 level. The 4600 section satisfies one course of the Analysis and Solutions to Complex Problems requirement, which are higher-level courses that join natural and social science perspectives around sustainable development themes. Students are not permitted to transfer sections across requirements–the 1600 section will only count for the science sequence and 4600 will only be accepted for Analysis and Solutions.
Yes. Through the Global Fellows in Sustainable Development Program students can apply for funding to conduct practical fieldwork in environmental and sustainable development that is related to their academic studies. Students doing senior theses are encouraged to apply. To learn more about the program and upcoming application deadlines please contact Natalie Unwin-Kuruneri ([email protected]).
Students in both the special concentration and the major are required to complete a practicum. If a student wishes to substitute the practicum requirement with a related internship, they will first need to submit this form for pre-approval by the program directors. Students typically are not allowed to get credit for an internship; however, if the student presents a strong case they may use the internship only if they enroll in an independent study course for which they must write a paper and receive a passing grade. Students must enroll in the independent study course (SDEV UN3998) during the same semester that they do the internship, or the semester immediately following. Please note only unpaid internships/independent studies are eligible for the practicum requirement.
Yes. A list of previously approved electives can be found in the Major section under Student Resources.
Yes. A senior thesis sequence can be taken by majors to fulfill the electives requirement. For special concentrators, the expectation is that those students who wish to do a senior thesis will do so in the department of their major or concentration. Additional information can be found on the Environmental Science Research Seminar website.
Yes. Majors will be considered for honors if they have at least a 3.7 GPA in their major courses and receive an B+ or better in the senior thesis courses. A student’s departmental involvement will also be considered.
Urban Studies majors may obtain a Specialization in Sustainable Development by enrolling in a total of five (5) courses as described below:
Two (2) introductory courses:
SDEV UN2300 Challenges of Sustainable Development
EESC UN2330 Science for Sustainable Development
Three (3) additional courses from the following list:
EAIA E4002 Alternative Energy Resources
SDEV UN3330 Ecological and Social Systems for Sustainable Development
PUBH UN3100 Fundamentals of Global Health
SDEV W3200 Global Food Systems
SDEV UN3360 Disasters and Development
SDEV UN3410 Urbanization and Sustainability
ECIA W4100 Management and Development of Water Resources
SDEV UN3366 Energy Law
EESC BC3045 Responding to Climate Change
SDEV UN3355 Climate Change and Law
SDEV UN3390 GIS for Sustainable Development
SCNC W3010 Science, Technology and Society
SDEV UN3450 Spatial Analysis and Modeling for Sustainable Development
EESC GU4050 Global Assessment Remote Sensing
SDEV UN2320 Economic and Financial Methods for Sustainable Development
SUMA PS4100 Sustainability Management
EAEE E4257 Environmental Data Analysis & Modeling
SOCI UN3010 Methods for Social Research
The Summer Ecosystems Experience for Undergraduates (SEE-U) Summer Program
If you originally enrolled in the Sustainable Development major but later decide to switch to the minor and encounter any conflicts with the EESC 1600/EESC 4600 requirements, please contact Sylvia Montijo ([email protected]) or Lylia Saurel ([email protected]) for advising.
Climate and Sustainability Focus
Program staff are available to discuss requirements, course substitutions and registration. Please direct these questions to [email protected] and [email protected].
A letter grade of C- or better is considered a passing grade, and is required of all courses taken for credit in the Sustainable Development Program.