The major and special concentration in Sustainable Development are founded on the belief that students should be trained in a variety of disciplines in order to be effective leaders in the field of sustainable development. The Program prepares students to take their first step toward addressing the broader challenges of sustainable development currently faced by our global community.
Students must first be accepted into Columbia College or the School of General Studies to be eligible to declare the Sustainable Development program. Prospective students should review the course requirements and schedule an appointment with the program administrators to discuss any questions regarding the requirements.
Students in the Undergraduate Program in Sustainable Development are driven to creating a more sustainable campus, city and world. Our students are dedicated and active in groups such as the Columbia EcoReps, a group of student employees that collaborate with Columbia’s Office of Housing and Dining and the Office of Environmental Stewardship to provide peer-to-peer student resources for making the campus more environmentally sustainable; and Consilience, a global online journal dedicated to promoting an interdisciplinary dialogue on sustainable development.