So what even is Sustainable Development?

Ever since the last unit of Frontiers of Science, I knew that I wanted to learn more about sustainability while I am at Columbia. Although I am pursuing a concentration in Sustainable Development (not a major), I have been able to become well acquainted with the program.

This major is unique, as it is technically through the Earth Institute (and some other schools within Columbia), not an undergraduate department. The program explores how to build an economically viable future without sacrificing people or the planet. When people ask, you can define the term “sustainable” as an approach to balancing global economic activity with the preservation of Earth’s ecological systems, ensuring the long-term health of its climate, oceans, atmosphere, and biodiversity. “Development” signifies advancing societal, economic, and political systems to foster equitable growth that uplifts quality of life worldwide, with a priority on addressing the needs of marginalized and impoverished populations.

The classes I have taken do a great job of balancing all the nuances of interconnected global systems. 

It exposes you to a wide variety of thoughts and practices and gives you some flexibility on specific disciplines you’d like to explore more. SusDev is a decently sized major, so there are a variety of people you will meet. I think that as a field it is having a big moment right now, and you will learn skills that could be applied to a variety of future endeavors. 

Requirements 

The Sustainable Development major is pretty large, as you will need to take 15 classes to fulfill the requirements. The special concentration is 9 classes, and the minor is 5. The major requirements are: 

• Sustainable Development Foundation: Challenges of Sustainable Development (SDEV2300) and Science for Sustainable Development (EESC2230) are required for all majors, concentrations, or minors.
  • These classes introduce students to the field of sustainable development and give insight into different fields that intersect with it. I have taken the Science one and am currently in Challenges. Both classes are taught by very enthusiastic and experienced professors. The Science class is more broad, as it covers a variety of topics such as the science behind climate change, natural disasters, water systems, global biodiversity, and more. One of the professors covers material more related to physics and climate science, while the other covers topics related to biodiversity and ecological perspectives. The Challenge class uses social science methods and is taught by a political theorist. It is more structured around a central theme, as it analyzes all 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. Both classes bring in occasional guest speakers from different fields. 
• Basic Disciplinary Foundation: All majors must take a natural science sequence, as well as two social science courses.
  • You have lots of freedom when choosing this sequence. For the natural science requirement, you could do many fields ranging from Chemistry I and II or Earth Resources and Climate Systems. For the social science requirement, there are many options, including anthropology, history, law, economics, and political science. I took Nature & Power: Environmental History of North America, which was a FANTASTIC course!! 
• Analysis and Solutions to Complex Problems: Majors must take two classes in this category. These courses focus more on specific issues related to Sustainable Development, and they expose you to current work being done in this field. Two popular classes are Closing the Carbon Cycle and Fundamentals of Global Health. 
• Skills/Actions: Majors must take two classes in this category. The classes focus on specific skills and research methods for Sustainable Development. Examples are Econ & Financial Methods for Sustainable Development, Environmental Data Analysis & Modeling, and Methods for Social Research. 
• Practicum: Students must choose one course that will actually put them in the field and be more hands on. Examples are The New York City Watershed and Sustainability and The Meaning of Place on Cuttyhunk Island.
• Electives: Students will choose two electives. There are a few classes to choose from, such as Ethics of Sustainable Development, Public Lands in the American West, and US Water & Energy Policy. You could also complete a senior thesis or take additional Analysis and Solutions or Skills/Actions classes. 
• Capstone Workshop: There are three options for this requirement, which will give you direct experience in applied Sustainable Development issues and policy analysis. Students work on a group project with a faculty advisor. The options are currently Workshop in Sustainable Development, Bangladesh: Life-Tect ACTV Delta, and Sustainable Development in Rwanda. Students enrolled in the latter two courses will actually travel to Bangladesh or Rwanda over Spring Break. 

Overview 

Sustainable Development is a fascinating field, and Columbia is one of the best places to study this. You will learn so much about the world and how different groups understand its most pressing challenges. While there are many requirements, it means that you will graduate with plenty of theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience. I also love how interdisciplinary the field is. Professors are generally very passionate about teaching undergraduate students, and many are working on fascinating research. The major can be a little scattered since requirements are across so many departments. I have also found it hard to know about events in SusDev, as there is not a central hub for it like other majors. Overall, the Sustainable Development classes have been extremely interesting as someone who has always been interested in sustainability. The program has given me a more practical understanding of my previous knowledge/interest.

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