The Best Schools Offering Graduate Degree Programs in Environmental Science
Higher Education Articles March 10, 2017Overview of Schools offering Environmental Science Programs
In this article, we take a look at two of the nation’s nationally-ranked top universities that offer environmental science graduate programs. Both doctoral and master’s degree programs are available in a wide array of specialties. Federal, state or local environmental policy may find direct influence through the work and research performed by students enrolled in these mostly interdisciplinary programs.
Columbia University in New York, New York
The U.S. News and World Report ranked Columbia University eighth on its 2010 list of best national colleges. A master’s degree in climate and society, and a Ph.D. in Earth and Environmental Sciences are available through the school’s environmental science department. Students enrolled in the programs are given access to the department’s research branch and the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, in addition to numerous other institutions, where resources, research opportunities, and archives are available.
Full-time students can complete the Ph.D. program within five years, including 12 areas of specialization, such as paleontology, atmospheric science, and ecophysiology. Students can complete the intensive master’s program in climate and society within a year; the primary focus of the program is on climate variability and its impact on the environment.
State University of New York (SUNY) – College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) in Syracuse
The U.S. News and World Report ranked SUNY’s Syracuse campus 86th on its 2015 list of Top Public Schools. It hosts the College of Environmental Science and Forestry, where graduate students can get extensive research opportunities. Students are granted access to the school’s many field stations and centers located worldwide, in addition to land in the Adirondack Park and central New York managed by the college.
A diverse range of doctoral and master’s programs are available through the school in seven areas of specialty. These areas include a Master of Science (M.S.) and Master of Professional Studies (M.P.S.) in Environmental Studies. Specific areas of concentration such as environmental physiology, fish and wildlife biology and management, and environmental interpretation and ecology are available to students in either degree program.
List of Schools offering Environmental Science Programs
| School Name | Total Student Enrollment | Location |
| Yale University | 12,336 | New Haven, Connecticut |
| Williams College | 2,126 | Williamstown, Massachusetts |
| Columbia University | 27,589 | New York, New York |
| University of Pennsylvania | 24,806 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Pomona College | 1,650 | Claremont, California |
| Rice University | 6,621 | Houston, Texas |
| Brown University | 9,181 | Providence, Rhode Island |
| University of Notre Dame | 12,179 | Notre Dame, Indiana |
| Northwestern University | 21,554 | Evanston, Illinois |
| University of California-Berkeley | 37,565 | Berkeley, California |
