Overview

The sustainability of development presents some of the most important policy challenges concerning the future of our planet, and it requires an interdisciplinary approach involving the social, natural, engineering, and health sciences.

No other doctoral program produces graduates with the unique combination of diverse skills and deep insight into the most challenging problems of future human welfare.

Together with experts and faculty at Columbia, you’ll conduct research in a wide variety of areas, including climate change and its social consequences, causes and solutions to extreme poverty, energy systems, agricultural transitions, water resources, and more.

Who It's For

The PhD program in Sustainable Development from Columbia University is for those looking to pursue rigorous scholarship and research at the boundary between social and natural sciences. Students should have an interest in pursuing academic careers in interdisciplinary graduate and undergraduate programs with a focus on policy and the environment as well as in the more traditional social science disciplines.

This degree is also ideal for students interested in a variety of non-academic career paths, including leadership roles in government ministries throughout the world, creating environmental and sustainable development policy for NGOs, in international institutions such as the IMF and the World Bank, or in private firms engaged in environmental and development projects.

Career Paths

Students have their choice of academic positions as tenure-track professors or post-doctoral fellows, as well as high-level positions in non-academic fields, such as the private or NGO sector, government, or finance.

Programme Structure

Courses include:

Human Ecology
Environment ＆ Resource Economics
Collective Action for Global Sustainable Development
Econometrics
Sustainable Development

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 72 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2027-09-08 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-12-18 00:00:00

Language

English

TOEFL^® IBT

100

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IELTS

7.5

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Credits

60 SCH

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Manhattan, United States

Disciplines

Sustainable Development View 13 other PhDs in Sustainable Development in United States

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Academic requirements

We are not aware of any specific GRE, GMAT or GPA grading score requirements for this programme.

English requirements

TOEFL^® IBT

100

Schedule TOEFL®

IELTS

7.5

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

The PhD program requires the following:

Strong background in social science, including four courses in college-level social science with a minimum of two economics courses

Quantitative skills, including at least two courses in college-level calculus through multivariate calculus (Calculus III in the US) and at least one college-level course in linear algebra

Three or more college-level courses in natural science or engineering

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

56840 USD / year

≈ 56840 USD / year
Out-of-State

56840 USD / year

≈ 56840 USD / year
Domestic

Applies to you

In-State

56840 USD / year

≈ 56840 USD / year

Living costs

Manhattan

United States

2638 - 5751 USD / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find PhD's scholarship opportunities for Sustainable Development.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

About

Overview

Who It's For

Career Paths

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic

Living costs

Manhattan

Funding

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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