State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

Announcing a New Undergraduate Major: Climate System Science

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Image: NASA

Columbia University proudly announces its first climate science major. The ‘Climate System Science major’ launched in November 2022 in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (through Columbia College and the School of General Studies), in partnership with the Columbia Climate School. A central goal of the new major is to attract a large and diverse pool of undergraduate students to address the critical needs of climate science, beginning with an education at Columbia and its new Climate School. These students will join an inclusive program that will prepare them as highly informed citizens and professionals in the rapidly growing and diversifying climate job market, from academia to Wall Street to Big Tech to the United Nations.

The Climate System Science major is designed for students who are interested in how the past, present, and future climate system works — and in creating solutions to the rapidly accelerating climate crisis. While building a fundamental science understanding of the climate system, Climate System Science majors will develop solution-oriented analytical thinking and expertise. The flexible course structure combines geology, physics, biology, chemistry and math with a core in climate-system science and additional electives focused on climate solutions, justice, policy and communications courses. Tracks like those in sea-level change, decarbonization, and modern climate link to the mission and applied centers of Columbia’s Climate School.

Learn more about the Climate Systems Science major here.

Photo of the Earth from space with the text "Lamont at AGU25" on top.

AGU25, the premier Earth and space science conference, takes place December 15-19, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. This year’s theme—Where Science Connects Us—puts in focus how science depends on connection, from the lab to the field to the ballot box. Once again, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and Columbia Climate School scientists, experts, students, and educators are playing an active role, sharing our research and helping shape the future of our planet. #AGU25 Learn More

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Monoj Hazarika
Monoj Hazarika
2 years ago

I have read the proposed discipline which climate system science will include being it’s core and find this course to be very appropriate considering the present requirement

Frank B. Baldwin
Frank B. Baldwin
Reply to  Monoj Hazarika
2 years ago

Climate change cannot;,;-), in my view be a straight line phenomenon. Frank Baldwin ’72CC math.