Columbia University campus

Engineering

PhD Sustainable Development at Columbia University

Columbia University, United States

Programme overview

The PhD in Sustainable Development combines graduate education in the social sciences, particularly economics, with study in natural sciences and engineering. It is housed at the School of International and Public Affairs and the degree is conferred by GSAS, with admissions, degree requirements and financial aid administered by other schools of the university.

Faculty: School of International and Public Affairs (degree conferred by GSAS)  |  Department: Earth Institute / SIPA  |  Intake: Fall  |  Study mode: full-time  |  Location: New York, NY, United States

What you will study

Rigorous core requirements in the social and natural sciences, with research areas including climate change, extreme poverty, energy systems, agricultural transitions, water resources, infectious disease, demographic change, ecosystems, disasters and conflict.

Career pathways

Graduates pursue academic careers in interdisciplinary programmes or roles in government ministries, NGOs, institutions such as the IMF and World Bank, and private firms working on environmental and development projects.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

PhD application: transcript for each school attended, statement of academic purpose, personal statement, resume, 3 letters of evaluation (at least two academic). GRE General required. Generally four semesters of college-level social science including two of economics, and six semesters of college-level math and science; two semesters of calculus and competence in multivariate calculus and linear algebra are required. Applicants list calculus and economics courses with grades on the application Course List page. Fall admission deadline: 12/17/2026. International applicants whose undergraduate degree is from an institution in a country where English is not the official language must submit TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo English Test scores.

Intake: Fall

Explore more study programmes

View all study programmes →

Ready to start your study abroad journey?

Book a free consultation with our expert counsellors and take the first step towards your dream university.

Copyrights © 2026 StudyMapped. All rights reserved.