Columbia University
AC-2: Learning Outcomes

At the division level, the Earth Institute specifies sustainability learning outcomes that apply to those sustainability programs that it co-sponsors with partner schools/departments. Students in Earth Institute co-sponsored programs will: • Demonstrate proficiency in environmental science • Demonstrate comprehension of basic concepts in the natural and physical sciences • Be able to summarize basic concepts of management, economics and policy • Be able to apply an interdisciplinary, systems-thinking approach in problem-solving • Be able to analyze complex, systemic sustainability issues

Below is a sample of learning outcomes from each academic program: • B.S. Earth and Environmental Engineering o Assess environmental impacts of past, present, and future industrial activities, and analyze and apply processes for remediation, recycling, and disposal of used materials. o Demonstrate knowledge of the underlying principles used in the engineering of processes and systems under the field of Earth and Environmental Engineering. • B.A. Earth Sciences o Analyze and practice critical thinking about how specific earth system processes function o Identify solutions to multidisciplinary environmental problems. o Summarize the natural functioning systems of our planet and the consequences of human interactions with it. • B.A. Environmental Sciences o Analyze and practice critical thinking about how general earth systems processes function o Identify solutions to multidisciplinary environmental problems. o Identify and summarize the natural functioning systems of our planet as a whole, and curate a breadth of knowledge on planetary systems and interactions. • B.A. Environmental Biology o Illustrate a wide range of expertise in the realms of ecology, evolutionary biology, conservation biology, environmental policy and related areas, to demonstrate an understanding of the interdisciplinary nature of Environmental Biology. o Illustrate the major issues around conservation of earth’s resources • Concentration in Environmental Biology o Illustrate a broad range of knowledge in the realms of ecology, evolutionary biology, conservation biology, environmental policy and related areas, to demonstrate an understanding of the interdisciplinary nature of Environmental Biology. • B.A. Sustainable Development o Illustrate a well-rounded, interdisciplinary understanding that is geared to the real and complex challenges of sustainable development and our emerging understanding of how to address them. o Analyze applied problems and solutions to address the challenges of sustainable development faced by the global community. • Special Concentration in Sustainable Development o Apply interdisciplinary understandings of the complex challenges of sustainable development to another course of study o Demonstrate an understanding of the interaction between sustainable development and another disciplinary specialization or methodological training. • B.A. Environment and Sustainability o Identify and apply broad natural science concepts to decision-making frameworks in the realms of environment and sustainability. o Assess and analyze applied problems and solutions within the realm of environment and sustainability. • Post baccalaureate Certificate in Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology o Identify and practice the core sciences related to environmental biology—chemistry, biology, earth sciences, statistics, and environmental biology. • M.A. Climate and Society; o Assess and analyze impacts of climate variability and climate change as they relate to society and the environment. o Integrate social science with climate science to develop an interdisciplinary understanding. • M.A. Conservation Biology o Integrate biological science, economics, and environmental policy into a capstone project that demonstrates expertise in a specific topic. • M.I.A/M.P.A Concentration in Energy and Environment; o Apply knowledge to real-world situations. o Recall issues that shape local, national, and international politics. • M.P.A. Development Practice o Apply ideas for equality, development, and sustainability into practice, and bring effective practices to scale. • M.P.A. Environmental Science and Policy o Summarize connections among policy intent, program design, organizational capacity, and political feasibility o Demonstrate knowledge of professional communication, including memo and report writing and oral briefings. • Executive M.P.A. Concentration in Environment Policy and Sustainability Management; o Analyze and re-think linear and fragmented approaches to holistic planning for environmental sustainability. • M.P.H. Environmental Health Sciences o Summarize topics such as biological mechanisms, environmental health, data analysis, epidemiology and molecular epidemiology, risk assessment, occupational hazards, and policy and policy analysis. o Apply acquired skills from classroom settings into a practicum that allows for increased understanding of how to advance the cause of public health. • M.S. Earth Resources Engineering o Use technologies for assessment and remediation of past damage to the environment o Apply technical skills toward the environmentally sound mining and processing of primary materials and the recycling or proper disposal of used materials. • M.S. Sustainability Management o Demonstrate proficiency in concepts of sustainability management, quantitative analysis, physical dimensions of sustainability, public policy, and financial management o Illustrate both practical skills and core knowledge that practitioners need to face the challenges of our planet • M.S. Sustainability Science o Assess, analyze and project environmental change by using cutting-edge tools, climate models and data collection methods. • Ph.D. Earth and Environmental Engineering o Apply knowledge of reconfiguration of industrial activities so as to reduce adverse impacts on the environment. • Eng.Sc.D. Earth and Environmental Engineering o Demonstrate knowledge of the impacts of industrial and other human activities on the environment. • Ph.D. Earth and Environmental Sciences; o Produce research at one of three affiliated institutions in order produce applied solutions. • Ph.D. in Environmental Health Sciences o Apply skills to laboratory-based and real-world investigations to better understand the molecular and pathological mechanisms by which environmental chemicals and physical agents affect human health. • Dr.P.H. Environmental Health Sciences o Evaluate current knowledge and key assumptions in environmental health sciences and other areas to advance the development of the field. o Apply the principles of exposure assessment to evaluate human exposures to environmental and occupational hazards. • Ph.D. Sustainable Development o Conduct applied research on climate change and its social consequences. o Produce in-depth research on critical policy areas related to sustainability. • Ph.D.Ecology and Evolutionary Biology o Demonstrate proficiency around ecological consequences and impacts and other areas to advance the development of the field. • Professional Certification in Sustainability Analytics o Demonstrate proficiency in reporting, accounting, metrics and indices, and monitoring procedures for sustainability-related information across any enterprise. • Professional Certification in Sustainable Water Management o Identify best practices in water systems management, usage, quantity, and optimization. o Develop tools for reliable water supplies given diverse resources and variability in climate and water quality. • Professional Certification in Sustainable Finance o Evaluate corporate sustainability risks and opportunities from a financial perspective, and understand how to manage/mitigate those risks. o Articulate why standard financial reporting does not adequately account for how corporate sustainability performance can enhance both shareholder and stakeholder value. • Certificate in Conservation and Environmental Sustainability o Analyze the complexity of environmental issues and examine the ecological, economic, and political systems within which environmentally sustainable solutions can be implemented. • Certificate in Environment, Peace and Security o Apply best-practice tools for managing the risks that arise from the linkage between environment and security dynamics.

Sustainability-focused courses have sustainability learning outcomes in addition to program-level learning outcomes. For example, in the course "Sustainability Metrics" in the Sustainability Management MS program, its learning objectives are stated as: By the end of this course students should be able to: • Understand the use and development of sustainability indicators, including city, national, university, and corporate indicators • Understand the complexity and challenges of making cross-jurisdictional comparisons • Evaluate the transparency and effectiveness of sustainability programs • Use metrics to identify environmental needs and develop public policy • Analyze and evaluate demographic, environmental, operational, and performance data to develop sustainability indicators Understand that addressing complex environmental challenges involves making trade-offs and those choices are made based on the perspective and interests of the decision-makers • Understand why the quantitative analysis of data is critical for understanding environmental issues and designing the most effective solutions • Describe the process of life cycle analysis and explain how to apply life cycle analysis to complex environmental issues • Understand the strengths and weaknesses of cost-benefit analysis

The Sustainability Principles for the University can be found here: https://sustainable.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/content/Columbia%20University%20Sustainability%20Plan(1).pdf The programs can be found here, with links and details about each program. More details for each program, including their learning objectives can be found in each program's site: http://issuu.com/earthinstitute/docs/education-guide?e=4098028/2475352