Online Master's in Sustainability & Education | Teachers College

Drive Transformative Change in Education at TC


Are you ready to become a leader at the intersection of environment, education, and equity? The Master of Arts in Sustainability & Education at Teachers College, Columbia University, is a first-of-its-kind Ivy League graduate program — and a leading online master’s in sustainability — designed to equip educators, policy professionals, and organizational leaders to address pressing environmental and social challenges through education. This program centers learning as a lever for change, empowering you to use education to build a more just, sustainable world by advancing ecological integrity, social justice, and economic vitality.

An Online Master’s in Sustainability & Education for Changemakers 

Unlike a master’s in environmental education, this program prepares you to design and implement educational solutions to today’s most pressing environmental and equity challenges across K–12 schools, nonprofits, higher education, and community-based organizations. You’ll develop a deep understanding of sustainability principles and how to translate them into transformative learning experiences.

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Building leadership skills for education for sustainable development

The master’s in sustainability at TC empowers you to integrate systems thinking, social justice, and inclusive approaches into your leadership. You’ll cultivate the mindset and tools to promote sustainability across learning environments and influence long-term policy and programmatic change — core capacities for advancing environmental sustainability education and climate change education in schools, communities, and organizations. Your coursework will encourage you to reflect on your identity as an educator and community leader, explore global frameworks for environmental learning, and develop strategies to advance sustainability through education, incorporating diverse ways of knowing, such as experiential, cultural, and community-based perspectives, into your practice.

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A collaborative learning environment

You'll move through this full-time, cohort-based program alongside a supportive, interdisciplinary group of peers. Weekly group meetings, webinars hosted by the Center for Sustainable Futures, and consistent engagement with faculty create a strong sense of connection throughout the program. You’ll exchange ideas, receive mentorship, and work together on applied projects that bridge theory and practice. This collaborative model not only deepens your learning, it also helps you build lasting professional relationships within a vibrant, mission-driven community.

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Preparation for cross-sector careers

While a typical master’s in environmental education may focus narrowly on climate or science instruction, TC’s online M.A. in Sustainability & Education equips you to lead change across systems and sectors. You’ll prepare for careers in nonprofit leadership, education policy, school and district administration, sustainability consulting, and instructional design. Along the way, you’ll build communication, research, and program evaluation skills that support success in a wide range of sustainability education jobs. Whether you're working in public education, academia, corporations, or international NGOs, you’ll graduate ready to drive change.

Curriculum


The master’s in sustainability and education includes courses that help you develop an interdisciplinary understanding of the relationship between learning, environment, climate justice, and systems change. Each course is designed to equip you with practical knowledge and analytical skills across topics like environmental policy, climate literacy, health, food systems, curriculum development, and research methods. Your courses are built for immediate impact and prepare you for real-world sustainability education careers.

Specific courses include: 

  • Introduction to Environmental Sustainability Education
  • Climate Change, Society, and Education
  • Science in the Environment
  • Environmental Health
  • Nutritional Ecology
  • Evidence for Change I: Introduction to Quantitative Methods
  • Evidence for Change II: Introduction to Qualitative Methods
  • Professional Seminar

Why Earn Your Master’s in Sustainability Online at TC?


Whether you're a recent graduate passionate about climate justice or a professional pivoting toward sustainability, TC's program equips you to lead change through education, preparing you to address climate challenges through learning, leadership, and policy. This unique graduate degree is designed for forward-thinking educators, policy professionals, and changemakers seeking a master’s in sustainability online that prepares them to use education as a powerful force for a sustainable future. By enrolling in the M.A. in Sustainability & Education program at TC, you’ll join a collaborative learning community and gain the expertise to lead change across educational systems and beyond.

Program Outcomes


The mission of the M.A. in Sustainability & Education is to prepare professionals to advance sustainability through education — broadly defined — across diverse contexts, including schools, higher education, nonprofits, public agencies, and community-based organizations. At TC, you’ll gain the tools to design learning experiences, influence policy, and lead systems-level change rooted in equity, environmental literacy, and community empowerment.

By earning your master’s in sustainability online at TC, you’ll gain:

  • A strong interdisciplinary foundation that draws from diverse literatures and knowledge systems at the intersection of sustainability and education.
  • Advanced communication skills to articulate complex sustainability topics — including problems, solutions, and implications — in both written and oral formats.
  • The ability to evaluate the impact of sustainability education and communication programs and propose evidence-informed improvements.
  • Hands-on experience through research, applied projects, and an internship in a sustainability education setting.
  • Deep engagement with a collaborative community of peers and faculty.
  • Access to changemakers through the Center for Sustainable Futures and the Columbia Climate School.

Faculty

Learn from scholars and educators whose work bridges theory and practice in environmental education, sustainability policy, curriculum design, and community-based change. The program’s faculty bring expertise across diverse disciplines and share a commitment to equity, systems thinking, sustainability in education, and real-world impact with research spanning school climate initiatives, food systems, and human–environment relationships. The program itself emerged in part from growing student interest — long before it officially launched, master’s students across TC were already pursuing sustainability-related research through the Center for Sustainable Futures (CSF), the Laurie M. Tisch Center for Food, Education & Policy, and the Development, Ecopsychology, and Wellness (DEW) Lab.

Why TC? Hear From Our Faculty


Teachers College Building
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Admission Information

Displaying requirements for the Summer 2026 term.

Master of Arts

  • Points/Credits: 32
  • Entry Terms: Summer
  • Enrollment Formats: Full-Time Hybrid

Application Deadlines

Entry Term AvailablePriority DeadlinesFinal DeadlinesExtended Deadlines
SpringN/AN/AN/A
SummerJanuary 15, 2026June 1, 2026N/A
FallN/AN/AN/A

Application Requirements

 Requirement
 International applicants are not eligible to apply for this program and are encouraged to consider other program options (those living outside of the United States with a valid U.S. passport are eligible and encouraged to apply)
 Online Degree Application, including Statement of Purpose and Resume
 Transcripts and/or Course-by-Course Evaluations for all Undergraduate/Graduate Coursework Completed
 Results from an accepted English Proficiency Exam (if applicable)
 $75 Application Fee
 Two (2) Letters of Recommendation
 Supplemental application required (included in online application)
 Sustainability Topic Essay (included in supplemental application)

For admission-related inquiries, please contact ITSadmission@tc.columbia.edu.

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Online Master’s in Sustainability Program Cost & Aid

TC is committed to helping you pursue a career in sustainability and education through respected, accessible education. As a student in the master's in sustainability program, you may be eligible for grants, fellowships, and loans through a variety of sources. All online students also receive the Vanguard Scholarship, which provides a partial tuition discount. Additional aid may be available based on need.

View cost of attendance, explore types of aid, or contact us to learn more.

The skills you need to lead in sustainability education

To prepare you for roles in sustainability and education, the program helps you build capabilities in:

  • Community-based learning and engagement
  • Educational strategy and design for sustainability in education
  • Environmental and climate literacy
  • Equity-centered leadership
  • Public communication and advocacy
  • Research and program evaluation
  • Systems thinking and change leadership


To graduate, you’ll complete a professional portfolio and a five-year strategic plan — an integrative project that connects your learning to your future goals. You’ll also take part in a capstone workshop, applying your skills to a real-world client project. A yearlong professional seminar supports your development through sessions on time management, career planning, grant writing, public speaking, and networking while helping you connect coursework with hands-on experiences like internships, independent research, and collaborative projects.

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Career Opportunities 

Graduates of TC’s online M.A. in Sustainability & Education are prepared to lead change across schools, nonprofits, government agencies, and community organizations. Whether designing educational programs, shaping policy, or advancing public engagement, you’ll gain the skills to promote sustainability in diverse learning environments.

For more than a decade, TC has partnered with New York City Public Schools on climate education initiatives — the largest and most influential K–12 climate education collaboration in the U.S. This partnership offers students valuable insight into real-world career pathways, modeling how research, policy, and practice intersect across roles in education and sustainability, including positions in local government, school districts, and grassroots organizations.

Potential career paths include:

  • Environmental curriculum leader
  • K–12 sustainability coordinator (school- or district-level)
  • Higher education program manager
  • Sustainability consultant or trainer
  • Policy advisor on education and climate
  • Nonprofit program leader
  • Community education and engagement specialist

FAQ


This program stands out for its interdisciplinary design, world-class faculty, and social justice focus. Developed by leading researchers across three departments at TC, it integrates climate education, civic engagement, and equity-centered learning. Students benefit from TC’s national ranking, flexible online format, and a curriculum that prepares them to lead transformative sustainability initiatives in schools, communities, and organizations.

Yes. While the program is primarily online, it includes two required one-week sessions in New York City. You’ll begin and end your studies with immersive summer experiences that bring the curriculum to life through in-person learning, community-building, and site visits.

This master’s degree in sustainability prepares you to lead sustainability education efforts across a range of settings, including schools, nonprofits, higher education, and public agencies. Potential roles include sustainability coordinator (at the school or district level), curriculum and program designer, policy advisor, or nonprofit program leader. You’ll graduate equipped to support learning, advocacy, and systems change in both formal and informal education environments — outcomes that reflect what sets this program apart as one of the best master’s in sustainability options for educators and change agents.

Environmental education helps individuals and communities understand the relationships between human systems and natural ecosystems. It promotes awareness, critical thinking, and action on issues like climate change, resource use, and environmental justice. At TC, you’ll explore environmental education in both formal and informal settings — from schools to museums to community programs — grounded in equity and systems thinking.

The meaning of education for sustainable development (ESD) lies in its goal to empower individuals and communities to make informed decisions and take action that supports environmental integrity, social equity, and economic well-being. At TC, ESD is approached through an interdisciplinary, justice-centered lens — preparing students to use education as a tool for addressing climate change, promoting systems thinking, and creating lasting change across schools, communities, and global contexts.

Climate action refers to efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, adapt to climate change impacts, and build more resilient communities. In this program, you’ll learn how education can serve as a catalyst for climate action — empowering people to understand challenges, envision solutions, and lead meaningful change in diverse settings.

Lead Through Sustainability & Education

If you’re passionate about using education to create a more just and sustainable future, the online master's in sustainability at TC, Columbia University, offers the knowledge, skills, and support to help you lead.

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