Baruch College Launches New Undergraduate Degrees for Careers in a Growing Green Economy
February 10, 2026
As New York City accelerates its transition to a more sustainable future, Baruch College is expanding its academic offerings to prepare students for a growing demand for climate- and sustainability-focused careers.
Starting in Fall 2026, students will be able to pursue two new undergraduate majors—Environmental Studies (BA) and Environmental Science (BS)—through the Department of Natural Sciences in the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences.
“Our goal is to prepare undergraduates with the analytical, quantitative, and communication skills they need to succeed in climate-related careers across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors,” said Stephen Gosnell, PhD, chair of the Weissman School’s Department of Natural Sciences.
According to the New York City Economic Development Corporation, the region’s “green economy” is projected to grow 144 percent by 2030.
Professor Gosnell added, “These new programs reflect Baruch’s commitment to interdisciplinary education that brings together science, data, policy, and the humanities to help students understand—and respond to—complex global problems.”
Empowering Students with the Skills to Tackle Environmental Challenges
Across both majors, the curriculum will emphasize critical thinking, data analysis, and effective communication, skills that are necessary to work with policy makers, stakeholders, and scientists in making informed decisions and implementing solutions to environmental issues.
Students will gain hands-on experience through electives such as research-based independent study and team- and discussion-based capstone courses. These opportunities allow students to work with real-world data, case studies, and faculty-led research initiatives, including the Billion Oyster Project—an effort to restore 1 billion oysters by 2035 and improve water quality in New York Harbor. For nearly a decade, Gosnell has been active in the project while also engaging Baruch students in its restoration efforts.
Baruch plans to partner with three The City University of New York Community colleges—Kingsborough, Queensborough, and Hostos—to develop articulation agreements that support seamless student transfers into both majors.
“For community college graduates, these partnerships will open up career opportunities tied to New York City’s environmental, sustainability, and climate-related sectors,” said Gosnell.
A Cross-Disciplinary Commitment
Baruch has taken a thoughtful, interdisciplinary approach to integrating environmental issues into the culture of the College.
More than 30 faculty members of the College’s three schools form the Climate Studies and Environment Cluster. Many also contribute to the Baruch Climate Action Collaborative, a group that designed and implemented the CUNY Climate Scholars program.
Each year, Baruch hosts an Conference on Climate Research, with the next event taking place in March.
In addition to the two new majors, the Department of Natural Sciences offers an interdisciplinary minor in Environmental Sustainability supported by faculty with related interests in areas such as psychology and business management.
Learn more about the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences.
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