With the climate change and sustainability major, you'll build a strong foundation in environmental and sustainability science and gain the policy know-how necessary to translate science into action. 

At a Glance

  • Flexibility
    Full Time
  • Delivery Options
    On Campus
  • Degree
    BA

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What courses will you take?

Two students use equipment to conduct tests along the ocean shoreline.

The B.A. in Climate Change and Sustainability is designed for students interested in social-environmental aspects of environmental problems and climate change. Our program offers a comprehensive understanding of the interactions between the physical, biological and human components of the earth system.

You will take courses across diverse disciplines, including natural sciences, political sciences, economics, public health and legal studies. You can also focus on areas of interest by choosing among 11 sustainability and free electives such as City and Environment, Public Finance, Writing About the Environment, Food in American History, Human Ecology, Global Marketing, The Politics of Food, Climate Crisis and Society and others. View courses for B.A. in Climate Change and Sustainability

View the Academic Catalog for:

Visit the Academic Catalog for all degree pathways, including those from prior enrollment years.

A graduate in Climate Change and Sustainability (B.A.) will be able to:
  • Apply scientific knowledge to address environmental and sustainability challenges.
  • Design plans that translate science into actionable policy.
  • Integrate natural science knowledge with related disciplines and contexts: political sciences, economic, public health, and legal studies.
  • Critically evaluate scientific data and show oral and written communication skills with a variety of audiences.

Why study climate change and sustainability at UMass Lowell?

Two students planting seedlings in pots

Research Opportunities

Work closely with faculty in UMass Lowell’s:

Professor Frank Colby of the EEAS department pointing to large, interactive weather monitor

World-Class Facilities

Gain hands-on experiences through field trips, applied measurements in the field and analyses in analytical laboratories to measure major and trace elements and pollutants, including:

Our digital Weather Wall allows for real-time forecasting and analyses of weather and climate patterns.

Young woman smiles as she tends to plants in greenhouse

Earn a Sustainability Credential

Power up your degree with a River Hawk Experience Distinction (RHED) in Sustainability, an added credential that highlights your sustainability knowledge beyond the classroom.

Environmental, Earth and Atmospheric Science Department’s Environmental Science Seminar conducted a recycling audit of the recycling bins in the Olney Science Center.

Fun Outside the Classroom

Put your learning into practice. Check out some of the fun ways UML students come together.

What can you do with a degree in climate change and sustainability?

UMass Lowell's Climate Change and Sustainability program prepares students for graduate school and careers in environmental, geoscience, climate and sustainability fields in the private, public and nonprofit sectors.

Student works with an data-collection tool that is attached to a tree trunk.

Our alumni are employed in:

  • Climate change mitigation
  • Environmental policy
  • Research and environmental consulting and industries
  • Flood prediction and management
  • Water/air/soil pollution control and remediation
  • Traditional and renewable energy research
  • Resource exploration and development
  • Environmental impact assessments
  • Sustainability
  • K-12 education

Student Profile

William Lefebvre poses for photo at the COP28UAE - United Nations Climate Change in Dubai-2023.
William Lefebvre ’25
Climate Change and Sustainability

From attending COP28 in Dubai to joining the Rist Institute for Sustainability and Energy, William Lefebvre is learning that environmental science is also an art.

UMass Lowell has enabled me to expand sustainability more than I ever thought it would.
Read More About William Lefebvre