Current Students
Meet some of our current students.
Leana Cabral is a PhD candidate at Teachers College, Columbia University in the Sociology and Education Program. She is also a Research Associate at Research for Action in Philadelphia, where she is the Primary Investigator on an educator diversity study, examining the root causes of Black teacher attrition in Philadelphia. She previously worked as a researcher at The Public Good as well as Consortium for Policy Research in Education, and the Black Education Research Center, all at Teachers College.
Her research interests include the racial politics of public education, K-12 educational inequality, and historical perspectives on educational and social inequality. Her dissertation research centers the complicated interplay of history, racial politics, and community sensemaking to explore how racism and antiblackness are reproduced over time and in different public school contexts within Philadelphia.
In addition to her research interests, Leana is committed to supporting youth activists and organizers as she was one herself--which greatly shaped her world-view and political consciousness. She is also a proud board member of the Philly Student Union.
Leana holds a B.A. in Women's Studies from Spelman College.
Yeonsoo Choi is a Ph.D. student in Sociology and Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. She earned her B.A. and M.A. in Education from Yonsei University, South Korea. Her research interests include the sociology of elite education, globalization and education policy, school choice, and critical policy analysis. Yeonsoo is interested in better understanding how broader social discourses shape education policies and students’ educational experiences. Prior to coming to Teachers College, she worked as a research assistant for education policy research projects funded by the Ministry of Education, South Korea, and the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education.
Previous Education:
B.A. in Education, Yonsei University and M.A. in Education with concentration in Curriculum and Instruction, Yonsei University
Alicia is a Ph.D. student in the Sociology and Education program at Teachers College, Columbia University. She is a Paraguayan sociologist, educator, activist, and dancer; serving as the Sociology and Education program representative of the Student Advisory Council for the EPSA department. Alicia is a Fulbright alum and part of the research team of the Network for the Right to Education (Paraguay). Alicia has been related to education in various roles. She has worked as a dance, kindergarten, and high school teacher; and as a non-formal educator with activists and teachers in Asunción, Paraguay. As an undergraduate student, she was a member of a student movement that advocated for students’ voices representation and democratic government in national and local education policies. Her work as a non-formal community educator brought her close to adaptable pedagogical experiences in low-income communities that despite adversities achieve important outcomes which go beyond the curriculum. These educational experiences are models of community-based pedagogy that inform her research and teaching philosophy. Her academic interests include community-school relations, critical, feminist and decolonial pedagogies, Educación Popular, and understanding the emergent experiences of communities innovating in education and its potential to inform education policy.
B.A. in Sociology from Universidad Catolica Nuestra Senora de la Asuncion
M.A. in Sociology and Education from Teachers College, Columbia University
Siettah's research interests are all deeply informed by her own perspective as a Black woman and scholar, and her experiences working with Black and brown students. These interests include teacher education and preparation, sociocultural contexts of schools, teachers’ relationships with students, the role of love and care in the classroom, and Black students' lived experience with schooling in the U.S. She plans to explore these interests using methodologies that are aligned with Critical Race Theory and Critical Feminist Methodologies. Her goal is to conduct research that will contribute to improved educational experiences for Black students, while also empowering and respecting the participants.
Anuraag Sensharma is a Ph.D. student in the Sociology and Education program. He is interested in school and community structures that support student autonomy, and particularly interested in studying the prevalence and nature of those structures in high needs public schools. The mission of empowering students from all backgrounds to direct and craft their own meaningful learning experiences while engaging with their communities is central to his work in education.
Anuraag taught high school physics for four years at the H-B Woodlawn Secondary Program in Arlington, VA. Teaching at this public democratic alternative school had a profound impact on clarifying his mission, both as a teacher and as a researcher. Prior to teaching, he majored in physics and participated in two physics research groups as an undergraduate at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA. He is excited to unite his research and teaching experiences during his time at Teachers College.
Previous Education:
B.S. in Physics and M.A. in Education from the College of William and Mary
Cami Touloukian’s dedication to the collective effort to create a socially just and humanizing system of schools is at the heart of her personal and professional life. Formerly an elementary and early childhood educator, Cami has taught in many public, private and charter schools across the country. After years of teaching and learning with young people, Cami moved to higher education to work as a teacher educator. Her work with both classroom students and future teachers has allowed her to observe the many ways in which schools contribute to the social reproduction of inequity and injustice. As such, Cami’s research interests focus on better understanding and illuminating some of the barriers to building a more just and loving world through education. She is particularly interested in researching white supremacy in education, the sociology of whiteness in schools, and the potential for social change that lies at the intersection of critical race theory and sociology. In her free time, Cami enjoys spending time with the people she loves, being in nature with her dog, experiencing the world around her, and getting lost in a good book.
Indiana University, B.A. in General Studies with a focus on Sociology, History and Education
Indiana University, M.S.Ed. in Elementary Education
Lewis and Clark, Certification in Teacher Leadership for Equity and Social Justice
Jose Luis Vilson is a doctoral student in Sociology and Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. Prior to starting his doctoral program, he was a math teacher in New York City public schools for 15 years. He is the author of the best-selling This Is Not A Test: A New Narrative on Race, Class, and Education , and executive director of EduColor, an organization dedicated to race and social justice issues in education. He is primarily interested in how the nexus of policy, practice, and research proliferate or inhibit the recruitment and retention of educators of color. He earned a BS in Computer Science from Syracuse University and a MA in Mathematics Education from City College of New York.
Syracuse University, B.S. in Computer Science
City College of New York, M.A. in Mathematics Education
Shawn Saunders is an M.Ed candidate in the Sociology and Education program. Before TC, Shawn received a B.A. in Anthropology from Brown University and a M.A.T. from Relay Graduate School of Education with a focus in Childhood Education.
Shawn has spent 9 years teaching various grades in elementary schools in Brooklyn, most recently teaching 4th Grade in Canarsie. During the summer, Shawn works as the Academic Director for Jacob's Ladder, a sleep-away summer camp in Virginia for gifted middle school students.
Through his work with students and other educators, Shawn has developed many interests for study including the intersection of race, socioeconomic status and education, evaluation systems for students and teachers, and the effectiveness of discipline and school systems in urban contexts (with a particular interest in these topics within the world of charter schools).
Shawn has experienced the educational process in the private, public, and charter sectors as a student and teacher. This has allowed him to see the best of these spaces as well as areas in which there is still work to be done. By joining the TC/Columbia community, Shawn hopes to conduct research that helps better the educational experience for both educators and students especially within urban environments.
Grace Bradley is an MA candidate at Teachers College, Columbia University in the Sociology and Education program. During her time at TC, Grace works in Admissions at Barnard College as a Senior Admissions Officer, recruiting competitive students to the community, co-leading the Tour Guide program, and supervising digital and print communications. Prior to working at Barnard, Grace worked at Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville. Grace earned her BA in Dance and Sociology from Connecticut College.
Her research interest includes single-gender education and the economic and social mobility impact, higher education retention based on identity, social and emotional well-being of education leaders, and effective higher education communication to students in underrepresented and marginalized communities. At Barnard, she sat on the NACAC Committee for Advising Young Professionals, working to increase retention in first-year admission workers. She was given the opportunity to assist Dr. Drago-Severson in her research during her first-year.
Additionally, Grace’s other interests include eating disorder prevention and intervention and food access. During her undergraduate career, Grace created an eating disorder prevention and intervention education program for Connecticut College’s dance department with support from the Sociology Department and her colleagues at the National Eating Disorder Association in New York City. Outside of her time in school and work, Grace is an avid cook and baker, proud cat mom, and a runner.
Eric Carrera (He/Him) is an M.A. student in the Sociology and Education program at Teachers College, Columbia University. Born and raised in New York, Eric grew up seeing how one's zip code could determine so much of their educational outcomes, and so he's committed to finding ways to make sure that our schools are better able to support students from all backgrounds. Furthermore, as a product of New York City public schools, he's seen how life-changing education can be for immigrant and low-income communities and how important it is to fight for education equity.
Currently, Eric is the Community Affairs Fellow at the Office of Councilmember Shekar Krishnan (Elmhurst - Jackson Heights) where he works on the Constituent Services team helping neighbors navigate complex social services, organize events, as well as conduct outreach to better understand some of the issues facing this district. His experiences working in the most diverse neighborhoods on the planet have helped him show how people from different backgrounds can actively uplift and stand in solidarity with each other. Additionally, he is an educator at the Moth where he works in local NYC High Schools teaching young people the art of storytelling. An artist by heart and education, Eric has a passion for narratives and looks forward to combining his background as an artist, educator, and public servant to build a more equitable city for everyone.
During his time as an undergraduate student at NYU Eric was deeply involved in fostering student success and belonging through NYU Welcome Programs which was the primary orientation and events programming body for students across the university. This experience allowed him to contribute to building spaces for students from underrepresented backgrounds and demonstrated the importance of diversity in higher education and leadership.
In his off-time, Eric enjoys jogging around the city, making music on Ableton, and doing environmental photography. He's currently learning Portuguese and his favorite animal is the capybara.
Previous Education: B.F.A. in Collaborative Arts from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts
Emily Chow is an M.A. student in the Sociology and Education program at Teachers College, Columbia University. Emily was born and raised in Taiwan but has also lived in California and Boston. During college, Emily was a Learning Assistant for an introductory gender studies course. Through this position, she developed a passion for education and began to take interest in gender/ LGBTQIA + inclusive education. After college, she worked at an educational organization that partners with public schools in Taiwan, providing teachers with leadership and character education resources. During her time at the organization, she worked closely with various schools around Taiwan, met and talked with different students, teachers and school administrators. From these experiences, she saw the importance of equal access to non-academic educational resources in supporting teachers’ teaching and creating a safe and inclusive learning environment. Therefore, through the Sociology and Education program, she hopes to utilize social analysis to explore the factors that contribute to educational resource inequality, and to figure out strategies to ensure equitable access to resources for all schools. Currently, Emily serves as the Residential Senator on the Teachers College Student Senate and is serving on the Student Experience and Grounds/Resources Committees. She is excited to continue her academic journey and to learn from the amazing faculty and peers at TC.
Previous education:
B.A. in International Relations with a minor in Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies from Boston University
I am pursuing my M.A. degree in Sociology and Education in the Department of Ed. Policy and Social Analysis. As an educator and immigrant, I have come to realize that passion and perseverance is my driving force in pursuing this degree. Both my sister and I were merely toddlers when my mother made the decision to leave the Dominican Republic and come to the States for a better life and opportunities. That propelled my love to keep on learning and not take the life that I was offered here for granted.
Education became the love that I was hungry to pursue and during my undergraduate time at Saint Peter’s University I came to a decision that teaching was where I needed to be. Teaching offered me a place where I can gradually see the seeds that I plant at the beginning of the school year grow and thrive towards the end. That has been my most rewarding experience. I currently teach 6th grade Humanities in an independent school in Jersey City. Though this role has given me an opportunity to learn and grow as an educator I have also seen the inequities that are built around a system that is supposed to motivate and love. I began questioning my role not only as a teacher, but someone who needed to speak up and challenge this system that places BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ people as an afterthought. I found myself researching and T.C. was the first place that answered my questions and allowed me to feel connected.
With this degree, I want to work outside of the classroom and be part of a system that includes opportunities for BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ students within schools where their values and lives are appreciated and loved. My goal once I receive this degree is to work in an educational non profit organization or education reform to further understand why these things are happening. That will provide me with the tools and knowledge to help and guide schools, educators, principals, and everyone involved in that community to provide students with the necessary opportunities that rightfully fits their needs.
Ruohan Li is an M.A. candidate in the Sociology and Education Program at Teachers College, Columbia University. She received her B.A. degree in Sociology at the University of California, Santa Barbara. During her high school and college years, Ruohan led a team of volunteers in the organization she founded in high school to help children from Bairin Left Banner, Inner Mongolia continue schooling. There, she witnessed firsthand how learning disabilities, poverty, and gender stereotypes denied access to schooling for girls in the village. During her college years, Ruohan also participated in research projects at Peking University and Beijing Institute of Technology. Before coming to TC, Ruohan had a couple of internship experiences. She worked as a curriculum design assistant at Westminster School in the UK and several international schools in China. These experiences helped her to develop academic interest in social inequality, gender inequality, and education policy. She hopes to gain more knowledge about educational inequality and education policy through her study at TC. After graduation, she aspires to become a researcher at a non-profit organization specialized in children with learning disabilities and from disadvantaged communities to help them get better educational opportunities.
Nicole (Nic) Mora is an M.A. student in the Sociology and Education program at Teachers College, Columbia University. She recently graduated from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with her BA in Human Development & Family Science and a double minor in LatinX Studies and Sexuality Studies.
During her undergraduate career Nic worked alongside Dr. Dorothy Espelage on several projects aiming to make schools a safer and more equal space for all students. Nic assisted on projects focusing on bullying and sexual violence prevention.
As a queer, first-generation student, Nic is very passionate about access to education for minority and LGBTQ+ students. She hopes to evaluate schools as organizations and the role student-teacher engagement plays in students’ identity formation and belonging. Nic is also interested in school-based social-emotional learning and education policy.
During her free time Nic loves to be active, hangout with her cat Finn, explore the music and art scenes in New York City, and eat traditional Colombian cuisine.
Satoria Ray is an M.A. candidate in the Sociology and Education program at Teachers College, Columbia University. Prior to attending Teachers College, Satoria taught 8th grade social studies in Dallas, Texas. Her teaching experience actualized educational inequity and put faces and lived realities to the statistics she was only abstractly familiar with before entering the classroom. This experience and the desire to reimagine the public school system for her students, and students around the country like them, drew her to TC.
Satoria is currently the LEE Public Policy Fellow at The Education Trust–New York where she conducts data analysis of educational issues spanning from early childhood to higher education in an effort to advance educational equity at regional and statewide levels. She is also an Arthur Zankel Fellow and works with the Youth Historians in Harlem project where she empowers youth to approach history through a critical lens and through their own cultural experiences.
Satoria’s previous research and publications focus on the experiences of Black youth. She has penned OpEds on the adultification of Black children and the harmfulness of exclusionary discipline policies. Satoria is interested in the intersection of K-12 schooling and the criminal justice system, the experiences of Black girls in schools, and culturally relevant and sustaining pedagogy.
A native of Greensboro, North Carolina, Satoria holds a Bachelor’s degree in communication studies and Hispanic studies from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. When she isn’t buried in academic texts or crunching numbers, Satoria loves reading, traveling, and going to museums.
Diana Tiburcio (they/them) is an M.A candidate in the Sociology and Education program at Teachers College, Columbia University. As a critical race scholar and abolitionist, their current research interests in education examine the neoliberal structures and policies that undervalue the cultural assets of BIPOC students in school.
Their undergraduate thesis, "Challenging College Readiness at Passaic High School (PHS)," explored PHS alumni counter-narratives to their alma mater’s college-oriented curriculum. Diana’s findings demonstrated how first-generation, low-income students’ socioeconomic status, aspirations, and familial values shape their response and/or resistance to PHS’ lack of contextualized college access interventions.
Today, Diana is the co-founder and COO of LOGRO, an aspiring non-profit organization that supports the holistic development of Passaic City youth by drawing upon the cultural wealth and resistance of BIPOC communities. LOGRO’s focuses include youth empowerment programming, community-building initiatives, and social advocacy.
B.A in Sociology and Education Studies from Amherst College
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The Sociology program from Columbia University combines an emphasis on competence in social theory and research methods with opportunities for the development of each student’s own interest.
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Doctoral candidates are expected to achieve a solid proficiency in fundamentals that will enable them to teach basic and advanced sociology courses and to engage in both quantitative and qualitative research.
Students are encouraged to take advantage of the wide diversity of specialties within the faculty of the department and the university as a whole, and to call upon the unique social and cultural resources available within New York City and its surrounding area.
The department emphasizes rigorous training in sociological theory and in research methods. It includes a sequence of required and elective courses on theory and theory construction, designed to acquaint every student with skills necessary for developing social explanations.
Required and elective courses in methods and statistics familiarize students with the basic techniques for collecting and analyzing data on social processes. The methods sequence ensures that every student acquires the competence to formulate and test research questions.
The Sociology program is offered by Columbia University.
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- 84 months
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- Students must submit one transcript showing courses and grades per school attended, a statement of academic purpose, and three letters of evaluation from academic sources.
- All international students whose native language is not English or whose undergraduate degree is from an institution in a country whose official language is not English must submit scores of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or IELTS.
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Info: Columbia Sociology PhD Program
EDIT: This is a question about the only Sociology PhD program offered by Columbia University in the City of New York (as far as I am aware). This is not about an online program, and I am unclear why this has been downvoted(??). I am trying to understand more about the program, which has relatively limited information online, and appears to vary pretty substantially from the other top programs that I have been looking into, in ways that have led to some concern. __
I am having so much trouble finding substantive information about Columbia’s Sociology PhD program online, at least compared to the information provided by other programs. And what I have found has been a bit…confusing.
Can anyone provide any information on the program? Asking as a prospective student.
I’m interested in perspectives from both inside and outside of the program, including reputation and impressions in the field. My main areas of concern are placements, publishing, faculty dynamics and support, and experience with outside fellowships, grants, and awards.
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PhD in Sociology
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PhD in Sociology at the prestigious Columbia University is a prestigious degree that offers in-depth learning in Sociology. Being a renowned university, Columbia University receives enough funds to ensure the best education facilities for its students across all programs. This doctorate program offered full-time primarily focuses on the practical implementation of fresh ideas through rigorous study and research. The students are encouraged to add new aspects and findings to the existing area of knowledge. PhD in Sociology at CU is ranked globally by estimated organisations. Such recognition speaks volumes about the course’s importance and effectiveness in the present scenario. The top-notch faculty, modern facilities, and the aura of creativity and innovation in the CU campus is a life-changing experience for the students looking forward to kickstarting or upgrading their careers. Overall, a PhD in Sociology at Columbia University is an excellent opportunity to grow into a learned professional and bring new developments in the world.
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PHD in Sociology
Columbia university, new york, united states of america, important links.
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PROGRAM FEES
Approximate fees for columbia university, eligibility.
- GRE - My Be Required 170
- GMAT - My Be Required 724
- SAT - My Be Required 1505
- IELTS - My Be Required 7
- TOEFL - My Be Required 100
- PTE - My Be Required 65
- GPA - My Be Required 4.12
- SPRING 1 November
REQUIREMENTS
- Transcript Evaluation Required
ABOUT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
Columbia Institution is a private Ivy League research university located in New York City. It is usually known simply as Columbia, despite the fact that its actual name is Columbia University in the City of New York. Columbia University, which was originally founded in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhattan, is the fifth-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. It is also the oldest institution of higher education in the state of New York and is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious educational institutions in the entire world. There were nine colonial institutions established before the signing of the Declaration of Independence; seven of those colleges are currently members of the Ivy League. The University of Columbia is consistently rated as one of the best educational institutions in the world.
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At Columbia, the cost of housing and eating plans are determined independently. In the year 2020, the average cost of lodging for a student was $8,718 and the average cost of dining out was $5,772.
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- Undergraduate Acceptance Rate 6.15%
- Graduate Acceptance Rate 6.6%
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Faculty - May 28, 2024
From Sustainability Mirage to Sustainability Management
- Sustainability Management
By Dr. Steven Cohen, Senior Vice Dean, School of Professional Studies; Professor in the Practice of Public Affairs, School of International and Public Affairs
Since 2010, when I wrote a book entitled Sustainability Management and led the start-up of Columbia’s Master of Sustainability Management program, I’ve seen sustainability as a fundamental management principle. I’ve taught both management and environmental policy since the early 1980s and have led an MPA program in environmental science and policy since 2002, but it took me about 25 years until I saw environmental protection merging with organizational management and emerging as a management principle. Like human resources, finance, accounting, marketing, performance measurement, strategic planning, and operations management, I saw a concern for an organization’s use of resources and its impact on its surrounding community as central to an organization’s cost structure and business model. Initially, energy efficiency seemed the low-hanging fruit worth pursuing. Later, water and waste management seemed places where organizations could reduce costs and improve environmental quality. By 2010, I saw that customers and staff were attracted to organizations that paid attention to their environmental impact. Companies were making money in an emerging green economy due to their market appeal and mission orientation.
As a student of Total Quality Management, the idea of driving waste out of operations and focusing analytic attention on suppliers and customers seemed a logical prequel to a concern for wasted resources and environmental impact. The technology of renewable energy and battery storage seemed to be a clear way of reducing energy costs and environmental impact. The field of industrial ecology was being developed to turn production waste into resources for production. Finally, as the climate models of the early 20th century proved correct in predicting sea level rise and extreme weather, investors started to express concerns for the financial impact of environmental risk, and the field of sustainability management evolved from greenwashing public relations to an integrated part of high-quality organizational management. Investors began demanding data on environmental risk and greenhouse gas emissions. Companies started producing annual sustainability reports or adding these factors to their annual reports to shareholders.
A recent piece in the Wall Street Journal discussed this evolution by highlighting the changing role of Chief Sustainability Officers. WSJ’s Yusuf Khan begins the piece by relating the professional journey of Sophia Mendelsohn, one of the early graduates of Columbia’s Master of Sustainability Management program. According to Khan :
“When Sophia Mendelsohn started her career in sustainability 20 years ago, her co-workers would leave empty cans of cola on her desk to recycle and part of her job was to persuade people to print on both sides of a piece of paper. Now, Mendelsohn is the chief sustainability officer of software giant SAP and reports directly to its chief executive, Christian Klein, working on the company’s long-term strategy for climate and sustainability. Once perceived as hippies and tree-huggers, chief sustainability officers have seen their role evolve from a backroom marketing function to being key figures in a company’s business operation and growth. Demand from consumers for companies to be more upfront on their climate goals, increased regulation around sustainability and shareholder activism have added momentum to these changes.”
For a number of years, Mendelsohn was in charge of sustainability at Jet Blue and has been a pathbreaker in establishing the profession of sustainability management. Over the past decade or so, many of our graduates have taken on sustainability leadership roles, and I’ve seen the definition of sustainability management expand to include organizational governance, staff diversity, and community impact. While my personal interest remains focused on environmental sustainability, what was originally the entire field of sustainability management is now the central subfield of a management practice that has broadened to include these other important factors.
The number of private companies with Chief Sustainability Officers is growing as sustainability management is becoming a more important and fully integrated part of corporate management. Again, according to Yusuf Khan ’s recent report:
“Roughly 183 public companies in the U.S. now employ a CSO, up from 29 in 2011, according to a recent report from recruiter Weinreb Group. Of those, more than three-quarters sit on the company’s leadership team while just over a third report directly to the CEO. In Europe, CSOs are becoming even more common. In Germany, for example, 90% of companies had a dedicated CSO role in 2022, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers, with 58% of those listed on the DAX exchange having women sustainability chiefs.”
The growth of sustainability management is not limited to the private sector. Under an Executive Order issued by President Biden, the Office of the Federal Chief Sustainability Officer was created within the White House Council on Environmental Quality. According to the federal sustainability website :
“President Biden has charged the U.S. Federal Government to lead by example by sustainably managing its footprint of over 300,000 buildings, over 600,000 vehicles, and $650 billion spent annually on goods and services. He issued Executive Order 14008 during his first week of office, calling on the Federal Government to align its management of property and procurement to support robust climate action while creating new jobs and catalyzing the country’s clean energy industries. On Dec. 8, 2021, President Biden signed Executive Order 14057 and issued his Federal Sustainability Plan , which directs the Federal Government to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 by transitioning Federal infrastructure to zero-emission vehicles and energy efficient buildings, powered by carbon pollution-free electricity. The Office of Federal Chief Sustainability Officer, which is a part of the White House Council on Environmental Quality , is leading the implementation of Executive Order 14057 and issued his Federal Sustainability Plan.”
The Biden Administration has required each federal agency to appoint a chief sustainability officer with the goal of ensuring that agency purchasing and operations reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental impacts. Over 50 agencies have appointed CSOs. Given the slow pace of management innovation in the federal government, I’m not surprised that only a small amount of progress has been made, as indicated by a federal scorecard published by the Federal Chief Sustainability Office. This report provides data on progress to date. For example, in FY 2021, 2% of federal vehicle purchases were zero-emission, and by FY 2022, that had grown to 12%. That means 88% of the vehicles purchased by the federal government were powered by internal combustion engines. Pathetic, but less pathetic than the year before at 98%. Still, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
Nonprofit organizations like universities and hospitals are also appointing chief sustainability officers, and like the government, they too have a mixed record of success. Overall, we are seeing more rapid adoption of sustainability management in the private sector. This tends to be the path of management innovation generally: It often begins in the private sector, stimulated by efficiency and the demands of investors, and disciplined by competitive processes that sort symbols from reality.
But by any measure, the vision of integrating environmental concerns with routine management is beginning to become a reality. The symbolic era of greenwashing is giving way to a widespread understanding that environmental sustainability is not a fringe concern but a more central element of management. On a more crowded and economically developed planet, our human population is making demands on our ecosystems and resources. Those facts of economic life are changing cost structures and making renewable resources more cost-effective. Technology like artificial intelligence and robotics are making resource reuse more practical.
The most visible challenge to this new stream of management innovation is scientifically illiterate politicians who consider climate change a “belief” rather than a scientific fact and fossil fuel executives who believe they can protect their dying industry with political clout and campaign cash. The transition away from fossil fuels will take decades, but it is well underway and unstoppable. It is not driven by climate politics or progressive ideology but by technological change and market forces. Sustainability management is simply a more sophisticated form of management built to accommodate the environmental, social, economic, and technological conditions of the modern economy. Just as accounting was added in the 1930s and performance measurement was added to management routine at the end of the 20th century, sustainability management is being added today. It is a response to a more complex competitive environment, and it is correlated with financial success. In the past two decades, we have begun to move from sustainability mirage to the operational practice of sustainability management.
Views and opinions expressed here are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the official position of Columbia School of Professional Studies or Columbia University.
About the Program
The Columbia University M.S. in Sustainability Management program offered by the School of Professional Studies in partnership with the Climate School provides students cutting-edge policy and management tools they can use to help public and private organizations and governments address environmental impacts and risks, pollution control, and remediation to achieve sustainability. The program is customized for working professionals and is offered as both a full- and part-time course of study.
Steven Cohen, Ph.D.
Senior Vice Dean, School of Professional Studies; Professor in the Practice of Public Affairs, School of International and Public Affairs
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- UB’s Department of Sociology is now the Department of Sociology and Criminology
UB’s Department of Sociology is now the Department of Sociology and Criminology
By Bert Gambini
Release Date: June 13, 2024
Robert Adelman
Ashley Barr
BUFFALO, N.Y. – The University at Buffalo’s College of Arts and Sciences on June 4 officially changed the name of its Department of Sociology to the Department of Sociology and Criminology .
The study of criminology and faculty research in that field is among the department’s strengths. Roughly half of the current faculty already specialize in crime, law or justice, either as a primary or secondary area of expertise. The new name now better represents the programs, degrees, faculty and students within the existing department.
The American Sociological Association also suggests that department names clearly reflect its programs and students, a best practice realized by the renaming, according to Robert Adelman, PhD, professor and chair of the Department of Sociology and Criminology.
“In addition to our bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in sociology, we also offer a bachelor’s and master’s in criminology,” says Adelman. “Our undergraduate criminology program in fact has grown about threefold since its launch a few years ago.”
The rebranding to the Department of Sociology and Criminology was preferable to establishing separate departments because sociology remains the current department’s base.
“The department has been very strategic in hiring new criminology colleagues who have PhDs in sociology, rather than criminology, including the eight faculty members hired within the last five years,” says Adelman. “Although this may change in the future, one of the assets of our criminology faculty is that they all contribute significantly to other areas within sociology.”
Adelman says criminologists do work that overlaps with aging and the life course, family, education, health and medical sociology, for instance.
“The intersections of those core areas in sociology are vital and what distinguishes our faculty from those in the standalone departments of other universities,” he says.
Students at all levels in the department are reacting enthusiastically to the new name, according to Ashley Barr, PhD, an associate professor in the department and director of graduate studies.
“While the master’s degree in criminology already provides students with the applied skills to do well in areas related to their interests – from policy analysis, social service organization, social justice advocacy, public safety and law enforcement – they expect the name change will offer even more value to their degree,” says Barr. “Informal conversations between faculty and our wonderful undergraduate students indicate they’re just as excited."
Barr says the daily operations of the department shouldn’t be affected much by the new name.
“The feeling is that ‘sociology and criminology’ better captures what we do,” says Barr. “It speaks to our strengths with the goal of attracting even more students and faculty members down the road.”
Media Contact Information
Bert Gambini News Content Manager Humanities, Economics, Social Sciences, Social Work, Libraries Tel: 716-645-5334 [email protected]
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The Ph.D. Program. The Ph.D. program prepares students to conduct the highest level of sociological research. Graduates of the program go on to occupy research and teaching positions at top universities around the world as well as advanced positions in government and private industry. Alumni of the program include some of the most distinguished ...
Ph.D. Program. The Department of Sociology at Columbia offers a graduate program focused on preparing students for the degree of doctor of philosophy (PhD), as well as a freestanding one-year Masters (MAO) program. Both programs aim to provide students with tools they need to produce original sociological insights and scholarship. The PhD ...
Adam Reich Promoted to Professor of Sociology. The Committee on Academic Affairs of the Board of Trustees approved the promotion of Adam Reich to Professor of Sociology. Adam first joined the department in 2012 as a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health & Society Scholar, and became an Assistant Professor in 2013. Congratulations, Adam!
Program Category: PhD Programs. Chair: Mario Small. Director of Graduate Studies: Josh Whitford. Website: sociology.columbia.edu/. Degree Programs: Full-Time: MA, MPhil, PhD. The PhD program in Sociology combines an emphasis on competence in social theory and research methods with opportunities for the development of each student's own interest.
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The required coursework is offered at Teachers College and in the Sociology Department in Columbia University's Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. With advisor permission, students may pursue courses in other professional schools at the University or through the Inter-University Doctoral Consortium.
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The Sociology program from Columbia University combines an emphasis on competence in social theory and research methods with opportunities for the development of each student's own interest. Columbia University Multiple locations. Manhattan, New York, United States. Top 0.1% worldwide. Studyportals University Meta Ranking.
PhD Student at Department of Sociology, Columbia University · Experience: Department of Sociology, Columbia University · Education: Teachers College, Columbia University · Location: New York ...
Info: Columbia Sociology PhD Program . Need Advice EDIT: This is a question about the only Sociology PhD program offered by Columbia University in the City of New York (as far as I am aware). This is not about an online program, and I am unclear why this has been downvoted(??). I am trying to understand more about the program, which has ...
PhD in Sociology at the prestigious Columbia University is a prestigious degree that offers in-depth learning in Sociology. Being a renowned university, Columbia University receives enough funds to ensure the best education facilities for its students across all programs. This doctorate program offered full-time primarily focuses on the practical implementation of fresh ideas through rigorous ...
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About the Program. The Columbia University M.S. in Sustainability Management program offered by the School of Professional Studies in partnership with the Climate School provides students cutting-edge policy and management tools they can use to help public and private organizations and governments address environmental impacts and risks, pollution control, and remediation to achieve ...
BUFFALO, N.Y. - The University at Buffalo's College of Arts and Sciences on June 4 officially changed the name of its Department of Sociology to the Department of Sociology and Criminology. The study of criminology and faculty research in that field is among the department's strengths.
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Students must take at least six elective courses. At least two of these courses must be in a substantive area to assure breadth in sociology. Substantive areas include: Race, Gender, Disasters and the Environment, Criminology, Law and Society, Health, Methods, and Theory.
Sociologists examine how membership in different groups and interactions with social structures and social institutions affect a person's daily life. The UB Department of Sociology and Criminology trains undergraduate students to analyze a wide variety of social issues, including family, gender, race, class, law, policies, crime, health and the environment.
The Department of Sociology's undergraduate program provides students with broad exposure to traditional and contemporary material in each field and prepares the student for a variety of job opportunities or graduate education. Opportunities to gain "hands on" experience are available, such as working on research supervised by a member of our faculty and through connecting the student to ...
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