Discover the best schools for environment and ecology research.
Universities in the U.S. and around the world are home to researchers investigating a variety of environmental issues, such as sustainability and the impact of a changing climate. For prospective students who want to join them, here are the top 10 Best Global Universities for Environment and Ecology, as ranked by U.S. News based on academic research performance in that subject area.
10. Tsinghua University
Location: Beijing, China
Best Global Universities overall rank: 26 (tie)
Fact: The mission of Tsinghua University‘s School of Environment is to minimize pollution and promote sustainability. The school provides technical and theoretical insights that inform environmental initiatives within China, and it collaborates with many other schools.
9. University of Minnesota?–Twin Cities
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Best Global Universities overall rank: 55
Fact: The University of Minnesota Institute on the Environment supports interdisciplinary research on sustainability-related subjects. One of its focus areas is ecological economics, the study of how externalities and the value of natural resources can be factored into a company’s decision-making process.
8. Imperial College London
Location: London, England, United Kingdom
Best Global Universities overall rank: 20
Fact: Imperial College London offers a master’s degree in environmental technology in which students encounter an interdisciplinary curriculum that combines natural and social sciences. For example, the required “Human-Natural World Interface” module within the master’s program teaches about how people and their environments interact and includes a series of case studies to help students gain problem-solving skills.
7. University of Queensland Australia
Location: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Best Global Universities overall rank: 36
Fact: Ecological and environmental researchers at University of Queensland Australia have received many national scientific awards within Australia, including multiple Eureka prizes from the Australian Museum. These researchers have strong relationships with many important environmental or scientific organizations such as the Convention on Biodiversity, International Union for Conservation of Nature and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority.
6. University of Oxford
Location: Oxford, England, U.K.
Best Global Universities overall rank: 5
Fact: The University of Oxford‘s Environmental Change Institute has an internship program for undergraduate and graduate students focused on sustainability. The program gives students financial support and pairs them with a mentor at their host organization, according to the institute’s website.
5. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
Location: Zurich, Switzerland
Best Global Universities overall rank: 26 (tie)
Fact: Environmental sciences master’s students at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich are required to complete an external professional internship that’s at least 18 weeks long, according to the school’s website. These students may choose between six majors. One concentrates on atmosphere and climate while another focuses on human health, nutrition and environment.
4. University of California–Berkeley
Location: Berkeley, California, U.S.
Best Global Universities overall rank: 4
Fact: The University of California–Berkeley‘s Rausser College of Natural Resources offers a range of undergraduate majors, including conservation and resource studies, environmental economics and policy, and microbial biology, according to the college’s website. The college also offers a variety of minors, including food systems and toxicology.
3. Harvard University
Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S.
Best Global Universities overall rank: 1
Fact: The Harvard University Center for the Environment offers financial support to undergraduate students who want to conduct summer research on environmental issues. Students can work on an independent project or become a research assistant to a Harvard faculty member, according to the center’s website.
2. Stanford University
Location: Stanford in Palo Alto, California, U.S.
Best Global Universities overall rank: 3
Fact: The Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment offers various education, leadership and research programs for Stanford University students, including its Forum for Undergraduate Environmental Leadership and its Rising Environmental Leaders Program, which caters to graduate students and postdoctoral scholars.
1. Wageningen University and Research Center
Location: Wageningen, Netherlands
Best Global Universities overall rank: 80 (tie)
Fact: Wageningen University and Research Center offers master’s programs in more than 35 subject areas, including environment-focused academic disciplines such as international land and water management, climate studies and urban environmental management, according to the institution’s website.
Explore the top 10 global universities for environment and ecology.
1. Wageningen University and Research Center2. Stanford University
3. Harvard University
4. University of California–Berkeley
5. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
6. University of Oxford
7. University of Queensland Australia
8. Imperial College London
9. University of Minnesota–Twin Cities
10. Tsinghua University
Learn more about studying overseas.
Discover 10 free resources for international students that can help with a U.S. college search, and explore scholarships that can pay for overseas graduate studies, such as the Rhodes scholarships. Also, learn how to factor in the language of instruction at global universities when assessing those schools. For more education news and tips, follow U.S. News Education on Facebook and Twitter.
More from U.S. News
Plan Ahead to Meet International Undergraduate Admissions Deadlines
A Checklist for Earning a Degree Abroad
Harvard Tops 2022 U.S. News Best Global Universities Rankings
See the Top 10 Global Universities for Environment and Ecology originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 10/27/21: This slideshow has been updated to include ranks from the 2022 U.S. News Best Global Universities rankings.
