College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Department of the Earth, Atmosphere, and Climate
Search Close Search
Give
Toggle Menu

Earn your climate science degree at Iowa State

Develop the expertise that’s at the center of a sustainable future.

 

Our environment requires a lifetime of green-thinking. Now more than ever we need climate professionals on every front — making breakthrough discoveries in the field and applying their findings across a multitude of industries. 

 

Climate science majors at Iowa State are answering that call, creating careers in which they are just as likely to study glacier movement in Norway as to collaborate with city-planners in our biggest cities. 

Real climate solutions come from every angle.

Learn climate science while specializing in one of six pathways where your passions and goals align with real-world needs:

  • Advanced climate science
  • Data visualization
  • Design and planning for sustainability,
  • Climate, food, agriculture, and biodiversity
  • Policy and human behavior
  • Science communication

Your degree will prepare you for burgeoning careers in fields like technology, business, national security, and research. From sustainability analysts to climate risk specialists, from climate scientists to careers that don’t even exist yet, our graduates engage in exciting and gratifying work that can evolve with and sustain their efforts for a lifetime.

Current students and faculty making a difference.

  • Owen Halverson

    Unexpected Angles

    Pursuing a career in consultation, Owen Halverson ‘24 is majoring in climate science to provide help in a way he thinks people probably don’t consider — communication. “I want to help convey what people need to know to improve our cities and ensure businesses stay on green pathways for the future,” he said.

  • Amanda Hauser

    Hope For Our World

    “The climate science program makes me feel like there’s still hope for helping our planet, that we can all make an impact and teach others to do the same,” said Amanda Hauser ‘25, who hopes a career in glacial research, hydrology, or environmental sustainability can help others understand how to ameliorate our changing climate.

  • Christina Patricola

    Cyclones on Cyclones

    Dr. Christina Patricola and her collaborators are projecting a possible increase of tropical cyclones for the Atlantic coast, up to 66 percent. These storm systems will also likely be much stronger, suggested by active simulations using a high-resolution, global climate model. “Anything that can be done to curb greenhouse gas emissions could be helpful to reduce this risk,” said Dr. Patricola.

Find Your Angle. Create Real Solutions.