Which is better for environmental studies: Cornell or Tufts?

For a student seeking the strongest overall academic platform in environmental studies, Cornell has the edge over Tufts. Cornell’s Environment and Sustainability major in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences combines natural science, social science, policy, and applied sustainability. Its land-grant mission also gives the field a particularly deep connection to agriculture, conservation, food systems, climate research, and real-world environmental management.

Students can connect their coursework with areas such as environmental engineering, earth and atmospheric sciences, natural resources, ecology, sustainable agriculture, and public policy, while drawing on research centers including the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability. The Ithaca campus also provides direct access to field sites, natural areas, farms, and the Cornell Botanic Gardens, which can make undergraduate research and field-based learning more accessible.

Tufts has a thoughtful, interdisciplinary Environmental Studies program and can be especially appealing for students drawn to environmental policy, urban sustainability, public health, or community-based work in the Boston area. Its smaller scale may also make faculty relationships and cross-disciplinary exploration feel more intimate. But for the broadest research infrastructure and the greatest number of science- and sustainability-focused academic pathways, Cornell provides a deeper environmental studies foundation.