AMHERST, N.Y. -- Daemen College’s unique Global and Local Sustainability Program has earned the top ranking in the nation among the “Best Value Small Colleges for an Environmental Science Degree,” making it the only Western New York college to be named to the list.

The 2017 ranking has been announced by Best Value Small Colleges, an online guide to the best values in college education in the country.

“We are proud to have this exceptional degree program ranked the best in the nation and to be recognized for offering a high-quality education at an affordable cost to our students,” said Daemen President Gary A. Olson. “This top honor truly reflects the program’s academic excellence in preparing students to foster the social, environmental, and economic well-being of our communities.”

On the newly released list, Daemen is ranked No. 1 among 20 colleges from across the country that include such notable institutions as Colgate University, Barnard College, and Smith College.

Daemen’s global and local sustainability degree was given high marks for featuring “a practical mix of coursework in sustainable design, urban development, and renewable energy.” The college was also commended for its natural science and biology degrees that offer concentrations in environmental studies.

The “Best Value Small Colleges for an Environmental Science Degree” list includes colleges with 3,000 or fewer undergraduate students and offer a minimum of three relevant programs for students seeking a bachelor’s degree in the field, and demonstrate a commitment to an affordable education. Based on program research and data from the National Center for Education Statistics’ College Navigator, colleges are ranked on academic depth, student support, and affordability.

“Using an interdisciplinary approach, our program addresses the complexity of local and global environmental issues and offers hands-on learning opportunities that give students experience in working toward sustainable solutions for the 21^st century,” said Dr. Brenda Young, chair of the Global and Local Sustainability Program. “Our program provides students a solid understanding of environmental issues that may be applied to many career goals ranging from law to public health to business.”

Through the college’s “double-up” option, Daemen students may also earn complementary bachelor’s degrees in global and local sustainability and business administration or paralegal studies.