The interdisciplinary Food Systems minor is designed to offer students a historical perspective and structural framework for studying our contemporary food system across disciplines. Students will identify and examine complex issues involving food, from soil to table, and develop knowledge and skills to become a more sustainable and responsible food citizen. The minor complements majors from across campus, including Natural Sciences, Social Sciences and the Humanities.
Choose one course from each of the following Disciplines to complete 9 credits.
Natural Science:
Social Science:
Humanities:
Though we eat food daily, most of us know very little about the vast system of agricultural production, food processing, distribution, retailing, labeling, and catering that influences each and every individual food choice we make. Neither do we understand the forces influencing this chain of production from farm to table: cultural, political, economic. In this course, we will explore the structure and function of the contemporary food system, and compare it to some alternative historical models. We’ll then ask how did this system develop? What problems was it trying to solve? What unintended consequences flow from this current food system? What are the ways that actors can and do challenge this food system? This course will introduce students to our contemporary food system and the broad, interdisciplinary type of thinking required to make sense of it.
Choose at least 3 courses from the following list:
This list is udpated annually. Please review the catalogue under year of declaration for specific curriculum requirements.