Integrated Program in the Environment
Concentration in Sustainable Food Systems (Bachelor of Arts in Environmental and Sustainability Studies)
Students on Summer 2018, Fall 2018, or Spring 2019 requirements SUFDSYSCON
Requirements
The concentration requires at least 12 credit hours, including the requirements listed below.
- Core Courses. Two (2) courses:
- ANTH-E 421 Food and Culture
- GEOG-G 369 The Geography of Food
- GEOG-G 469 Food and Global Poverty
- GEOG-G 478 Global Change, Food, and Farming Systems
- SPEA-E 417 Fundamentals of Sustainable Agriculture
- SPEA-V 413 Food Systems and Community Resilience
ANTH-E 421 Food and Culture
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Discussion of the economy of food production, trade and consumption on a global basis. Gives a cross-cultural and historical perspective on the development of cooking and cuisine in relationship to individual, national, and ethnic identity. Relates cuisine to modernity, migration, and forms of cultural mixing and Creolization.
- Summer 2025CASE SHcourseSpring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
GEOG-G 369 The Geography of Food
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Promotes understanding of the history and geographic distribution of the world's food cultures. Focuses on the material aspects of food and food's relationship to society. Increases knowledge of food and cultures through reading, discussion and cooking.
- Summer 2025CASE SHcourseSpring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
GEOG-G 469 Food and Global Poverty
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- How is the production and consumption of food related to poverty and development? Explores how global food systems affect farmers, farmworkers, retailers and consumers; the ways scientific advances changed rural economies in the Third World; and the history of famine and contemporary food security issues.
- Summer 2025CASE GCCcourseSpring 2025CASE GCCcourseFall 2024CASE GCCcourse
- Summer 2025CASE SHcourseSpring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
- Summer 2025CASE SLcourseSpring 2025CASE SLcourseFall 2024CASE SLcourse
GEOG-G 478 Global Change, Food, and Farming Systems
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Introduction to food production and consumption systems, emphasizing linkages to land use and social change on food/farming system sustainability. Topics include urbanization, population growth, and economic liberalization; farming livelihoods, gender, and poverty; biotechnology; agro-ecology, global health.
- Summer 2025CASE SHcourseSpring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
SPEA-E 417 Fundamentals of Sustainable Agriculture
- Description
- This course will present the fundamentals of specialty crop and animal sustainable agriculture based on an ecological agriculture framework. Students will learn about and apply ecological, social, and economic concepts in evaluating for farm sustainability. The course includes both in-class and field lab experiences
- Additional information
- Credit hour, prerequisite, and other information cannot be displayed for this course. If this is a course outside of the College of Arts and Sciences, please see the appropriate school's bulletin for additional information.
SPEA-V 413 Food Systems and Community Resilience
- Description
- This course provides an overview of the food system in the U.S., focusing on the system shaping the food we eat, and the resilience of people, communities, and the environment. It explores community food system development in relation to food security and food sovereignty as catalysts to resilient communities.
- Additional information
- Credit hour, prerequisite, and other information cannot be displayed for this course. If this is a course outside of the College of Arts and Sciences, please see the appropriate school's bulletin for additional information.
- Elective Courses. Two (2) courses:
- ANTH-E 366 Commodities and Culture
- ANTH-E 421 Food and Culture
- GEOG-G 218 Edible Education
- GEOG-G 352 Food and Poverty in America
- GEOG-G 357 Urban Alternative Agriculture
- GEOG-G 369 The Geography of Food
- GEOG-G 469 Food and Global Poverty
- GEOG-G 478 Global Change, Food, and Farming Systems
- SPEA-E 400 Topics in Environmental Studies (Approved topics: "PERMACULTURE" (TPC 321))
- SPEA-E 417 Fundamentals of Sustainable Agriculture
- SPEA-E 450
- SPEA-V 413 Food Systems and Community Resilience
- SPEA-V 450 Contemporary Issues in Public Affairs (Approved topics: "AGRICULTURE, ENVIRONMENT AND GOVERNANCE" (TPC 884))
- Independent study, readings, research, or practicum in sustainable food systems from any department (3 cr.) with pre-approval of the Program
ANTH-E 366 Commodities and Culture
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Considers the complex connections between commodities, \"sustainable\" trade, and culture, especially for agricultural commodities. Drawing from work in anthropology and real-world case studies, asks: What makes something a commodity? What is the \"right\" way to farm, to trade, and to eat? Who decides, and why?
- Summer 2025CASE SLcourseSpring 2025CASE SLcourseFall 2024CASE SLcourse
ANTH-E 421 Food and Culture
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Discussion of the economy of food production, trade and consumption on a global basis. Gives a cross-cultural and historical perspective on the development of cooking and cuisine in relationship to individual, national, and ethnic identity. Relates cuisine to modernity, migration, and forms of cultural mixing and Creolization.
- Summer 2025CASE SHcourseSpring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
GEOG-G 218 Edible Education
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Explores many different aspects of the food movement in a single course. Topics include organic agriculture, school lunch reform, farm-to-school programs, urban agriculture and food sovereignty using a multi-disciplinary perspective.
- Summer 2025CASE SHcourseSpring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
GEOG-G 352 Food and Poverty in America
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- This course examines the experience of food insecurity in the USA, the role of poverty in food production and consumption, and the current mitigation strategies and social movements challenging the global food regime. Students will learn the differences and connections between concepts of food security, food justice, and food sovereignty. Relationships between food and gender, race, and ethnicity will be explored, along with the geographical and social concepts of food deserts and food choice.
- Summer 2025CASE DUScourseSpring 2025CASE DUScourseFall 2024CASE DUScourse
- Summer 2025CASE SHcourseSpring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
GEOG-G 357 Urban Alternative Agriculture
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- From connecting with the earth to changing the food system, this course digs into the narratives surrounding community gardens and community orchards. Explores topics like sustainability, food justice, and the pastoral roots of these projects. Utilizes multimedia, speakers from community projects, and class discussion.
- Summer 2025CASE SHcourseSpring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
- Summer 2025CASE SLcourseSpring 2025CASE SLcourseFall 2024CASE SLcourse
GEOG-G 369 The Geography of Food
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Promotes understanding of the history and geographic distribution of the world's food cultures. Focuses on the material aspects of food and food's relationship to society. Increases knowledge of food and cultures through reading, discussion and cooking.
- Summer 2025CASE SHcourseSpring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
GEOG-G 469 Food and Global Poverty
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- How is the production and consumption of food related to poverty and development? Explores how global food systems affect farmers, farmworkers, retailers and consumers; the ways scientific advances changed rural economies in the Third World; and the history of famine and contemporary food security issues.
- Summer 2025CASE GCCcourseSpring 2025CASE GCCcourseFall 2024CASE GCCcourse
- Summer 2025CASE SHcourseSpring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
- Summer 2025CASE SLcourseSpring 2025CASE SLcourseFall 2024CASE SLcourse
GEOG-G 478 Global Change, Food, and Farming Systems
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Introduction to food production and consumption systems, emphasizing linkages to land use and social change on food/farming system sustainability. Topics include urbanization, population growth, and economic liberalization; farming livelihoods, gender, and poverty; biotechnology; agro-ecology, global health.
- Summer 2025CASE SHcourseSpring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
SPEA-E 400 Topics in Environmental Studies
- Description
- An interdisciplinary consideration of specific environmental topics.
- Additional information
- Credit hour, prerequisite, and other information cannot be displayed for this course. If this is a course outside of the College of Arts and Sciences, please see the appropriate school's bulletin for additional information.
SPEA-E 417 Fundamentals of Sustainable Agriculture
- Description
- This course will present the fundamentals of specialty crop and animal sustainable agriculture based on an ecological agriculture framework. Students will learn about and apply ecological, social, and economic concepts in evaluating for farm sustainability. The course includes both in-class and field lab experiences
- Additional information
- Credit hour, prerequisite, and other information cannot be displayed for this course. If this is a course outside of the College of Arts and Sciences, please see the appropriate school's bulletin for additional information.
SPEA-V 413 Food Systems and Community Resilience
- Description
- This course provides an overview of the food system in the U.S., focusing on the system shaping the food we eat, and the resilience of people, communities, and the environment. It explores community food system development in relation to food security and food sovereignty as catalysts to resilient communities.
- Additional information
- Credit hour, prerequisite, and other information cannot be displayed for this course. If this is a course outside of the College of Arts and Sciences, please see the appropriate school's bulletin for additional information.
SPEA-V 450 Contemporary Issues in Public Affairs
- Description
- Extensive analysis of selected contemporary issues in public affairs. Topics vary from semester to semester.
- Additional information
- Credit hour, prerequisite, and other information cannot be displayed for this course. If this is a course outside of the College of Arts and Sciences, please see the appropriate school's bulletin for additional information.
- Concentration GPA, Hours, and Minimum Grade Requirements.
- At least 9 credit hours in the concentration must be completed at the 300–499 level.
- Except for the GPA requirement, a grade of C- or higher is required for a course to count toward a requirement in the concentration.
- A GPA of at least 2.000 for all courses taken in the concentration—including those where a grade lower than C- is earned—is required.
- Exceptions to concentration requirements may be made with the approval of the department's Director of Undergraduate Studies, subject to final approval by the College of Arts and Sciences.