Integrated Program in the Environment
Concentration in Sustainable Food Systems (Bachelor of Arts in Environmental and Sustainability Studies)
Students on Summer 2021, Fall 2021, or Spring 2022 requirements SUFDSYSCON
The Sustainable Food Systems concentration provides students with a focus on sustainability issues in relation to food and agriculture systems. Students pursuing this concentration can expect to gain knowledge related to the social dynamics of sustainable food systems both domestically and globally. Students can also gain experience and skills related to small-scale sustainable food production. Potential career areas include local and regional food system development, municipal or community food security agencies, commercial and non-governmental organizations with a focus on sustainable food systems, or further academic pursuits with graduate study.
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
- SPEA-E 411
- 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.
- Fall 2025CASE SHcourseSummer 2025CASE 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.
- Fall 2025CASE SHcourseSummer 2025CASE 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.
- Fall 2025CASE GCCcourseSummer 2025CASE GCCcourse
- Fall 2025CASE SHcourseSummer 2025CASE SHcourse
- Fall 2025CASE SLcourseSummer 2025CASE SLcourse
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-A 402 Food and the Body
- 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
- HIST-A 300 Issues in United States History (Approved topics: "FOOD AND FARMERS IN US HISTORY" (TPC 95))
- INTL-I 420 Global Sustainability Studies (Approved topics: "NATURE AND THE GLOBAL FOOD SYSTEM" (TPC 5)) (Approved topic: "FOOD SECURITY IN GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE")
- SPEA-E 400 Topics in Environmental Studies (Approved topics: "PERMACULTURE" (TPC 321))
- SPEA-E 417 Fundamentals of Sustainable Agriculture
- SPEA-E 450
- SPEA-V 411 Food Policy in a Changing World
- SPEA-V 413 Food Systems and Community Resilience
- SPEA-V 416
- SPH-N 311
- SPH-N 336 Public Health Nutrition
- Independent study, readings, research, or practicum in sustainable food systems from any department (3 cr.) with pre-approval of the Program
ANTH-A 402 Food and the Body
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Follows food\'s journey from the land into our bodies and examines the politics of food sovereignty. By interweaving narratives of global Indigenous groups, African-American, and immigrant experiences in the US, seeks to develop an understanding of the history of food inequality in the United States and its intergenerational health impacts.
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?
- Fall 2025CASE SLcourseSummer 2025CASE 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.
- Fall 2025CASE SHcourseSummer 2025CASE 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.
- Fall 2025CASE SHcourseSummer 2025CASE 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.
- Fall 2025CASE DUScourseSummer 2025CASE DUScourse
- Fall 2025CASE SHcourseSummer 2025CASE 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.
- Fall 2025CASE SHcourseSummer 2025CASE SHcourse
- Fall 2025CASE SLcourseSummer 2025CASE 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.
- Fall 2025CASE SHcourseSummer 2025CASE 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.
- Fall 2025CASE GCCcourseSummer 2025CASE GCCcourse
- Fall 2025CASE SHcourseSummer 2025CASE SHcourse
- Fall 2025CASE SLcourseSummer 2025CASE SLcourse
HIST-A 300 Issues in United States History
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Study and analysis of selected historical issues through the whole of United States history. Topics will vary but usually cut across fields, regions, and periods.
- Repeatability
- May be repeated with a different topic for a maximum of 9 credit hours.
- Fall 2025CASE SHcourseSummer 2025CASE SHcourse
INTL-I 420 Global Sustainability Studies
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Interdisciplinary study of comparative environmental issues around the world.
- Repeatability
- May be repeated with a different topic for a maximum of 12 credit hours.
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 411 Food Policy in a Changing World
- Description
- This course provides instruction in U.S. food and agricultural policies. The course emphasizes critical thinking skills to address the complexities associated with the development and implementation of food and agricultural policies. The course demonstrates the practical aspects of analyzing the contribution of these policies.
- 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.
SPH-N 336 Public Health Nutrition
- Description
- Via lecture, discussions, and practical applications, the course will introduce students to the field of public health nutrition, including community assessment; program development, implementation, and evaluation; budget development; eligibility and services available through existing programs; cultural foodways; and the intersection of public policy and nutrition.
- 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.
- Concentration GPA. 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.
- Concentration Minimum Grade. Except for the GPA requirement, a grade of C- or higher is required for a course to count toward a requirement in the concentration.
- Concentration Upper Division Credit Hours. At least 9 credit hours in the concentration must be completed at the 300–499 level.
Exceptions to and substitutions for concentration requirements may be made with the approval of the unit's Director of Undergraduate Studies, subject to final approval by the College of Arts and Sciences.