Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems B.S.

Food systems are interconnected sets of biological, technological, economic, and social activities that nourish human populations. The activities include farming, food processing and manufacturing, food distribution and retailing, food consumption, and managing post-consumption food waste. The food systems major offers graduates the knowledge, problem-solving skills, and leadership ability to address complex and often controversial challenges and opportunities in food systems, guided by a desire to create systems that are increasingly sustainable in environmental, economic, and social terms, in diverse contexts and at different scales.

The core courses in the food systems major begin with an orientation to food systems followed by a core sequence that provides a basic understanding of the structure and interactions within food systems; introduces techniques for life cycle analysis of the outcomes, impacts, and sustainability of food systems; and explores conventional, sustainable, and organic examples of production systems for food plants. The core course sequence culminates in a capstone experience aimed at solving real-world problems in local community food systems, and involvement in future systems design and visioning.

Students will choose from one of two existing tracks of required courses or in collaboration with an advisor and will develop an individually tailored coursework track.

Flexibility in course sequence and required courses has been incorporated into the major so that students can transfer into the program and still graduate in a timely fashion. This flexibility will also make it attractive to students who wish to pursue a dual major or minor with food systems as one of those majors.