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Food and Society Certificate

Certificate code CTFSCU

Contact: Dr. Stephen Scanlan, Food Studies Theme Director

Program Overview

Food, its production, consumption and meaning is of deep social, political, cultural and economic consequence. Food is at the heart of debates about globalization, science, technology, and social progress.

The Food and Society Certificate program allows students to think critically about an aspect of their lives simultaneously deeply personal, public, and political to which they can readily relate.

The certificate seeks to promote an interdisciplinary understanding of how food is grown, treated, harvested, sold, purchased, consumed, shared, and disposed of and the impact it has on its suppliers, consumers, and environment?and how in short food affects us all. The certificate emphasizes both food culture and food systems.

Careers and Graduate School

Students with a Certificate in Food and Society and an appropriate undergraduate degree can go on to do graduate work in the area of food studies. Students whose interest are more in food culture would go on to find related jobs in the following areas: publishing, public relations, marketing, nonprofit work, and food operations. Students whose interests focus more on food systems would go on to find job opportunities in the following areas: local and national government, non-governmental organization work in advocacy and policy, development organizations, food production companies, and food distribution companies.

Admissions Information

Freshman/First-Year Admission: No requirements beyond University admission requirements.

Change of Program Policy: No selective or limited admission requirements.

External Transfer Admission: No requirements beyond University admission requirements.

Requirements

Certificate Hours Requirement

The Food and Society Certificate program requires a minimum of 20 hours. At least four courses must be at the 3000-level or above and no more than three courses at the 1000-level. Students who enroll in the certificate must meet with the director to plan their program of study.

Foundation

Complete the following course:

  • CAS 2411 - Food Matters! Explorations in Food Across the Liberal Arts Credit Hours: 3.0

Complete one of the following courses. Note: You may complete both courses and fulfill the Electives requirement listed below.

  • NUTR 1100 - Introduction to Food Systems Credit Hours: 3.0
  • PBIO 1030 - Plants and People Credit Hours: 3.0

Food Production

Complete two courses from the following:

  • ANTH 3590 - Before the Sickle and Plow: Archaeology of Foraging Societies Credit Hours: 3.0
  • ANTH 3600 - Origins of Food Production Credit Hours: 3.0
  • ANTH 4911 - Field School in Ohio Archaeology Credit Hours: 4.0
  • CHEM 4501 - The Principles of Brewing Science Credit Hours: 3.0
  • GEOG 3440 - Agricultural Ecosystems Credit Hours: 3.0
  • NUTR 3350 - Introduction to Food Production Credit Hours: 4.0
  • PBIO 2060 - Sustainable Agriculture Credit Hours: 3.0
  • PBIO 3301 - Plant Breeding Credit Hours: 3.0

Policy, Politics, and Regulation

Complete one of the following courses:

  • CAS 2410 - Food Justice: Credit Hours: 3.0
  • BUSL 3400 - Law of Food Credit Hours: 3.0
  • ECON 3510 - Agricultural Development Credit Hours: 3.0
  • EH 3300 - Food Quality and Vector Control Credit Hours: 3.0
  • GEOG 3410 - Geography of Hunger and Food Security Credit Hours: 3.0
  • GEOG 3430 - Global Issues in Environment Credit Hours: 3.0
  • NUTR 4000 - Nutrition in the Community Credit Hours: 3.0
  • PBIO 1000 - Plants and the Global Environment Credit Hours: 3.0
  • POLS 4730 - Animal/Human/Machine Credit Hours: 3.0
  • SOC 4810 - Environmental Sociology Credit Hours: 3.0

Electives

Complete one of the following courses. Note: You may choose a second course from the Foundation options above (NUTR 1100 or PBIO 1030) to fulfill the Electives requirement.

  • ANTH 4730 - Human Evolution Credit Hours: 3.0
  • ENG 3300 - Ecological Discourses in English Studies Credit Hours: 3.0
  • ML 2300 - French Gastronomy: An Introduction to the History and Development of French Gastronomy Credit Hours: 3.0
  • NUTR 1000 - Introduction to Nutrition Credit Hours: 3.0
  • PSY 3210 - Sensation and Perception Credit Hours: 3.0
  • RHT 1200 - Food and Culture Credit Hours: 3.0
  • T3 4300 - Beyond Antioxidants: Whole Foods for Wellness Promotion Credit Hours: 3.0

Capstone

Complete the following courses:

  • CAS 4410 - Seminar in How Food Works in the Community Credit Hours: 1.0
  • CAS 4911 - Internship in How Food Works in the Community Credit Hours: 1.0-8.0 (Complete CAS 4911 for one credit hour.)
  • T3 4414 - The True Value of Food