Oregon State University
IN-26: Innovation C

Through the Food in Culture and Social Justice Program, students can earn undergraduate certificates and graduate minors in this area of study. Courses include: Introduction to Local and Global Food Systems, Food Studies in a Social Justice Perspective, Agricultural and Food Policy Issues, and Sustainability for the Common Good. All students earn at least one credit via volunteer opportunities with food- and agriculture-related organizations. Students and faculty have participated in a variety of food security assessment programs. FCSJ is an interdisciplinary program with coursework in and outside of Liberal Arts. Credits for the undergraduate certificate can also be counted toward majors, minors, and selected general education requirements. Credits for the graduate minor (15 for MA, 18 for PhD) are selected by students in consultation with their committee, which allows for great flexibility in support of particular thesis/dissertation topics. Through the “out of the classroom” Food Projects that all students are required to complete, students have worked with campus and community partners doing things like leading cooking classes and gardening workshops, conducting program assessments, event planning, and creating resources like maps and guides. We also run an Intercultural Learning Community on Food in Culture and Social Justice in Oregon and Ecuador every other year, which incorporates students, community members and professors from both countries. More information on the Intercultural Learning Community is at http://liberalarts.oregonstate.edu/feature-story/intercultural-learning-community-food-connections-across-borders The fact that Oregon has become such a food mecca, but still experiences high rates of food insecurity offers myriad anthropological research questions and leads to a focus on social justice. What differentiates OSU's Food in Culture and Social Justice Program is that it offers undergraduate certificates and graduate minors. Of eight programs recognized in 2016 by Seedstock, Oregon State was the only institution to offer undergraduate certificates and graduate minors. http://seedstock.com/2016/03/13/8-more-places-of-higher-education-where-you-can-study-food/ Program information is available at http://liberalarts.oregonstate.edu/slcs/fcsj

Thanks to Sarah Cunningham for helping provide this information!