Food Studies, Certificate of Graduate Study

The Food Studies Graduate Certificate (12 credits) offers a unique opportunity to provide students with a broad interdisciplinary understanding of social, economic, political and environmental factors associated with global, national, regional and local food systems. The Graduate Certificate also provides opportunities for students to develop a range of professional skills central to work within food-related professions in the private, nonprofit and public sectors.

The Graduate Certificate is designed to achieve a range of student learning outcomes. Upon successful completion of the Graduate Certificate, students will be able to:

• Describe, critically analyze, and assess the multiple sectors within local, regional, national and global food systems.
• Discern the ways in which Maine’s and the region’s place-based food systems are the outcome of the intersection of geography, natural environment and social factors.
• Analyze contemporary and historical food systems in relation to systems of power, and evaluate the implications for environmental, social, and economic sustainability.
• Synthesize food systems concepts and knowledge and apply them to real world challenges through the development, design and evaluation of strategies for change.
• Reflect on and articulate one’s own core food system values, to identify and evaluate courses of action and spheres of influence that follow from those values.
• Employ knowledge and practice workforce skills such as leadership; intercultural competence; entrepreneurship; marketing and finance; policy analysis; advocacy and organizing; and oral and written communication.

Please note certificates may be pursued by either matriculated students or non-matriculated students (students not pursuing a full degree program).