Upcoming Courses

This hands-on course delves into food education, offering real-world experience working with DC youth in schools. The course will work with FoodPrints, a D.C.-based and nationally recognized program providing gardening, cooking and nutrition education to elementary school students.  Through discussions, service learning, and skill building, students explore food system inequities and learn to improve the community. 
*Also counts toward Sustainability Minor Pillar IV

Agriculture is a major US industry that has bearing on all of our lives – from the food that we eat to the future of the planet. This course investigates scientific principles and technologies in U.S. agriculture at varying production scales. It examines federal policies shaping practices and human resources in production. Students compare and critique agriculture production methods.
*Also counts toward Sustainability Minor Pillar II

Agriculture contributes significantly to climate change, accounting for around 25% to 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions, rising to one-third when considering all agricultural products. Small shareholder farmers, who are primarily women, are especially vulnerable to the impacts of a changing climate.  This course explores the intersection of agriculture, climate change, and food security through a gendered lens. Students analyze the role of women as food producers and decision-makers, using case studies and policies to address global issues.
*Also counts toward Sustainability Minor Pillar III

Regenerative agriculture is a holistic approach to farming that aims to improve soil health, enhance biodiversity, and increase the resilience of ecosystems, ultimately benefiting the environment and the food system. This course examines soil health as the foundation for regenerative agriculture, exploring its role in farming, human, and environmental health. Guided by experts, students analyze practices that promote soil vitality and address challenges in food systems.
*Also counts toward Sustainability Minor Pillar I

Food systems vary dramatically by region.  This course focuses on how geographic proximity, food and nutrition security, self-reliance, and sustainability help build vibrant regional food systems.  We’ll also focus on how to balance economic viability and sustainability for stakeholders when engaging with food locally.  The instructor, an author and expert on the DC/MD/VA food system, will do a deep dive on the mid-Atlantic food system.
*Also counts toward Sustainability Minor Pillar II

Our food system is paradoxically plagued by hunger amidst overproduction. This course is an examination of how food moves from farm to plate, unveiling impacts on human health, the environment, and socioeconomic disparities along the way.

(1 credit.) Exploration of the future of food. How small businesses, such as restaurants and food suppliers, are facing closure due to rising costs and climate change. The economic and social value of these businesses in our food system. Restricted to first-year undergraduate students.

How dietary choices affect not just health, but the environment and those involved in the production of food as well. Interdisciplinary perspective on the impact of food on the future of the environment, the economy, and society. Recommended background: Prior completion of SUST 1001.

Examination of legislative, regulatory, and other influences. Key issues, such as the Farm Bill and dietary guidelines. D.C.'s policy world experienced through case studies, site visits, and advocacy engagement. Recommended background: Food studies, nutrition, and exercise science.

Systems thinking is a powerful, hands-on skill set we can leverage to communicate and drive transformation in complex systems. In this class, you will use systems mapping to uncover the structural forces that shape our current food system and learn to identify opportunities for change at multiple levels – from individual behaviors to institutional policies to government action. You will collaborate with others, using group model building to explore today’s food systems challenges by bringing diverse perspectives to the table. This course focuses on healthy and sustainable diets and reducing food waste – key solutions for addressing climate change – and equip you with tools to think critically, communicate effectively, and transform our unsustainable food systems.

Through a concentrated capstone topic, students develop collaborative leadership skills and drive decisive action to create sustainable, equitable solutions for the future of our food systems. Prerequisites: completion of all other coursework required for the minor.