Program Director: Philip Ackerman-Leist
Division of Environmental Studies & Management
Program Offered:
BA in Sustainable Agriculture & Food Production
Bachelor of Arts in Sustainable Agriculture & Food Production
Sustainable Agriculture & Food Production is not a discipline; rather, it is a culmination of disciplines that encompasses thousands of years, an enormous array of ecosystems, and arguably every contemporary culture on earth. Few areas of study are so well-suited to interdisciplinary inquiry and the integration of academic theory and hands-on praxis, and few liberal arts colleges offer a sustainable agriculture major backed by an on-campus farm and research facility; extensive library resources related to food and farming; a center dedicated to building regional food systems; a 12 credit/12 week summer farm intensive program; a teaching commercial kitchen; and ongoing agricultural study opportunities at Brunnenburg Castle in the Italian Alps. Furthermore, GMC’s new masters program in Sustainable Food Systems is indicative of the college’s commitment to and expertise in the interdisciplinary exploration of food and agriculture issues.
Students majoring in Sustainable Agriculture & Food Production examine food and agriculture systems through the lenses of history, anthropology, the natural sciences, philosophy, business, economics, and art while learning firsthand the challenges of food production in a dynamic marketplace, a world of increasingly constrained natural resources, and a complex policy arena. Work on the college’s Cerridwen Farm, numerous site visits to regional farms, and engaging internships are critical components of this major. Students pursuing this degree pursue careers in farming, food advocacy, agricultural policy, farm-based education, animal welfare, and natural resource conservation, as well as graduate school in related areas.
Learning Outcomes for Sustainable Agriculture & Food Production Majors
The successful student will:
Understand how to examine “sustainable agriculture” and “sustainable food production” along a historical continuum and within multiple cultural contexts
Demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of the ecological principles and systems upon which “best practices” in sustainable agriculture and sustainable food production are created and utilized
Articulate how farm businesses are established, managed, and marketed in today’s dynamic economic and social contexts
Develop skills both in specific farm/food enterprises and in the management of diversified farm operations, utilizing the college farm and regional farmers and food system professionals as critical components of their education
Core Courses
| SFS 1211: Introduction to Cerridwen Farm SFS 1011: Fundamentals of Organic Agriculture SFS 1075: Farm Skills Intensives (1 credit each) ENV 2011: Public Policy and the Environment SFS 3054: Sustainable Farming Systems ENV 3093: The Environmental Professional SFS 4090: Internship in Sustainable Agriculture & Food Production BIO 2025: Ecology ECO 2023: Economics of the Environment GLG 2031: Soils Choose one of the following lab courses: CHE 1021: General Chemistry I ELA 1017: Introduction to Environmental Chemistry GLG 1011: Introduction to Geology Electives – Choose 12 Credits SFS 2060: Biodiversity Issues in Agriculture: Seeds & Trees SFS 2061: Biodiversity Issues in Agriculture: Livestock SFS 2067: Animal Husbandry SFS 2070: Sustainable Regional Food Systems SFS 2073: Appropriate Technologies in Agriculture SFS 2002: Food Preservation ENV 3023: Human Ecology SFS 3055: Advanced Organic Agriculture SFS/HIS 3058: A History of Agriculture SFS 3075: Agroecology in the Alps SFS 3057: Advanced Topics in Sustainable Agriculture RED 4025: Environmental Design/Build BIO 3013: Botany BUS 2045: New Venture Creation & Entrepreneurship PHI 3025: Animal Ethics SFS 3040: Composting & Organic Waste Management SFS 2075: Integrated Production Systems |
1 3 3 3 3 1 3 4 3 4 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 3 3 3 3 Credits: 44 |