Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences Ecological Food & Farming Systems

An exploration of biogeochemical and socio-economic aspects of food production, considering the environmental impacts and social context. Experiential learning projects and individual topic interest exploration.

Course Design:

This course meets twice weekly.

Ten course meeting times will be devoted to SAFS topic discussions, with guest speakers with expertise. Readings will be assigned before each topic. Each day will include a short class evaluation, and students will write a reflection at the end of this series.

The remaining course days are committed to project work. A project proposal, midterm update, and final report and project product are the evaluative measures for each project. Students are expected to commit appropriate time to the project, and are guided to a structure to divide work fairly.

Due to the interactive nature of the class, participation and attendance are central to the activities. Both an attendance register and a self- and peer- evaluation will be considered in the final grade.

Materials and Fees:

All reading, media, and other course materials will be available on D2L. The course offers a small budget to help student complete their project - no additional fees should be occurred.

Accessibility:

While project sites differ, we will do our best to make sure all students are accommodated. Please contact the course coordinator if you have any concerns about physical access.

Assignments:

This class will include a deeper dive into current environmental, social and economic issues in sustainable agriculture and food systems through readings, class discussion, and individual reflection.

A group project allows students to apply their diverse knowledge and skills while expanding their professional networks and portfolio.

Rubric: