The food studies program is designed to provide a clear path to graduation that gives students necessary grounding in general education through the Common Core, a suite of suggested Flexible Common Core courses that meet CUNY requirements, and six core Food Studies courses designed specifically for the major.
During the first year of the program, students take two foundational Food Studies courses, Food Studies I: Introduction to Food Studies) and Food Studies II: Food and the Environment, in addition to general education courses.
At the end of the first semester, Food Studies students choose one of four focus areas (tracks): Food Policy; Social Issues; Health and Nutrition; Environment and Sustainability. These tracks have been designed to prepare students to transfer into related 4-year degree programs in areas including political science (Food Policy track); Urban/social studies (social issues track); health and nutrition (Health and Nutrition track); and environmental studies (Environment and Sustainability track).
During their second year Food Studies students take four additional core courses: Food, Health, and the Environment; and Food Policy and Advocacy; Food Studies Career Practices; and Food Studies Capstone, along with three courses from a select group of courses in their chosen track, and a free elective that fills the Flexible Common Core requirement. Between 3 and 4 credits is allotted to either remediation courses or free electives of choice that students take over the two-year program, as appropriate.
During their final semester Food Studies students also complete a 10-hour per week internship at business, non-profit, or government agency in the field. The internship is completed at the same time that students are enrolled in the Food Studies Capstone, which helps them draw connections between curricular and experiential learning. The internship may also serve as an entry point into a food sector job upon graduation.
Internships are coordinated by the College's Division of Continuing Education and Workforce Development, in collaboration with Food Studies faculty and the Center for Bronx Non-Profits (which is housed at Hostos), as appropriate. Articulation agreements with two senior colleges, Lehman College and Syracuse University, are in process, and will provide opportunities for students to transition seamlessly into a 4-year degree program, if desired.
For more information contact: foodstudies@hostos.cuny.edu
Office of Academic Affairs and The Natural Sciences Department