Food, Food Systems, & Culture
Earn a Certificate in Food, Food Systems, & Culture
The Food, Food Systems and Culture Certificate requires at least four courses (12 semester hours), all completed at UNC Asheville and in conjunction with an undergraduate degree at UNC Asheville. At least one course must be Food-focused—centered on food, food systems, or food culture and intentionally interdisciplinary (e.g., cross-course projects or other high-impact practices). The remaining three or more courses may be selected from Food-focused or Food-related options, following interdisciplinary certificate distribution guidelines. Substitutions require approval from the certificate coordinator. Sample courses include Plants and Humans (Biology), The Food of Chemistry, Food Politics and Nutrition Policy, and Pathophysiology of Chronic Conditions and Illnesses.
Career Outlook
The Applied Social Science Research certificate prepares students for various career paths, including government, business, law, humanitarian organizations, journalism, the arts, teaching, and many more.
Agriculture, Health, and Community
Study food from field to table—exploring agriculture, nutrition, sustainability, and cultural impact. Gain interdisciplinary knowledge that prepares you for diverse paths in health, sustainability, food systems work, research, and beyond.
Curriculum
The Certificate in Food, Food Systems, and Culture focuses on developing the student as an informed consumer of food by providing a platform for discussion of what we eat, why we eat, where our food comes from and its journey from production to consumption, and how food affects our bodies, health and lives.
Certificate at a Glance
- Minimum of 12 credit hours from four courses
- At least one Food-focused course and three Food-focused or Food-related courses
- Other courses may be substituted with approval of the certificate coordinator.
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 in all certificate courses
Required Courses
At least one course must be chosen from the listing of Food-focused courses. Food-focused courses have food, food systems or food culture as a central theme and consistently offer students an intentionally interdisciplinary experience (e.g. cross-course project or other high impact pedagogical practice). The remaining three or more courses may be chosen from Food-focused or Food-related courses, following the distribution guidelines required of all interdisciplinary certificates. Other courses may be substituted with approval of the certificate coordinator.
Food-Focused Courses
3–4 Credits
Spring
Spring
Every Year
Odd years Fall
Food-Related Courses
12 Credits
Odd years Fall
Fall and Spring
Every Year
Supporting Majors
Ready for what's next?
At UNC Asheville, engaging with food systems means recognizing the powerful role food plays in shaping our health, our communities, and our planet. Because everyone eats, everyone is connected to the systems that grow, distribute, and sustain our food. This is more than a conversation about nutrition — it’s an opportunity to address social justice, environmental sustainability, and economic equity in meaningful, interconnected ways. Join us in reimagining food systems as a force for collective well-being and lasting impact.