The AUR Master of Arts in Food Studies examines the connections between the production, distribution, and consumption of food, focusing on sustainability criteria. This is a cross-disciplinary program exploring the current practices of sustainable food production and consumption.  Focus is given to investigating how we affect the Earth’s resources with our food choices.  Experiential learning at a small-scale farm in the peri-urban area of Rome is an integral part of the program.​

Program objectives

The goal of this 15-month, U.S. accredited master’s degree program in Food Studies is to provide students with specialized knowledge and practical skills relating to the food system at all levels – from the local to the global – through an international lens. The program hones students’ critical thinking and independent research capabilities while cultivating the expertise and transferable skills necessary for the graduate student to pursue a profession in the field or continue to further study.

Prospective students will experience:

• A social science curriculum focused on the food and agriculture system, its sustainability, ethics, governance, and policies.

• Experiential learning through work on a farm and contacts with professionals with a wealth of international experience and active engagement with Italy’s vibrant food/farming community and its rich food culture and agriculture.

• Courses that recognize the value of practical skills and offer opportunities to combine theoretical learning with hands-on experience.

• Appreciation of the worldwide societal concerns regarding the choices facing humankind in relation to feeding an increasing world population, including the pressures exercised on natural resources and the world’s biodiversity, public health and the spread of obesity, the persistence of under-nutrition, and the impact of climate change.

• Understanding of the interdependence of nations in terms of food production and consumption and the ways in which governments, the business industry, and civil society are dealing with these issues through policies, programs and regulatory frameworks.

Why this food studies program and why in Rome?

The M.A. Food Studies at The American University of Rome has been recognized by both academics and industry employers as a unique program delivered in an extraordinary setting. While this M.A. is fully accredited in the United States, the campus and the program are firmly rooted in Rome, Italy - a location widely viewed as the heart of food policy and sustainability developments.

Rome serves as the headquarters of the United Nations agencies dealing with food security and sustainable development: FAO (the Food and Agriculture Organization), IFAD (the International Fund for Agricultural Development), WFP (the World Food Programme), and Bioversity International (a global research-for-development organization) are all based in the city. AUR’s close ties with these institutions means that the topics studied on campus are frequently complemented by on-site visits and contacts with professionals whereby students can see the theory behind their specialization put into action.

It is not only the location of this program that sets it apart from other graduate programs in this field of study. Innovative program structure and content, tuition tailored to the individual student, expert faculty, visiting scholars, and a diverse, international student body combine to form a learning experience you will not find elsewhere. Students learn to master innovative approaches to Food Studies in an educational experience that goes far beyond classroom learning.

Internships

An internship with a food-environment organization can be considered as part of the M.A. program and carries a value of up to three credits. Students are actively encouraged to undertake an internship (offered as an elective choice), as, upon completion of graduate study, work experience is invaluable in aiding students’ pursuit of their career goals. A large proportion of our alumni of this program have completed work experience placements with diverse organizations that reflect their career or research ambitions and specializations – you can see a range of those experiences here.