Online Sustainable Food Systems Degree :: Accredited Universities

In today’s world of complex food and agriculture systems, we need leaders. Our Master of Science in Sustainable Food Systems program prepares future leaders in the burgeoning food movement with a graduate level interdisciplinary understanding of sustainable agricultural production, and a deep knowledge of the economic, ecological, and social forces driving food systems.

At Green Mountain College, we’ve been teaching about sustainability for over fifteen years. Our distance MSFS program -- built on the success of the College’s undergraduate major in sustainable agriculture and on the surging interest in food and agriculture in the U.S. and beyond -- is fully accredited by the New England Association of Schools & Colleges (NEASC), and is designed to provide students with the skills to conduct in-depth interdisciplinary investigations into the complex arena of their own bioregional food systems. Our MSFS students graduate with the knowledge and confidence to become leaders and join a cutting-edge community ready to make a difference.

The Masters of Science in Sustainable Food Systems is the first distance learning program of its kind in the country. We recognize that people working in changing food systems tend to be rooted in place, and the MSFS program allows students to remain committed to their communities and professions. Not only do students explore their own bioregional foodsheds, but they also contrast their findings with students from other parts of the U.S. and abroad, enhancing their understanding of food system dynamics and leverage points for change.

Here is what makes Green Mountain College’s MSFS program so unique:

Low-Residency Requirements Reduces Travel Time and Expense

Leading Faculty

College is Recognized for Environmental Leadership

Student Variety

Proven Online Learning System and Small Classes Facilitate Learning

Entry Requirements

Admission to the MSFS program is based on a review of the following:

All undergraduate and graduate level transcripts. A bachelor's degree in a relevant field is preferred. Most entering graduate students will have completed a bachelor's degree in food and nutrition, agriculture, business & marketing, environmental studies, food studies, policy, or other related discipline. (GPA of at least 3.0 is preferred).

Current résumé or curriculum vita.

Three letters of reference.

A personal essay answering the following questions: (1) Why the prospective student wants to pursue an MS in Sustainable Food Systems; (2) How the advanced degree aligns with career goals; (3) How the student will manage completing personal, professional, and academic priorities during his/her advanced course of study.

Evidence of two or more years of work experience in the field of study is preferred. We do not accept students directly from undergraduate programs unless there are significant extenuating circumstances.

GRE or GMAT scores (not required).

Other Fees

Notes

One residency period is required in each of two years.

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CQUniversity’s Bachelor of Agribusiness and Food Security will provide well-trained agricultural and horticultural graduates with a nationally recognised qualification that integrates knowledge and skills science as well as business.

As climate change, challenges in food production, and rapid urban growth place an ever-increasing pressure on agricultural industries, food security has now emerged as a global issue. These challenges have created a demand for skilled professionals and there are excellent career prospects for students.

In your first year of study you will gain the basic science and business knowledge and skills required to understand agricultural based enterprises. Advanced level courses in the second year provide you with knowledge of sustainable food and fibre production, the food production chain and value adding for agricultural products, the economics of primary production industries, managing water resources, and the use of technology in agriculture. Final year courses look at business finance, ensuring the security of food production systems, how plants function in the environment and precision livestock management. You can then choose from a range of electives in business, science or geography to provide in-depth knowledge of factors that affect agricultural businesses and the provision of a secure food supply.

Benefit from the flexibility to study on-campus or by distance education. The option to study part-time enables you to take advantage of the many employment opportunities in the agriculture industry while you study.

Entry Requirements

N/A

Other Fees

Overseas examination fees

Textbooks

Student Services and Amenities Fee (Max. $281/year)

Incidental unit costs

Notes

Many courses have compulsory residential schools throughout the duration of the program.

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Food Security in the Changing Environment (MSc) will provide students with a detailed understanding of the principles and processes of sustainable food production, including social and environmental contexts. It will equip students who already have work experience in the food supply chain to implement the latest research into sustainable systems thinking, and will facilitate cutting edge careers for those who want to enter the food production and supply chain.

Entry Requirements

a 2(i) honours degree in a relevant subject, e.g. Biological Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Agriculture;

a third class honours degree or an ordinary degree in a relevant subject, plus a minimum of two years relevant work experience;

a minimum of two years relevant experience in agri-based food industries or related work in a position of demonstrable responsibility.

Language requirements are IELTS 6.5 (with no element below 6.0) for overseas students.

Other Fees

dissertation fee £1,800 - domestic students

dissertation fee £3,150 - international students

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The Master of Science in the Regulatory Affairs of Food and Food Industries degree is designed to offer a combination of theory and practical training for professionals looking to enter into the field of food regulatory affairs. In this field, rapidly evolving regulations and expansion of international markets create an increasing need for highly trained professionals equipped to serve instrumental roles in the formation of efficient public policies, the implementation of regulatory guidelines, industry’s compliance with regulations, and the regulatory strategies of companies looking to create a sustainable competitive advantage in the food industry.

Program Objectives
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1. Provide a fundamental understanding of the basic stages of the food-production life cycle and their regulatory touch points

2. Examine the specific regulations governing the food industries in the U.S. and abroad

3. Present a comparative analysis of food regulatory systems inside and outside of the U.S. (e.g., FDA, USDA, EFSA, FTC, CDC, EC, SFDA)

4. Introduce the key market and economic implications of food regulatory affairs

5. Detail the several stakeholder groups and their divergent interests, actions, and ability to influence food regulatory structures and outcomes

6. Supply concrete management tools to coordinate regulatory projects within small, medium, and large companies

Entry Requirements

Applicants must have earned a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution.

International applicants for whose English is not a primary language must prove English language proficiency in one of the following ways:

TOEFL - 85 and a writing portion of 22
IELTS - 6.5

Other Fees

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The latest graduate program from Green Mountain College is the nation’s first online Master of Science degree in Resilient and Sustainable Communities (MRSC). This two-year program, accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), begins in February 2015 with a residency featuring Bill McKibben, author of The End of Nature and climate-change activist.

"If we have one need on this planet, it's for resilient and sustainable communities,” said McKibben, “so it's good someone is thinking hard about how the heck to build them!"
This program adopts GMC’s groundbreaking bioregional approach to distance learning, in which students apply what they learn in each course to their local communities. MRSC students will learn about land-use planning, economic development, energy production, food systems, and resource management, while developing skills in leadership, group organization and conflict resolution.

As in the College’s other online graduate programs, students complete their coursework at times that best fit their personal and professional lives. Because class sizes are small, students experience meaningful interactions with their classmates and individual attention from instructors. The program will prepare students for a rapidly expanding range of careers in community development, energy production, municipal agencies, businesses, and nonprofit organizations.

“The MRSC program is comprehensive and well thought out,” said Richard Heinberg, Senior Fellow at the Post Carbon Institute and the author of eleven books on energy and climate change. “Rather than being just another generic sustainability program, it provides a systemic context for understanding the modern world's environmental crises, and offers practical skills--such as an elective in Emergency Management and Communication--to prepare students for the challenges we will face in an energy-constrained, climate-disrupted world. Anyone wanting to build a sustainable and resilient community would do well to start here.”

A national leader in sustainability education, Green Mountain College began offering online degrees in 2006. Over 260 graduate students are currently earning degrees in Sustainable Business, Environmental Studies, and Sustainable Food Systems.

From urban areas to small towns, citizens are rethinking traditional approaches to providing food, energy, transportation and governance in response to rapid environmental and economic changes. As we adapt to conditions brought about by a changing climate, depletion of fossil fuel supplies, and growing inequalities in wealth and access to vital resources, the MRSC program gives students the skills to develop, advocate, and implement fundamental changes in how communities function.

At the heart of this program is the understanding that sustainability depends on creating resilient communities, which can adapt to changing conditions in ways that allow them to evolve without losing their fundamental identities. In this program students will synthesize knowledge about land-use planning, economic development, energy production, food systems, and resource management, while developing skills in leadership, group organization, and conflict resolution.

Green Mountain College’s MRSC program is unique, designed to help students apply what they learn in each class to their own communities, wherever they may live, and to hear from classmates how the same concepts may take different forms in various settings. The applied emphasis of our online graduate programs is a natural expression of our college, which features a culture and curriculum deeply rooted in social, environmental and economic sustainability.
Here are some attributes that make Green Mountain College’s MRSC program so distinctive:

Leading Faculty

Place-based, Bioregional Approach

Integration with Other Graduate Programs

Flexibility

Proven Online Learning System and Small Classes

Recognized for Environmental Leadership

Entry Requirements

Admission to the MRSC program is based on a review of the following:

All undergraduate and graduate level transcripts. A bachelor's degree in a relevant field and a GPA of at least 3.0 are preferred.

Current résumé or curriculum vita.

Three letters of reference

A personal essay answering the following questions: (1) Why the prospective student wants to pursue an MS in Resilient and Sustainable Communities; (2) How the advanced degree aligns with career goals; (3) How the student will manage competing: personal, professional, and academic priorities during his/her advanced course of study.

Evidence of two or more years of work experience in the field of study is preferred.

GRE or GMAT scores (not required).

Other Fees

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