Who we are
Food Studies at NYU is one of the first master’s degree programs in the U.S. devoted to food scholarship. Employing approaches from the humanities and social sciences, the program prepares students to analyze the current American food system, its global connections, and local alternatives. The program examines cultural, political, economic, environmental, and geographic approaches to food within local, urban and global contexts.
The MA in Food Studies requires 19 credits in mandatory coursework that covers food systems, culture, and policy, as well as a research component. Beyond these requirements, students can take 21 credits in specialization modules (policy/advocacy, business/social entrepreneurship, media/cultural analysis) to dig deeper into their interests.
Our mission is to examine the ways in which individuals, communities, and societies produce, distribute, and consume food. Cities at the center of flows of people, produce, and media products, are the prime locus of our investigations.
Why NYU Food Studies?
- Learn from the best. Our faculty, prominent leaders in their field, teach and mentor students, while actively conducting research to stay engaged.
- Get insider access. Upon enrolling, students study with food professionals who serve as adjuncts and guest lecturers and are welcomed by food production companies, non-profit food organizations, publishers, public relations and marketing firms, magazines, food distributors, food producers and educational institutions.
- Study abroad. We now offer coursework--and a program of study--in global sites like Paris, Hong Kong, Puerto Rico, and Puebla, for students to gain an immersive experience in an international context.
- Be challenged. Students learn experientially, taking core and specialization courses, as well as interdisciplinary electives within Steinhardt, Stern School of Business, Wagner School of Public Service, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, or Tisch School of the Arts.
- Get ahead. We help students find internships in an array of potential employment sites and place them in positions where they can develop new skills and collaborate with potential employers.
- Gain practical skills. The program places an emphasis on the development of critical thinking and research which prepares students for situations they will encounter in the profession.
What you'll learn
Upon completion of our program, students will be able to:
- Apply an interdisciplinary approach to understand the cultural, political, and economic aspects of the food system.
- Demonstrate their knowledge to discuss with fluency issues related to food sovereignty, sustainability, ethics and culture.
- Assess policies that shape the food landscape, addressing questions of equity and preserving cultural values.
- Launch and develop careers in policy; advocacy; media, social, and cultural analysis; academia; business and social entrepreneurship; and research.
For more information about the master's degree, please contact:
Sharonda McKinney Brown
Graduate Food Studies Advisor
Program Director/Clinical Associate Professor