Sustainable Food Systems - MSc

Program Overview

The MSc Sustainable Food Systems program at UWE Bristol equips students with expertise in climate change action and local food systems. Graduates become food systems leaders prepared for careers in government, public bodies, businesses, and civil society organizations. The program emphasizes food justice, local food system transformation, and sustainability, with a focus on system governance, power, and ethics.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

This program addresses climate change, a major threat to humanity, and its impact on food production, biodiversity, health, and food insecurity. It aims to produce changemakers who will champion the transformation of the food system, demanding policy and institutional changes to address its inefficiencies. This unique course focuses on food justice and local food system transformation through community-based actions. It trains graduates to become sustainability leaders in government, public bodies, businesses, and civil society organizations, working across the entire food chain – from production to consumption.

Appeal:

This interdisciplinary program is appropriate for students from a wide range of backgrounds, including public health, environmental science, business, and the arts. It welcomes recent graduates and individuals employed in entry-level roles in public services and CSOs who seek to deepen their understanding of complex local food systems.

Outline:

Content:

Modules cover:

• Agroecology and sustainable farming systems
• Co-production and place-based methods
• Creating healthy food systems
• Food security and food policy
• Sustainable food system supply chains
• Research in practice

Structure:

The program offers:

• Lectures by external stakeholders who co-supervise dissertations
• Practice-oriented modules to apply skills to real-world problems
• Assessments including debates, field reports, policy critiques, popular science articles, case studies, and examinations
• Focus on system governance, power, and ethics

Assessment:

Assessments are designed to:

• Boost student confidence and enthusiasm for the subject
• Encourage cross-disciplinary interaction
• Reflect real-world food system challenges
• Develop skills and knowledge in food governance, public health, education, agriculture, and supply chain management
• Highlight the importance of integrity and human factors in addressing food system challenges

Examples:

• Debates
• Field reports
• Policy critiques
• Popular science articles
• Case studies
• Examinations

Teaching:

• External stakeholder involvement
• Practice-oriented approach

Unique approaches:

• Problem-based learning
• Interdisciplinary focus on food justice and local food systems
• Collaboration with external food system stakeholders

Careers:

Opportunities:

Graduates become food systems leaders equipped with expertise in climate change action and local food systems. They are prepared for careers in:

• Government
• Public bodies
• Businesses
• Civil society organizations

Skillset:

• Food justice
• Food security and policies
• Food production and supply chains
• Farming systems and agroecology
• Sustainability
• Climate change resilience

Other:

• Bristol is one of only three Gold Status Sustainable Food Cities in the UK, offering a desirable location to study localized food systems.
• The city has a strong tradition of food system activism, which feeds into the course content.
• Award-winning careers service provides support for:
• Career coaching
• Internships
• Placements
• Global opportunities
• Volunteering
• Community activity
• Access to employer events
The University continually enhances its program offerings based on student and stakeholder feedback. Changes to the course will be communicated to enrolled students.

Full time course

Fees Amount (£) Additional Course Costs Indicative Maximum Cost Per year 500 Home Award Fee 10200 Home Module Fee (15 Credit) 850 International Award Fee 16950 International Module Fee (15 Credit) 1412 Offshore Award Fee 16950 Offshore Module Fee (15 Credit) 1412

Part time course

Fees Amount (£) Home Module Fee (15 Credit) 850 Offshore Module Fee (15 Credit) 1412