Program Overview
This innovative Gastronomy and Food Studies program combines history, society, and practice, offering a unique perspective on the global food landscape. Through a combination of core and optional modules, it develops creative thinkers and strong communicators with a passion for food and its cultural significance. Graduates will gain the skills to navigate the modern food system and become advocates for sustainable and inclusive food practices.
Program Outline
Degree Overview:
This pioneering Masters course is unique in both Ireland and globally in offering graduates a solid underpinning in the three pillars of Gastronomy & Food Studies: History, Society, and Practice. The food landscape in Ireland and indeed globally is under ever-increasing scrutiny from a wide range of commentators and this course will satisfy the growing interest in Food Studies. By amalgamating shared learning with focused networking opportunities, the course develops transferrable, interpersonal communication skills whilst encouraging creative and critical thinkers who will become life-long learners and advocates for Irish food and international food culture. The course examines the key forces and policies that influence the modern food system by investigating the impact of history on contemporary foodways. It also explores the social dynamics of food and drink culture, food tourism, contemporary approaches to food education, as well as food writing, media, publishing and sustainable food practices. This Masters course runs as a full-time programme (TU237) over one year, or as a part-time programme (TU233) over two years. The full-time option satisfies student visa requirements for non-EU applicants.
Outline:
Course Content
The full-time programme (TU237) runs two days a week over two semesters with the thesis completed over the summer. In Semester 1 each day covers two core modules and one optional module. In semester 2 one day is for modules (2 core and 1 optional) and the other day is for the dissertation research. Some modules are designed as long thin modules to balance the workload across semesters.
Core Modules
- Introduction to Gastronomy and Food Studies
- Global Cultural History of Food
- Politics of the Global Food System
- Post-Graduate Research Methodology
- Food Writing and Media
- History of Irish Food: Applying the Past
- Dissertation
Optional Modules
- Reading Historic Cookbooks: A Structured Approach
- International Trends in Gastronomic Research and Publishing
- Social Approaches to Wine and Beverage Culture
- Food Tourism
- Food Pedagogy: Exploring Culinary Education
- Consumer Culture and Branding
Schedule
The full-time version of the Masters in Gastronomy and Food Studies involves two full days in college and at least a further three days of independent learning, reading, research and project writing or field research.
Contact Hours
- Tuesdays 9am-6pm
- Wednesdays 9am- 6pm
Total Fees: €5,400 Non-EU Total Fees: €13,500
