Food Systems and Society Degree Requirements, Course Descriptions, and Pathways

Degree Requirements

The Food System and Society program requires 50 credits of coursework and the successful completion of a Capstone Research Synthesis, which is developed and completed in Capstone courses. The Food System and Society curriculum is sequential and cumulative; courses are taken in the order shown in the term and year table below.  Part-time options are available.

Courses in the first Fall term establish key concepts for graduate-level engagement with social problems and social justice in food systems and society, as well as orient students to the program’s practices and conventions. First-year Winter and Spring courses elaborate foundational concepts relevant to culture, policy, politics, and social justice in the food system as well as critical text-based research and preparation for Capstone work in the second year. Second-year courses continue exploration of foundational concepts relevant to realizing social justice in food systems and society as well as on developing, completing, and presenting Capstone research.

Course Descriptions

Below are the course descriptions; please refer to the degree pathway to see where each course appears in the curriculum. 

Course Title Description Credits
FSS 500: Food Systems Inquiry Provides a foundation for advanced academic engagement and inquiry in food systems and society focusing on the concepts of social problems, critical inquiry, and praxis. 4
FSS 501: Concepts & Contexts in Food Systems & Society Discusses the history, drivers, and context of contemporary food system issues through lenses of class, race-ethnicity, and gender. Reviews the roles of discourse, ideology and epistemology in our understanding and shaping of the food system. 4
FSS 502: Academic Foundations Establishes practices for collegial engagement and graduate-level academic reading and writing proficiency integral to FSS coursework. 1
FSS 503: Critical Text-based Research Develops information searching strategies, information management, and citation practices in the social sciences through a critical framework relevant to Capstone research. 1
FSS 504: Capstone Preparation Students demonstrate understanding of Capstone requirements and develop foundational content for their Capstone research. 1
FSS 506: Capstone Completion Students complete their Capstone Research Synthesis document to meet the Capstone graduation requirement. 1
FSS 510: Food Policy and Politics Explores causes, consequences, and cures for social-justice problems evident in the food system related to social decisions in food policy and politics, examining literature, policy, and practice at various scales. 4
FSS 511: Food Systems and Culture Investigates frameworks, issues, and representations of race-ethnicity, class, gender, and their intersections through lenses of structure, agency, privilege, and oppression. 4
FSS 520: Food Systems Theories and Methodologies Explores theories from multiple disciplinary perspectives relevant to critical inquiry in food systems and society. Considers how to effectively apply conceptual frameworks to ask and answer questions relevant to social justice in food systems and society. 4
FSS 550: Social Movements in Food Systems and Society Explores social movement theory and practice in the food system and beyond, considering implications and insights for creating socially-just change. 4
FSS 560: Economic Justice in Food Systems & Society Economic Justice in Food Systems & Society: Explores political-economic concepts, structures, and processes relevant to social justice in food systems and society. 4
FSS 580: Scholarship and Social Change Considers the role of scholarship in creating socially just food systems. 4
FSS 598-A: Capstone 1 Students complete the first phase of their Capstone Research Synthesis. Pre-requisites: Passing grades in FSS 500, 501, 502, 503, 504, 510, 511, and 520. 5
FSS 598-B: Capstone 2 Students complete the next phase of their Capstone Research Synthesis. Pre-requisite: Passing grade in FSS 598-A. 5
FSS 598-C: Capstone 3 Students complete the final phase of their Capstone Research Synthesis. Pre-requisite: Passing grade in FSS 598-B 4
Total Required Credits 50

Full-Time Food Systems and Society Degree Pathway

OHSU Academic Calendar

First year students enroll in five credits in a six-week summer term. For 2025 the dates are: August 11th to September 19th. 

YEAR 1: SUMMER (5 credits) FALL (8 credits) WINTER (5 credits) SPRING (5 credits)
FSS 500: Food Systems Inquiry FSS 501: Concepts and Contexts in FSS FSS 511: Food Systems and Culture FSS 520: Food Systems Theories and Methodologies
FSS 502: Academic Foundations FSS 510: Food Policy & Politics FSS 503: Critical Text-based Research FSS 504: Capstone Preparation​
YEAR 2: SUMMER (0 credits) FALL (9 credits) WINTER (9 credits) SPRING (9 credits)
No courses offered in summer term FSS 598-A: Capstone 1 FSS 598-B: Capstone 2 ​ FSS 598-C: Capstone 3​
FSS 560: Economic Justice in FSS FSS 550: Social Movements in FSS FSS 580: Scholarship & Social Change​
FSS 506: Capstone Completion​

3 Year Degree Pathway
YEAR 1: SUMMER (5 credits) FALL (8 credits) WINTER (5 credits) SPRING (5 credits)
FSS 500: Food Systems Inquiry FSS 501: Concepts and Contexts in FSS FSS 511: Food Systems and Culture FSS 520: Food Systems Theories and Methodologies
FSS 502: Academic Foundations FSS 510: Food Policy & Politics FSS 503: Critical Text-based Research FSS 504: Capstone Preparation​
YEAR 2: SUMMER (0 credits) FALL (4 credits) WINTER (4 credits) SPRING (4 credits)
No courses offered in summer term FSS 560: Economic Justice in FSS FSS 550: Social Movements in FSS FSS 580: Scholarship & Social Change​
(Optional) FSS 503: Critical Text-based Research (Optional) FSS 504: Capstone Preparation​
YEAR 3: SUMMER (0 credits) FALL (5 credits) WINTER (5 credits) SPRING (5 credits)
No courses offered in summer term FSS 598-A: Capstone 1 FSS 598-B: Capstone 2 ​ FSS 598-C: Capstone 3​
FSS 506: Capstone Completion​