B.S. in Nutrition and Food Systems
The B.A. in Food Studies has been developed in parallel with a new B.S. in Nutrition and Food Systems offered by the College of Agriculture and Life Science. The B.S. teaches students about the food system from field to fork, including the drivers of food systems and their environmental and human health outcomes.
Both degrees share a core curriculum and are designed to encourage collaboration and learning across disciplines. To learn more visit the BS in Nutrition and Food Systems.
UA Center for Regional Food Studies
The UA Center for Regional Food Studies integrates community outreach, applied research, and student engagement to foster positive change around food in Southern Arizona, the U.S./Mexico borderlands, and regional food systems globally.
The Center hosts ongoing speaker and food-related events and research opportunities that allow students to delve deeper into the area of Food Studies. Get to know the research of local and visiting food scholars, connect with food activists and entrepreneurs, or earn credit as a research intern with the center.
Visit the Center's website for more information and to see a full schedule of events.
UNESCO City of Gastronomy
In 2015, Tucson was selected to be the first UNESCO City of Gastronomy in the United States due to the region's lengthy agricultural history, heritage foods, sustainable agriculture, and vibrant culinary scene. Tucson has the longest agricultural history of any city in North America, extending back more than 4,000 years. As a result, the region has thriving food traditions and culinary distinctiveness (a unique blend of foods and traditions resulting from our multicultural history.) The city also fosters local food culture through food business start-ups, urban agriculture, food festivals, and the University of Arizona’s interdisciplinary food studies.
Students enrolled in Food Studies can earn academic credit while acquiring practical experience as an intern with the Tucson City of Gastronomy non-profit. As an intern, you might help develop and manage communications, assiste with community outreach and special events, conduct research on local food traditions and heritage foods, or generate multimedia content about our regional food system. Soon, students will also have the opportunity to record and edit content for the new podcast, HEAT, dedicated to documenting the foodways of the Sonoran Desert region.