About the Program

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Admissions

Any UC Berkeley graduate student in good standing (GPA of 3.0 or better) may apply. Completion of the Application for Admission Form is required before completing the certificate core course. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.

Complete the Application for Admission Form to plan out your certificate coursework. You are encouraged to apply prior to taking the core course, though it is not required. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis. For students in 2-year masters programs, you are encouraged to take the core course and/or at least one elective during your first year to ensure you are able to complete the certificate requirements.

This application for admission signals a student’s interest in the Graduate Certificate in Food Systems, but does not guarantee that the certificate will be awarded, nor guarantee a seat in GCFS-approved courses.

Certificate Requirements

The Graduate Certificate in Food Systems consists of 3 courses (totaling a minimum of 9 units), each of which must be taken for a letter grade.

• Required core course – PB HLTH 207: Transforming Food Systems: From Agroecology to Population Health (3 units, taught each fall)
• Two elective courses, chosen from the list below, totaling a minimum of 6 units. Courses not on the electives list will be considered on a case by case basis, via submission of the Elective Petition Form.

We encourage students to take all certificate courses outside their primary degrees; however one course can overlap with primary degree requirements.

Core Course

PB HLTH 207 Transforming the Food System: From Agroecology to Population Health  is held every fall and taught by Kristine Madsen, Professor in the Joint Medical Program/Public Health Nutrition. The course is conducted as a weekly seminar with guest lectures by UC Berkeley's preeminent food systems scholars and other experts in the field. It takes a solutions-oriented approach to addressing the pressing problems in current food systems through strategies used by the disciplines of agroecology, policy, law, public health, and business in working to improve food systems and apply their varied approaches to real-world case studies. Through weekly readings, discussions, and problem-solving sessions with Berkeley’s leading food systems experts, students will gain a broad understanding of food systems and the leverage points that can be targeted to improve the health of people and the planet.

The Fall 2023 core course will be held on Thursdays, 5–8pm, for in-person instruction (pending latest public health guidelines). It will be taught by Kristen Madsen, Professor at the School of Public Health. Look for class # 30173 in the Class Schedule or CalCentral's schedule of classes.

Elective Courses

Elective Petitions

Students can petition for graduate courses beyond the standard elective list to count toward the certificate. Particularly 290 Special Topics and 299 Independent Study courses will be considered on a case by case basis, as topics pertain to food systems. Students must submit the Elective Petition Form at least one month prior to enrolling in the proposed course. Electives proposed by the petition must be approved before taking the class.

Certificate Completion

Students submit the Certificate Completion Form at the point that all requirements for the Graduate Certificate in Food Systems are complete. Submit this form by April 15 of your graduating year in order for the certificate to appear on your transcript. If you have certificate courses in progress during your final semester, you can indicate this on the form. Final grades will be verified prior to award of the certificate.

Completion of the GCFS will be noted in the memorandum section of the student’s official transcript (not on the diploma). At the time of completion, each student receives a physical certificate signed by the deans of Berkeley Public Health, Rausser College of Natural Resources, and Goldman School of Public Policy.

If you have any questions, please contact Berkeley Food Institute at foodinstitute@berkeley.edu.

Program Benefits

The Graduate Certificate in Food Systems provides a unique opportunity for making connections with students from across the campus with a shared interest in food systems. Typically students from ten different Berkeley degree programs participate in the core course; together they make an interdisciplinary intellectual community not typically found within students' primary degree programs.

The core course and certificate provides an integrated and structured overview of food systems such that graduates understand complex "production webs," how each aspect of these systems feeds into and depends on other aspects, and how different disciplines (ecology, business, policy, law, public health) have approached challenges in food systems. Through the certificate, students are exposed to multidisciplinary experiences and trained in analytical and applied skills. Thus, students who complete the certificate are better contributors to the multidisciplinary teams that are increasingly leading food systems changes. Further, students will be able to assess the strengths and weaknesses of various strategies (e.g., legal, political, or market-based) that they might pursue as they work to improve food systems during their careers.

Faculty

Kristine Madsen, Associate Professor in the Joint Medical Program/Public Health Nutrition, serves as the director for the Graduate Certificate in Food Systems.