For Students
Graduate Certificate in Food Systems
About the Certificate
The Graduate Certificate in Food Systems (GCFS) is hosted by the School of Public Health, Rausser College of Natural Resources, and Goldman School of Public Policy, and administered by the Berkeley Food Institute in response to an increasing need for innovative solutions to pressing food and farming challenges. We strive to create a network of people committed to a just food and farming system and invite students from any graduate program at UC Berkeley to apply for the certificate early on in their academic career.
The GCFS builds upon UC Berkeley’s strength as a multi-disciplinary pioneer in food systems studies and prepares Masters and Doctoral students to think critically about the multi-level, multi-system factors that affect food production, distribution, and consumption. The core course complements graduate students’ primary fields of study by providing the necessary theoretical framework and practical skills for systems thinking that can be applied across diverse and emerging food and farming challenges while connecting students across departments.
Please contact gcfs@berkeley.edu with any questions. See below for more information about eligibility and course requirements.
How to earn the Graduate Certificate in Food Systems
In order to earn the Graduate Certificate in Food Systems, you must:
- Be currently enrolled in a UC Berkeley graduate program, and
- Be in good academic standing, with a GPA of 3.0 or higher
You must also complete a minimum of 9 units, each of which must be taken for a letter grade. Those courses must be:
- The required core course: PB HLTH 207: Transforming Food Systems: From Agroecology to Population Health (3 units, taught each fall)
- A minimum of two elective courses are chosen from the list below. Courses not on the electives list will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
We encourage students to take all certificate courses outside their primary degrees. It is the student’s responsibility to review the course catalog and confirm when courses are offered. If you have any questions, please contact the GCFS administrator at gcfs@berkeley.edu.
Complete the Application for Admission Form and submit for approval. You are encouraged to apply prior to taking the core course, though it is not required. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis. Final grades will be verified prior to GCFS awards. Completion will be noted in the memorandum section of your official transcript (not on your diploma), in addition to a physical certificate signed by the deans of Berkeley Public Health, Rausser College of Natural Resources, and Goldman School of Public Policy.
PBHLTH 207 Transforming Food Systems: 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 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.
Only pre approved electives count toward the Graduate Certificate in Food Systems. This is the active and dynamic Google Excel with updated elective courses available in Spring and Fall by tabs. Note that not every course is offered on a yearly basis. Check guide.berkeley.edu for the most up to date course descriptions and class schedule.
Students can propose alternative electives for graduate courses (200 level) beyond the approved elective list as long as 25% of the core content is about or related to food systems. Email the GCFS administrator at gcfs@berkeley.edu with the course title, link to the syllabus or enrollment-if available, and sentence or two as to why this course should be included in your GCFS completion. The administrator will get back to you promptly with approval or additional questions, as needed.