Online Food Policy and Sustainability Leadership Graduate Certificate

This program explores the social, political, economic and environmental factors that impact food systems. Courses focus on the policies governing food systems and how these policies shape the way our food is grown and distributed. The curriculum operates with four primary goals for the next generation of food policy leaders:

• Apply the new knowledge and skills to real-world policy problems.
• Deliver training on the strategic elements of a policy and agenda-setting campaign.
• Gain access to a prominent and influential network of food and agriculture policy leaders and mentors.
• Provide an in-depth understanding of present-day health, agriculture, and environment policy and how it came to be.

Gain the skills needed to lead a sustainable food system transformation

In this program, you’ll gain the skills needed to become a leader in the next generation of food policy-makers. Through your coursework, you’ll gain a panoramic, interconnected understanding of food policy, including:

• History and operational knowledge of food-related government agencies and global institutions.
• Integration of sustainability, policy, and science issues, and major food and agricultural actors.
• Strategies to achieve food system policy transformation.
• The impact of U.S. federal and state agencies and global institutions on food systems.
• The interconnected social, political, economic, and ecological factors that influence food systems.
• U.S. federal and state policymaking, including legislative, rulemaking, budgetary, and legal processes.

During this program, you’ll be required to complete two one-week-long, in-person immersion experiences located in Arizona and Washington, D.C. During the Arizona immersion experience, you’ll explore the farms, ranches and supply chain businesses affected by changes in food policy. The second immersion experience, in Washington, D.C., builds leadership skills and includes sessions with food policy leaders from a variety of sectors.

What can I do with a certificate in food policy and sustainability leadership?

The food and agriculture sector provides opportunities for professionals who understand the complex interconnections between food, natural resources, policy, economic opportunity and social equity. As a food policy expert, you’ll be an ideal candidate for some of the most important organizations shaping the nation’s food systems. You’ll be able to explore food and sustainability careers in various sectors, such as government, private businesses and nonprofit organizations. In many of these positions, you’ll be crafting and advocating for food policy solutions that improve public health and environmental conservation. This certificate can also prepare you for a career in environmental science, focusing on natural resource management for food production.