Core questions underlying the programme on Food

Are we capable of producing sufficient food for an exponentially growing world population? If so, what do we need to do to realize sustainable forms of food production, while preventing the depletion of our natural resources?

Students will study the food issue from various perspectives and assess the strengths and weaknesses of innovative methods such as genetically modified organisms. The programme looks at possible implications for ecosystems around the globe and the economics of the world food system. Students will also work with modern techniques such as Remote Sensing and Geographical Information Systems. In an interdisciplinary project on food, students from various backgrounds are challenged to combine the knowledge they have gained to come up with new, integrated insights.

Courses on Food and Natural Resources

Period: Semester 3: Sept – Dec (+ Jan)

• Philosophy of Science (new course)
• Reflexive Design Project (new course)
• Plant-Soil Interactions in Food Production Systems & Practical
• World Food & Ecosystems
• Remote Sensing
• Programming in R (new course, formerly Matlab)  
• Introduction to Spatial Planning
• Food & the City / Future of Food
• Governance & Systemic Transformation
• Political Economy of Transnational Food Chains

See the UvA Course Catalogue for specific information about each course.

Admission requirements

The international programmes on Food & Water are open to students:

• with sufficient fluency in English, i.e. master the language at C1 level, as can be shown by an International Baccalaureate certificate, an IELTS test score > 7 or a TOEFL test score ≥ 95, or earlier academic education in English.
• with a background in social science that have successfully completed one semester (i.e. a study load of at least half of an academic year) in natural sciences courses related to Earth Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Biology, Ecology or Climatology;
• with a background in one of these natural sciences. This allows in principle for admission to all courses, exceptions being Food & the City and Water Governance, as these courses require some background knowledge in economics, human geography or spatial planning.

Depending on their curricular background, a tailor-made programme can be put together that fits the needs and motivation of the individual student. 

Note: The available places for international students per course are limited.

Contact

For more information on the programme or exchange of ideas about the Bachelor's programme Future Planet Studies, please contact the student exchange office.