Program Information

• Aims and Objectives
• Graduate Attributes
• Potential Careers
• Program Structure
• Online and On-campus
• Electives
• Provisional Timetable
• Activities and Excursions

Aims and Objectives

As a nested suite of programs, the MA (Food Studies) and constituent components are intended to:

• ensure students have a thorough knowledge of the diverse disciplines which inform the study of food and drink, together with the ability to choose and apply appropriate disciplinary approaches in analysis and critique
• provide strong preparation for students to conduct research in the broad area of food studies, including culinary history, food choice and ethics, food systems, urban foodways and their relationship to agriculture, globalisation and industrialisation, and the culture of food and drink
• encourage students to apply and communicate the knowledge and skills gained through academic study in a range of media and practical situations (such as tourism development, public policy, education)
• provide an in-depth understanding of current issues relevant to food and drink, giving students the ability to contribute to contemporary debate.

Graduate Attributes

The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences facilitates an environment in which graduates of the Graduate Program in Food Studies are encouraged to take personal responsibility for developing the following attributes:

• Knowledge and understanding of the historical, cultural, economic, geographic and ethical influences on dietary choices and eating practices, and their implications
• Specialised knowledge of food systems ('paddock to plate') in both historical and contemporary contexts
• An awareness of contemporary food issues, both national and global, and the ability to contribute effectively and creatively to contemporary debate
• Skills in the selection and application of appropriate methodologies for research in the broad domain of food studies
• An appreciation of the significance of food and drink in communication and culture
• Proficiency in locating, analysing, evaluating and synthesising information relevant to food studies from a wide range of sources in a planned and timely manner 
• The ability to communicate this information, via diverse media, to both academic and general audiences 
• A commitment to continuous learning and sharing of knowledge, and the capacity to maintain intellectual curiosity
• An awareness of the diverse economic and socio-cultural environments influencing dietary choices and food practices in a global context 
• A commitment to the highest standards of endeavour and the ability to take on leadership roles 
• An awareness of pertinent ethical, social and cultural issues and their importance in the exercise of professional skills and responsibilities.

Potential Careers

Whether you are already established in a food-related career-perhaps as a teacher in a culinary school, a restaurateur, a food or drink journalist, or perhaps working in marketing or in hospitality-or whether you are seeking a food-related career in education, hospitality, media, or tourism, you will find that the Graduate Program in Food Studies will open your mind to new knowledge and understanding, new insights into the way we eat and drink today, and new approaches to the study of food and drink in a variety of contexts.

The courses in the Food Studies Program are designed to provide a general appreciation of food/drink culture and history from ancient times to the present, with a strong focus on contemporary themes. They are flexible enough for students to pursue deeper understanding of particular topics or issues of interest to them while benefiting from the broad scope of the formal teaching.

Graduates from the program are likely to have careers in many different fields including education, media, hospitality and tourism. The Master of Arts (Food Studies) does not necessarily prepare you for a particular career but rather helps you to succeed in the career path you wish to follow. The coursework provides a solid grounding in the history and culture of food and drink, and the independent research included in the coursework allows you to research topics that can be relevant to the career direction you choose for yourself. Masters' graduates from the Program will have broad understandings of food history and culture and thorough appreciation of current issues relating to food and drink, together with sound research and writing skills.

The Program adopts an interdisciplinary approach to the study of food history and culture, which encompasses history, anthropology, sociology, geography and many other disciplines within the general area of humanities and social sciences, as well as nutrition, agriculture, wine studies and tourism.

Program Structure

The Graduate Program in Food Studies is composed of five courses, each of 6 units value, and a supervised research essay, also of 6 units value. Within prescribed limits, students may replace one or more Food Studies courses with one or more choices from a range of electives in other disciplines.

A full-time on-campus candidate for the degree of Masters of Arts (Food Studies) will normally complete the program in 1.5 years, based on a study load of 24 units per year. An online candidate will normally complete the program in three years, based on a study load of 12 units per year.

Students enrolled for the degree of Masters of Arts (Food Studies) are required to complete at least 24 units from the following courses:

A further 12 units can be chosen from those courses listed above or a maximum of 12 units can be chosen from elective offerings.

The Graduate Program in Food Studies also offers intermediary awards:

• Professional Certificate in Food Studies
• Graduate Certificate in Food Studies
• Graduate Diploma in Food Studies

Courses taught on campus usually run over six weeks, each week including six hours of lectures, tutorials and excursions or seminars (such as guest lectures, film or video screenings, or workshops). Students are expected to supplement formal teaching with extensive reading. Online courses typically are delivered over a university semester (12-14 weeks). Online activities take the place of tutorials, excursions, and seminars.

Online and On-campus

Students may choose to combine online and on-campus study, or pursue their degrees in only one mode. Please consult with the Program Coordinator about your study plans particularly if you wish to combine online and on-campus study.

Electives

Elective options will vary year-to-year depending on availability and enrolments (minimum class sizes). The following courses are approved as electives within the Food Studies Program; note that you will have to complete two 3-unit courses in place of one 6-unit Food Studies course. Not all the possible electives will be available to online students; please check the course planner online for more details, and consult with the Food Studies Program Coordinator for advice on planning your degree:

Provisional Timetable

Summer School 2012
Food Writing: Food Writing A - On-campus residential (elective) (6-10 Feb 2012)

Semester 1, 2012
Food Writing: Food Writing B - Online (elective) (late February-early June)

Term 4, 2012
Recipes' Reasons: Researching Culinary History - Online (22 Oct 2012-18 Jan 2013)

Summer School 2013
Food Writing: Food Writing A - On-campus residential (elective) starting  4 February (intensive week in Adelaide 11-15 Feb 2013).  It will end 29 March.

Semester 1, 2013
Food Choices and Food Ethics - Online (late February-early June)
Food Choices and Food Ethics - On-campus intensive (late February-early April)
Celebrating Food - On-campus intensive (late April-early June)
Food Writing: Food Writing B - Online (elective) (1 April)

Winter School 2013
Recipes' Reasons: Researching Culinary History - On-campus intensive (1 July - with final assignments due 2 August)

Semester 2, 2013
Food in the City - Online (late July through October)
Food in the City - On-campus intensive (late July through mid-September)
From Hunter-gathers to the Blue Revolution: the Culture of Agriculture in a Global Context - On-campus intensive (late September though October)

Additional electives also will be available but are not projected here as timetables are not yet finalised.

Courses are subject to minimum enrolment requirements.

For academic year dates is available on the academic year dates website.

Activities and Excursions

On-campus students will broaden their understanding of food history and culture through a number of planned excursions for each course (some excursions may require minimal entrance fees or other charges for students), for example to the Adelaide Central Market, the Art Gallery of South Australia, State Library of South Australia, South Australian Museum, Adelaide Botanic Gardens, and the wine- and food-producing regions close to Adelaide. A longer field trip may be organised to study food production, marketing and tourism on the Eyre Peninsula or Kangaroo Island.

The Food Studies Program also features a variety of guest lecturers from both within the University and the wider community, offering specialised insights into both historical topics such as local food celebrations and contemporary concerns such as farmers' markets and organic agriculture. In addition, on-campus students can take advantage of the many food and drink events held regularly in and around Adelaide, such as the annual Adelaide Hills Wine Festival (late January), the biennial Barossa Vintage Festival (late April to early May), the annual Sea & Vines Festival in McLaren Vale (June), and the biennial Tasting Australia. For more information on food and drink events in South Australia, see The South Australia - Wine & Food Events site.