Master of Gastronomy: World Food Cultures and Mobility
This Master is designed for international students who want to learn about the different dimensions of food and understand how the political, economic, social, cultural and nutritional aspects are connected.
The program addresses the most debated contemporary issues relating to food policy, sovereignty and sustainability, with a particular focus on:
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- world landscapes of gastronomy, food systems and culinary cultures;
- emerging trends and global changes in food systems and cultures resulting from intensive mobilities of people, social imaginaries, ideals, goods and capital;
- worldwide, non-Western and decolonized perspectives on food production, distribution and consumption;
- the promotion of biodiversity and cultural diversity.
The Master of Gastronomy: World Food Cultures and Mobility is taught by approximately 50 lecturers from 13 different countries who provide students with a truly worldwide and diversified study of food.
Teaching
The program’s structure is based on an interdisciplinary study of gastronomic sciences, with an emphasis on an active and experiential learning experience for students.
The program is divided between:
1. Classes, with two types of course:
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- Survey courses taught by leading international scholars providing an advanced introduction to food studies and exploring cutting-edge thinking about food in different academic fields:
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- food history;
- food geography;
- food anthropology;
- food sociology and multiculturalism;
- food philosophy;
- food politics and economics;
- food and social movements;
- food, nutrition and public health;
- food and cultural ecology;
- food design;
- food photography;
- diversity in environmental & sustainability communications; sustainable agriculture
- Specialised courses taught by academics, experts, and activists, focusing on:
Contemporary perspectives on food and the world foodscapes;
Food systems, sustainability and cultural politics of food;
Food cultures and world cuisines;
Key concepts covered during classes include:
- the fast-changing landscape of gastronomy and culinary cultures;
- food politics, food governance, and food justice;
- the environmental and social sustainability of farming, food processing, and trade;
- human migrations, the mobility of food, and multiculturalism;
- developing trends in food marketing, representation, and taste;
- regional, national, and experimental cuisines.
2. Tastings: Courses and workshops taught by professionals offering an advanced introduction to historical aspects, qualities and evaluation, introducing students to the multi-sensorial evaluation of selected world ingredients.
3. Study trips: Three one-week study trips (one in Italy, one in Europe and another outside Europe) provide students with a profound understanding of global food systems, both artisanal and industrial, by visiting far-flung places and going behind the scenes of food production. Study trips allow students to meet the real protagonists of contemporary food systems, such as farmers, producers, chefs and other food professionals, while tasting typical products in their areas of origin.
4. Internship: The internship aims to give students the opportunity to explore, through work experience, some of the topics studied during the previous months of classes and study trips. Alternatively, students can choose to pursue an individual research project.
5. Final thesis and presentation: To be completed under the guidance of a faculty advisor on a topic relating to the program’s content and expected to bring new original knowledge to the field of food studies.
Building a global network with an international program
The University of Gastronomic Sciences have a high proportion of international students, with up to 80% from outside Italy. This allows students to acquire valuable cross-cultural skills and develop an international network thanks to:
- a strongly international community of students, representing 87 different countries;
- interaction with visiting lecturers from around the world;
- meetings with the protagonists of the food world during on-campus activities and study trips;
- the businesses and other organizations belonging to the University of Gastronomic Sciences network;
- a direct relationship with Slow Food’s projects and network.
Career opportunities
The Master of Gastronomy: World Food Cultures and Mobility prepares future food industry professionals to be key figures in food-related or agricultural businesses and organizations that implement social platforms focused on food sovereignty.
Some sectors where our graduates work:
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- Marketing & communications
- Food consultancy
- Research and development
- Education & training
- Non-governmental organizations
- Journalism
- Food services & catering
- Management
- Production
Within the different employment sectors, our graduates can apply their knowledge and skills to areas such as food and wine writing or editing, PR consultancy, brand management/development, wine and food education, product development, gastronomic consultancy and many more.
Program director: Prof. Simone Cinotto
Group: 25 students maximum
Attendance: obligatory at 80% of total hours
Application deadline: 4th July, 2018
Ranking list: 11th July, 2018
Start date: 10th October, 2018
Subject Areas
CONTEMPORARY PERSPECTIVES ON FOOD AND THE WORLD FOODSCAPE
- Food History
- Food Anthropology
- Food and Sustainability
- Cultural Ecology
- Sustainable Agriculture and Agroecology
- Food and Public Health
- Food Philosophy
- Psychology of Food and Eating
- Food Writing
- Food Photography
- Food Design
- Taste Science
- Slow Food International
- History of Slow Food
- Slow Food Philosophy
FOOD SYSTEMS, SUSTAINABILITY, AND THE CULTURAL POLITICS OF FOOD
- Diversity in Environmental and Sustainability Communications
- Food, Gender, and Sexuality in Traditional and Contemporary Societies
- Urban Food Systems
- Mobility and Logistics in the Global Food Commodity Market
- International Food Systems Policy and Politics
- Beyond Lucy: An Ape’s Perspective on the Origin of Food and Medicines
- Gastronomy, Sustainability and Global Issues: A Holistic Approach
- Food, Empire, and Post-Colonialism
- Food Policies and Institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa
- Activism for Equality and Food Justice in Urban Spaces
- Agroecology and Sustainable Farming
- Food and Popular Culture
- Culinary Diplomacy
- Geographical Indications and Food Quality in the European Union
FOOD CULTURES AND WORLD CUISINES
- History and Culture of Food in Modern Italy and the Globalization of Italian Cuisine
- History and Anthropology of South East Asian Cuisines
- Middle Eastern Cuisine and the Globalization of Middle Eastern Food
- Chinese Cuisine and the Globalization of Chinese Food
- Japanese Cuisine and the Globalization of Japanese Food
- Native American Cuisines
- Food Power and Resistance in the Andes
- Ethno Ecologies in Pakistani Himalaya
- Traditional Knowledge and Agro-Biodiversity in the Caribbean
- New Nordic Cuisine
- New Latin American Cuisines
FOOD, MIGRATION, AND DIASPORAS
- Migrant Workers in the Global Food Chain
- Culinary Traditions of Africa, African America and the African Diaspora
- Food in the Jewish Diaspora
- The Sociology and Cultural Economy of the Ethnic Restaurant
TASTINGS (see “Tastings: Food & Wine” below)
* Course and module titles subject to change
Tastings: Food & Wine
- Sense of Smell
- The Theory and Practice of Food Education
- Food & Wine Parings
- Wine Tasting
- Wine Technology, Elements of Viticulture and Enology
- Beer: Ingredients, Brewing, Styles and Tasting
- Beer: Sensoy Analysis Lab
- History, Processing, Cocoa Cultivation and Diversity
- The Taste of Coffee and Different Ways to Brew it
- Cheese Technology and Italian Cheeses
- Cheese: Sesnsory Tasting Lab
- Cured Meat Technology and Tasting
- Olive Oil Technology and Tasting
- Spirits Technology and Tasting
- Sake and Tea Ceremony
- Tea Technology and Tasting of Tea
Study Trips
3 study trips to destinations in Italy, Europe, and outside Europe, offering students a unique first-hand experience of food producers and their work, the structure and flavors of the local gastronomy, and the complexity of food issues.
Particular attention will be paid to concepts of terroir, food ecologies, and differences between industrial and more traditional settings, as well as first-hand experience along the entire food chain, including distribution and communications. Academic and logistical planning will be managed by university tutors, who also accompany the students during this phase of the program
UNISG Study Trip Learning Cornerstones
Lessons lead by historians and experts in the field of eno-gastronomy
Cooking demonstrations lead by chefs and restaurateurs
Visits to working in the context of traditional markets, Slow Food projects (Ark of Taste, Slow Food Presidia, Food Community, etc) and local restaurants
Cultural tours to discover the region
Career Center
The Career Center supports UNISG students during the delicate transition into the professional world. While the students are here in Pollenzo, the Career Center provides constant support to develop their own unique career design through the “Cultivating your Career” program, which consists of collective workshops and individual coaching sessions.
Through the Career Fair and the Career Center website, the office helps students in gaining a better understanding of different professional sectors to start or continue their career.
Upon graduation, the Career Center continues monitoring the Alumni career, fostering a strong and active professional network that puts together new and experienced gastronomes worldwide.
Fees, Financial Aid & Scholarships
The university fee for the Master of Gastronomy: World Food Cultures and Mobility is €16,500.
The fee includes:
- all academic activities, including conferences, tastings, and seminars;
- study material (in digital format);
- all study trip expenses as programmed, including travel, food and lodging;
- participation in all UNISG and Slow Food events as included in the Master program;
- civil insurance coverage (during academic activities);
- private insurance policy covering urgent healthcare for non-European students;
- 4000 credits on your lunch cards to be used at UNISG Academic Tables (corresponds to €400);
- access to Career Office services (food sector job placement).
Note: Fees do not include accommodation and the cost of obtaining an Italian permit of stay (“permesso di soggiorno”, around €150). Non-EU citizens must apply for a permesso di soggiorno at the post office, ideally with the assistance of the Al Elka Foreigner Services Center, within 8 working days after arriving in Italy. For more information, please see the Bureaucratic Procedures page on our website.
Requirements
> an undergraduate or first-level degree
> proficiency in written and spoken English
Important Information
Students from all countries are eligible to apply. Note that diplomas issued from non EU-accredited institutions must be accompanied by an Italian consular accreditation (the “Dichiarazione di Valore” or “DV”) as part of the admission process, which candidates must obtain and submit to the Registrar Office. The original DV must be handed in to the Registrar Office no later than the first day of the program and will be kept by the university for the duration of the program. (The consulate may choose to send the document directly to UNISG.) The application to UNISG must be completed through an Italian consular representative. Applicants should contact their local Italian consulate as early as possible to ensure adequate time for all consular processes. For more information, please see the Bureaucratic Procedures page on our website.
Admissions
In order to apply to the Master of Gastronomy: World Food Cultures and Mobility, candidates must:
- register online;
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obtain a positive evaluation of their Dossier
For further information: segreteria@unisg.it