Master in New Food Thinking

1.1 Ecological Thought

• Anthropocene Poetics
• Re-Thinking Parasitism: Food and Identity
• Artisanal Intelligence for a Philosophy of quality 
• Aesthetics of Flavors and Emotions
• Food, Spaces, and Societies

1.2 Laboratories

• Epistenology: Wine as Experience
• Taste and Touch
• The Taste of Your Dreams
• Sweetness: Feeling/Thinking with Pastry
• Communicating Gastronomy: Food Photography, Videography, Writing, and Podcasts

2.1 Psychology and Neuroscience

• Food Psychology and Decision Making
• Food Neuroscience
• Mindful Eating

2.2 Sensory and Food Science

• Food Molecules and Taste Science
• Sensory Science and Consumer Behavior

2.3 Laboratories

• Sensory, Behavior and Cognition Lab
• Pollenzo Food Lab
• R&D and Food Creativity
• AI Tools and Data Analysis for Research

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3.1 Social and Political Issues

• Global Food Governance
• Quality in the Global Marketing
• Planetary Health
• Ethnobotany and Diasporas
• Ecologising Museums
• Eating meat or not?

3.2 Laboratories

• Fermenting: cultivating biodiversity 
• Circular economy for food: upcycling and circular cooking 
• Eating design 
• Foraging and Preservation
• Baking: From Seeds to Communities

• Coffee
• Extra virgin olive oil 
• Spirits 
• Cheese 
• Chocolate

Every year some of the main experts of the food sector are invited to Pollenzo to teach and share their knowledge. Here below some of most renowned professors and professionals of food in the world, which have confirmed their presence at this master program:

Marije Vogelzang is an internationally renowned artist and food designer. Leading exponent of food performing art, she has performed all over the world. She headed the Food Design Department at the Eindhoven Academy of Design and founded the Dutch Institute of Food and Design. She has a studio where she creates design objects for food, teaches classes, lectures, and workshops among multiple projects and presentations. She is also a consultant for major food companies (for example, Nestlé) and has published several books.

Lisa Heldke is a philosophy professor at Gustavus Adolphus College (Minnesota), with a chair in ethics. She is a pioneer of philosophical studies on food, interpreted as an element to redefine the idea of ​​personhood through the concept of ​​parasitism. Her research interests are social justice, pragmatism and epistemology, and she has developed a line of research on food as an element to redefine the idea of ​​the person through the idea of ​​parasitism.

Andreas Weber is a biologist, philosopher and nature writer. An essayist and journalist, he has published several books dealing with the intertwining relationship between philosophy and natural sciences, with a particular interest in ecology and ecopolitics.

Erik Olsson is a Swedish photographer. He collaborates with important and famous chefs such as Magnus Nilsson.

Giulia Soldati is a food designer. She graduated in Product Design (Naba, Milan) with a master in Social Design from the Design Academy of Eindhoven. She works between the Netherlands and Italy, creating events, performances and exhibitions on food and social dinners. Her main interest is the tactile dimension of food.

The study trips take place in Italy and abroad, allowing students to become researchers and explorers in the field and to begin to develop their own professional networks.

The study trips provide the 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.

During study trips students 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.

More info about the study trips >

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we have developed new strategies that allow us to adjust our study trip offer according to present and potential future measures, always staying true to our experiential study approach.

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.

The university fee for the Master in New Food Thinking 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 many UNISG and some Slow Food events as included in the Master program;
    • access to Career Office services (food sector job placement);
    • enrollment certificates, official transcripts, receipts of payment and international legalization of diploma for non-Italian students, including mailing fees.

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 permit to stay 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 International Student Start Point page on our website.

Further information about fee payment regulations >

Financial Aid & Scholarships >

1. A three-year undergraduate "first-level" degree (or equivalent):
   • Applicants not in possession of a three-year university degree equivalent to a Bachelor’s may still apply and be admitted to the Master under auditor status, obtaining a Certificate of Attendance upon successful completion of the program;
   • Degrees accredited outside of Italy must be submitted together with a legalization document attesting to both the equivalency and authenticity of the diploma.
2. Proficiency in written and spoken English:
   • Certifications of English proficiency are not required.

Important Information

• Students from all countries are eligible to apply.
•  In order to obtain a study visa, non-EU students must obtain a consular appointment, generally through the Prenot@mi website, prior to admission or as early as possible, as dates are limited, as well as complete a consular pre-enrollment process through the Universitaly portal.
• For more information, please see "Apply for a study visa and legalize academic titles" on the "International Student Start Point" page of our website. Here is the link.

Learn more about admission process >