Three-year Undergraduate Degree
The Three-Year Undergraduate Degree in Gastronomic Sciences offers an original teaching model, innovative in both its content and learning methods. The content reflects the entire arc of the “gastronomic sciences” from an interdisciplinary perspective: the “hard” sciences, earth sciences and human sciences, explored through the themes of food and gastronomy, producing graduates who are as comfortable working in the promotion and marketing of food as in business management and planning. The originality of the educational approach is also reflected in the learning methods; a strong component of experiential and sensorial training, with tastings and study trips, direct contact with the people working in the food and gastronomy world and on-going national and international experiences, is not a mere addendum but instead represents the actual framework of the educational process.
The syllabus of the three-year undergraduate program is made up of obligatory and optional courses, lab workshops and the degree thesis, for a total of 180 university credits. Attendance is compulsory for all accredited activities: obligatory courses, study trips, optional courses, workshops, meetings and conferences.
Cohort: 100 students maximum
Attendance is required
Application process opens: February 10th, 2017
Application process closes. For Italian candidates: May 10th, 2017 (first session) • August 24th, 2017 (second session); rolling admissions for non-Italian candidates until August 24, 2017. For international candidates: Rolling admissions for non-Italian candidates until August 24, 2017.
Skype interviews in English: within 2 weeks following the submission of the dossier (date to be determined individually with each candidate)
Start date: September 14, 2017
Language: Italian/English
Subject Areas
Both humanities and sciences are taught within the Undergraduate Program in Gastronomic Sciences. Practical learning, lab work, and study trips to discover products and their regions of origin complement in-class lessons in order to provide students with an interdisciplinary approach to the world of gastronomy.
The following list of subjects and course modules comprise the Gastronomic Sciences program of study. Each may include seminars dedicated to a specific issue, and course content may vary from year to year
Class hours and contents may vary.
Year I
First semester
Animal biodiversity and breeding systems (module I)
Basics of Statistics, Economics, and Methodology (module I)
Molecular Sciences
Sociology of Cultural and Communicative Processes
Computer Science Abilities
Second semester
Animal biodiversity and breeding systems (module II)
Basics of Statistics, Economics, and Methodology (module II)
European Legal Roots
Food Microbiology
2 Elective courses
Italian/English Language
Study Trips and film techniques – Year I
Year II
First semester
Plant biodiversity and agrosystems
History of Agriculture and Food
Geography of local products
Second semester
Sensory Analysis
Food Technology
Molecular Basis and Physiology of Taste and Nutraceuticals
2 Elective courses
Study Trips – Year II
Year III
First semester
Food Economics and Food Law
Ecodesign of Gastronomy
Nutrition and Dietetics
Second semester
Food-Service Systems and Technology
History of Cuisine and Wine
Cultural Anthropology
Philosophy and Semiotics of Food
2 Elective courses
Study Trips – Year III
Graduation Thesis
Elective courses
Examples
Food and media
Food packaging
Gastronomic Associations: The Slow Food Case
Science in the Kitchen
Ecological Horticulture and Sustainable Agriculture
Introduction to Understanding and Appreciating Wine
Historical Ecology Workshop
Gastronomic Measurements Workshop
Rhetoric and Public Speaking
History of Typical Products
Food Advertisement Workshop
Academic Calendar
Study Trips
Study trips are a new form of experiential learning that enables future gastronomes to use their five senses to learn in the field, following food production and supply chains and gaining a practical understanding of biodiversity.
The trips include diversified educational activities, including: – Academic lessons with local teachers, historians and experts in the eco-gastronomy field – Visits to producers, businesses, restaurants and other significant organizations in the food and wine sector – Practical culinary workshops with chefs and restaurateurs – Cultural tours to discover the region – Visits to traditional markets, Slow Food producers and food communities During the first year of the course, the regional study trips allow students to deepen their knowledge of regional Italian gastronomy, while during the thematic study trips, students learn about important foods such as pasta, coffee, cured meats, and cheese.
During the second year of the course, the regional study trips take students on an exploration of regional cuisines across Europe, while during thematic study trips they learn about more essential products, including oil, wine and the confectionery industry.
During the third year of the course, students continue to learn more about regional gastronomy across Europe and beyond on the regional study trips, while the thematic study trips provide students with the opportunity to learn about beer, fish and large-scale distribution.
Career Center
The Career Center helps UNISG’s students and graduates enter the working world, making the transition from university to employment as smooth as possible. It serves as a constant point of reference during the gastronome’s career, from their first internship experience to entering the working world and beyond.
Services for UNISG students and graduates include the activation and monitoring of curricular and extra-curricular internships, individual support and advice and the organization of career orientation events.
Fees
The annual fees for the undergraduate program starting in the academic year 2017/18 are €14.500, which includes:
– all academic activities, including conferences, tastings, and seminars
– books and other print materials
– all study-trip expenses as programmed
– participation in all UNISG and Slow Food events as included in the undergraduate program
– civil insurance coverage
– private insurance policy covering urgent healthcare for non-European students
– dining hall pass with 4.000 credits for use at UNISG Academic Tables (corresponds to €400). For more information about the meal service, click here
– access to Career Office services (food sector job placement)
Download the university fees for the three-year undergraduate degree program >
Note: Fees do not include the accomodation service in Pollenzo and the cost of obtaining an Italian permesso di soggiorno (residency permit, around €90). Non-EU citizens must apply for a permesso di soggiorno at the post office, or at the Al Elka Foreigners’ Service, within 8 working days after arriving in Italy.
Requirements
– Italian high school graduates – students who have a secondary school diploma obtained in Italy;
– Graduating Italian high school students – students who will obtain their high school diploma, in Italy, in 2017;
– Non-Italian high school graduates* – students who have earned a non-Italian high school degree and are eligible for university enrollment (as reported on the Declaration of Value (Dichiarazione di Valore) issued by the relevant consular authorities).
*Important information for applicants with a U.S. High School Diploma: According to the “Regulations on foreign students’ access to university courses in the period 2011-2014″, updated on 15 April 2013, US candidates must possess one of the following:
(1) a U.S. high school diploma and at least 3 successfully completed Advanced Placement exams
(2) Two years of college or university credit with all exams passed
For more information, please contact the Italian embassy or consulate in the United States. All non-EU candidates must enroll through the Italian consulate nearest their place of residence. Candidates should contact the Italian consulate as soon as possible to ensure sufficient time to complete the enrollment process.
Applicants whose native language is not English must have a minimum level of English language proficiency equivalent to a B2-level, (in accordance with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) demonstrated at the English language entrance examination.
Applicants whose native language is not Italian must have a minimum level of knowledge of the Italian language equal to A1/A2 (in accordance with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) demonstrated during the Italian language interview/admission test.
For further details, see the final paragraph entitled Language requirements and bibliography in the Admission Process Instructions
Important Information
Students from all countries are eligible to apply. Note that for all educational documents (diplomas, degrees, certificates, transcripts) issued outside of Italy, official translations and an Italian consular accreditation (the “Dichiarazione di Valore”) must be obtained by the student and submitted to the Registrar Office. The original document must be handed in to the Student 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.
Non-Italian students are admitted to the undergraduate program on a rolling basis. So the sooner you complete your application, the sooner you will know whether you have been accepted. It is recommended that you ensure that your application dossier reaches UNISG at least one week before the application deadline.
Admissions
In order to apply to the three-year undergraduate program in Gastronomic Sciences, candidates must:
– complete the registration process
– upload the supporting dossier by the indicated deadlines
– participate in the admission exams
For more information: [email protected]