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The University of British Columbia
- a place of mind
- The University of British Columbia
- Centre for Sustainable Food Systems at UBC Farm
Through its land-based and academic resources, the UBC Farm is uniquely positioned to host a diversity of multidisciplinary curricular opportunities and alternative credit options. These directly contribute to fulfilling UBC’s vision of being a global leader in sustainability.
The UBC Farm is affiliated with several degree programs at UBC – particularly in the Faculty of Land and Food Systems – that integrate their teaching, learning, and research directly into the farm’s programming and core operations. If you are seeking a degree program that focuses on pressing issues of global concern and offers opportunities for rich experiential learning at the UBC Farm, consider applying to the following programs:
Professor Andrew Riseman & ISLFS Masters student Greg Rekken: Growing a better tomato. Photo: Martin Dee
An integrated approach is vital to addressing the most pressing ecological, economic and social issues we face in global food security. The creation of a sustainable food system in which food is healthy, abundant, safe, and accessible will require researchers and policy makers to draw solutions from a variety of disciplines working in concert. Integrated Studies in Land and Food Systems (ISLFS) offers the opportunity to focus on developing solutions to such complex issues.
Examples of ISLFS studies based at the UBC Farm include:
Applied Biology students can gain hands-on experience in food marketing and production through the UBC Farm Practicum program.
This undergraduate degree program prepares students for a career based on the creation of sustainable food systems. With specializations in Food and the Environment, Animal Biology, or Plant and Animal Sciences, Applied Biology (APBI) students are frequently engaged in case studies, lab work and community service-learning at the UBC Farm. In addition, students may apply their enrollment in the UBC Farm Practicum in Sustainable Agriculture toward the fulfillment of this degree’s practical learning requirements.
GRS students can choose from a wide array of program foci, ranging from soil science to international nutrition.
In recognition that resource management issues are complex and require a range of skills, this award-winning program provides opportunities for students to become exceptional global citizens and gain a critical, interdisciplinary perspective. Through a “double major,” students customize their degrees by focusing on a particular resource and region of the world. Many GRS students opt to complete part of their requisite applied learning at the UBC Farm, which facilitates intensive internships and Directed Studies for course credit.
You can find out more about the program and students’ experiences on international exchange by visiting the Global Resource Systems (GRS) blog.
Squash has provided a venue for FNH students to assess vegetable sensory qualities, storage life, and develop recipes.
Depending on their interests and professional aspirations, students in the Food, Nutrition and Health (FNH) program may choose to major in any of the following areas to gain in-depth education in:
Examples of FNH curricular involvement at the UBC Farm has included marketing internships and business plans for UBC Farm products, assessments of storage life, nutritional indicators, and sensory qualities of farm produce, and the development of recipes for the Vancouver Native Health Society Garden Project.
As part of the practicum component of his degree, an MFS student drafted Standard Operating Procedures for food-safe egg washing at the farm.
The Food Science group at UBC offers internationally recognized and highly respected Master’s and Ph.D. degrees. While the M.Sc. has a research focus and is well suited for those who are interested in a career in research, the Master of Food Science (MFS) meets the worldwide demand for graduates of advanced degrees for government and private industry involved in the large-scale manufacturing and/or distribution of food products.
Past MFS students have completed their practica at the UBC farm during the growing season, focusing on projects such as assessing post-harvest food handling practices for specific crops, drafting Standard Operating Procedures for food-safe egg washing, and assessing and making recommendations on the implementation of more food-safe compost handling processes.
For a complete list of other degree programs affiliated with the UBC Farm in academic units such as the School of Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (SALA), and Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability, please see the University Sustainability Initiative website.
