DUAL MAJOR IN ECOGASTRONOMY

From farm to fork to nutrition and health . . . find out how it all connects

Are you interested in growing food, cooking food, and eating heathfully? Do you want to learn about the complex and holistic nature of our food community? If you answered yes, then get ready to enhance your primary major and expand your professional opportunities with a Dual Major in EcoGastronomy. Integrating UNH strengths in sustainable agriculture, hospitality management, and nutrition, EcoGastronomy offers a unique academic program emphasizing the interdisciplinary, international, and experiential knowledge that connects all three fields. And as a dual major, the program provides a complement to any primary major.

Dual Major Requirements

Declaring the Dual Major

Advising

Faculty

Foreign Experience

Frequently Asked Questions

Resources

Events

Contact

Dual Major Requirements

A. Required Courses

Introduction to EcoGastronomy -- offered Spring semester
Sustainable Food Production (PBIO 405) -- offered Fall semester
Food and Beverage Managment (Small Quantity Cooking) (HGMT 403) -- offered Fall semester
Food and Society (NUTR 405) -- offered Spring semester
Senior EcoGastronomy Capstone -- offered Fall and Spring semesters
Elective -- select from list in consultation with Faculty Coordinator
15 credits at the University of Gastronomic Sciences (UNISG), to be selected in consultation with UNISG

B. Language Proficiency

Basic level language training will be required prior to the student's foreign experience. This may be fulfilled by the completion of Elementary Italian (ITAL 401), or an approved equivalent, including full proficiency in a Romance language. Students will have to pass a basic level Italian proficiency test, to be administered prior to the foreign experience at the University of Gastronomic Sciences.

C. Portfolio

Students will be required to submit a portfolio annually to the faculty coordinator, and a cumulative portfolio to the instructor of their capstone course for final assessment. Components of the portfolio will include:

A year-end summary of the reactions to events and activities organized by the program over the course of the year. These will include guest lectures, films, special dinners, and symposia. A focus on connections with the major is an important aspect of the portfolio.
The portfolio work will be part of the capstone experience where the student will provide a summary of the integration of majors and the importance of experiential and international study to their understanding of their food community.

Declaring the Dual Major

In order to declare the Dual Major in EcoGastronomy, students must:

Have a cumulative grade point average of 2.5
Have declared, or be prepared to declare, a disciplinary major
Complete the Introduction to EcoGastronomy course with a grade of C or better

If you meet these requirements, please complete the Declaration of a Dual Major in EcoGastronomy form and schedule an appointment to meet with the Dual Major in EcoGastronomy Faculty Coordinator, Dan Winans .

Advising

Students must meet with the Faculty Coordinator upon intention to declare the Dual Major, and once per semester throughout their course of study. To schedule an appointment, contact Faculty Coordinator Dan Winans.

Faculty

Faculty of the Dual Major in EcoGastronomy include:

John Aber, Ph.D. Professor of Natural Resources

Joanne Burke, Ph.D., R.D., L.D. Clinical Assistant Professor, Animal & Nutritional Sciences & Director of UNH Dietetic Internship Program

John Carroll, Ph.D. Professor, Environmental Conservation

Joanne Curran-Celentano, Ph.D. Professor of Animal & Nutritional Sciences

Raymond Goodman, Ph.D. Professor and Chair, Department of Hospitality Management

Rebecca Grube, Ph.D. Extension Associate Professor/Specialist, Sustainable Horticulture Production

Tom Kelly, Ph.D. UNH Chief Sustainability Officer and Director, University Office of Sustainability

Charles Schwab, Ph.D. Professor of Animal & Nutritional Sciences

Dan Winans, Faculty Coordinator, Dual Major in EcoGastronomy and Instructor, Department of Hospitality Management

Foreign Experience

All Dual Majors in EcoGastronomy must spend a full semester abroad, most likely during their junior year. The University of Gastronomic Sciences (UNISG) in Pollenzo, Italy, will serve as the site of this international experience. Students will complete a series of upper level core courses at UNISG, in topics such as the history of cuisine and gastronomy, food communication, aesthetics, food and wine tourism, and food business economics. Students should discuss the details of the foreign experience with the Faculty Coordinator.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

What is EcoGastronomy?

"Gastronomy", which is defined as "the art and appreciation of preparing and eating good food," is paired with the prefix "eco", indicating that the "art and appreciation" of food cannot be separated from our agriculture, our environment, and the myraid social, economic, political, and ethical issues associated with food production and eating. EcoGastronomy represents a highly innovative and interdisciplinary approach to studying our food community.

What is a Dual Major?

A dual major is taken alongside a primary major. It cannot be taken on its own. In other words, you must have declared a primary major in order to declare a dual major.

Does my primary major have to be in any specific field?

No! The Dual Major in EcoGastronomy can be declared by any qualified undergraduate (see above "Declaring the Dual Major"). This means your primary major could be in any discipline, be it nutrition, hospitality management, environmental conservation, plant biology, English, history, or engineering! It is important, however, that you meet with your primary major advisor prior to declaring a Dual Major in EcoGastronomy to discuss your plan of study.

Do I have to study abroad to complete the Dual Major, or can I do something else (internship, practicum, SURF, other)?

Yes, you must study abroad to complete the Dual Major. The foreign experience is a vital part of the program, and includes a number of the core courses. Providing an international perspective is a primary goal of the Dual Major in EcoGastronomy.

Is it possible to study at a foreign university other than the University of Gastronomic Sciences?

While this is generally discourged, exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis. Please contact the Faculty Coordinator to inquire further.

What kind of professional opportunities are available for graduates?

We expect that Dual Majors in EcoGastronomy will find a wide array of applications in their careers. While the primary major will provide the foundation of the graduates' expertise and potential career paths, the Dual Major will complement this foundation by adding a more complex dimension to their primary focus. Depending on the primary major, graduates might work within food service, catering, or the restaurant industry; manage or own a farm, greenhouse or nursery; food-related teaching; public relations and journalism; wholesale and retail marketing; food policy; and nutrition and health assessment.