The Food Systems concentration focuses on the application of theoretical and analytic tools of applied economics within the context of food systems. The program of study explores the broadest context of food systems, ranging from small-scale localized markets, traditional market-mediated commodity-based products, and highly specialized, vertically coordinated supply chains. Students graduating from this program will be prepared to contribute meaningfully to improving the value provided by our food systems.
Learning Objectives
Upon successful completion of this concentration, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate technical competency in applying economic theory to food systems challenges. Formulate analytical problems, gather relevant data, use economic methods, and leverage computational tools to address complex agricultural and food economic questions.
- Solve real-world food system challenges beyond the pedagogical context. Identify critical issues in food economics, evaluate resources, develop analytical frameworks, and formulate sustainable policy and market-based solutions.
- Demonstrate proficiency in professionally communicating food systems and agricultural economics concepts. Create research reports, policy briefs, and presentations that translate complex economic analysis into actionable insights for diverse stakeholders.
Effective Fall 2025
| Freshman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| AUCC | Credits | ||
| AREC 192 | Orientation to Agricultural and Resource Econ | 1 | |
| AREC 202 | Agricultural and Resource Economics (GT-SS1) | 3C | 3 |
| CHEM 103 | Chemistry in Context (GT-SC2) | 3A | 3 |
| CO 150 | College Composition (GT-CO2) | 1A | 3 |
| ECON 204 | Principles of Macroeconomics (GT-SS1) | 3C | 3 |
| MATH 117 | College Algebra in Context I (GT-MA1) | 1B | 1 |
| MATH 118 | College Algebra in Context II (GT-MA1) | 1B | 1 |
| MATH 124 | Logarithmic and Exponential Functions (GT-MA1) | 1B | 1 |
| Select one Food Systems Foundations course from the following: | 2-4 | ||
| Food Animal Science | |||
| Food and Nutrition in Health and Disease | |||
| Food-From Farm to Table | |||
| Horticultural Science | 3A | ||
| Introduction to Crop Science | |||
| Select one course from the following:1 | 3-4 | ||
| Agricultural Data Management and Analysis | |||
| Business Computing Concepts and Applications | |||
| Personal Computing | |||
| Select four credits from the following: | 4 | ||
| Principles of Animal Biology (GT-SC2) | 3A | ||
| Principles of Plant Biology (GT-SC1) | 3A | ||
| Attributes of Living Systems (GT-SC1) | 3A | ||
| 1C | 1C | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 28-31 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| ACT 205 | Fundamentals of Accounting | 3 | |
| AREC 222 | Economics of Food Systems (GT-SS1) | 1C | 3 |
| AREC 224 | Introduction to Agribusiness Entrepreneurship | 1 | |
| AREC 311 | Agricultural and Resource Product Marketing | 3 | |
| SOC 105 | Social Problems (GT-SS3) | 3C | 3 |
| SPCM 200 | Public Speaking | 3 | |
| STAT 301 | Introduction to Applied Statistical Methods | 3 | |
| AREC XXX | 3 | ||
| Arts and Humanities | 3B | 6 | |
| Historical Perspectives | 3D | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 31 | ||
| Junior | |||
| AREC 305 | Agricultural and Resource Enterprise Analysis | 3 | |
| AREC 307 | Agricultural and Food Managerial Economics | 3 | |
| FIN 305 | Fundamentals of Finance | 3 | |
| MGT 301 | Supply Chain Management | 3 | |
| MKT 305 | Fundamentals of Marketing | 3 | |
| Select one course from the following: | 3 | ||
| Data-Driven Ag and Res Econ Decision Making | |||
| Introduction to Econometrics | |||
| Select one course from the following: | 3 | ||
| Writing Arguments (GT-CO3) | 2 | ||
| Strategic Writing and Communication (GT-CO3) | 2 | ||
| Food Systems Electives - 15 credits total from the following two groups: | 6 | ||
| Select a minimum of two Socio-cultural Elements of Food Systems courses: | |||
| Urban Horticulture | |||
| Sociology of Food Systems and Agriculture | |||
| Personnel Management in Agriculture | |||
| Ag- and Resource-Based Economic Development | 4B | ||
| Food Systems--Impact on Health/Food Security | |||
| Food Safety | |||
| Food Justice | |||
| Food, Agriculture and Global Society | |||
| Production and Management Topics in Food Systems: | |||
| Live Animal and Carcass Evaluation | |||
| Topics in Animal Sciences: Quality Assurance | |||
| Principles of Meat Science | |||
| Processed Meats | |||
| Meat Safety | |||
| Meat Processing Systems | |||
| Food Principles and Applications | |||
| Human Nutrition | |||
| Community Nutrition | |||
| Current Issues in Food Safety | |||
| Greenhouse Management | |||
| Hydroponics | |||
| Topics in Organic Agriculture | |||
| Vegetable Crop Management | |||
| Principles of Fruit Crop Management | |||
| Horticulture Crop Production and Management | |||
| Foodservice Systems Purchasing and Operations | |||
| Alcohol Beverage Control and Management | |||
| Food, Society and Social Media | |||
| Food, Beverage, and Labor Cost Control | |||
| Elective | 3 | ||
| Total Credits | 30 | ||
| Senior | |||
| AREC 422 | Food Supply Chain Management | 3 | |
| AREC 428 | Agricultural Business Management | 4A,4C | 3 |
| AREC 492 | Senior Seminar in Ag and Resource Economics | 1 | |
| Select one course from the following: | 3 | ||
| Agricultural Law | |||
| Agricultural Policy | 4A,4B,4C | ||
| Select two courses from the following: | 6 | ||
| Agricultural Production Management | |||
| Agricultural Finance | |||
| Agricultural Commodities Marketing | |||
| International Agricultural Trade | |||
| Food Systems Electives (see list in Junior year) | 9 | ||
| Electives3 | 3-6 | ||
| Total Credits | 28-31 | ||
| Program Total Credits: | 120 | ||
| Freshman | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| AREC 192 | Orientation to Agricultural and Resource Econ | 1 | |||
| AREC 202 | Agricultural and Resource Economics (GT-SS1) | X | 3C | 3 | |
| MATH 117 | College Algebra in Context I (GT-MA1) | X | 1B | 1 | |
| MATH 118 | College Algebra in Context II (GT-MA1) | X | 1B | 1 | |
| MATH 124 | Logarithmic and Exponential Functions (GT-MA1) | X | 1B | 1 | |
| Select four credits from the following: | 4 | ||||
| Principles of Animal Biology (GT-SC2) | 3A | ||||
| Principles of Plant Biology (GT-SC1) | 3A | ||||
| Attributes of Living Systems (GT-SC1) | 3A | ||||
| 1C | X | 1C | 3 | ||
| Total Credits | 14 | ||||
| Semester 2 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| CHEM 103 | Chemistry in Context (GT-SC2) | 3A | 3 | ||
| CO 150 | College Composition (GT-CO2) | X | 1A | 3 | |
| ECON 204 | Principles of Macroeconomics (GT-SS1) | 3C | 3 | ||
| Select one course from the following: | 2-4 | ||||
| Food Animal Science | |||||
| Food and Nutrition in Health and Disease | |||||
| Food-From Farm to Table | |||||
| Horticultural Science | 3A | ||||
| Introduction to Crop Science | |||||
| Select one course from the following: | 3-4 | ||||
| Agricultural Data Management and Analysis | |||||
| Business Computing Concepts and Applications | |||||
| Personal Computing | |||||
| MATH 117, MATH 118, and AREC 202 must be completed by the end of Semester 2. | X | ||||
| Total Credits | 14-17 | ||||
| Sophomore | |||||
| Semester 3 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| AREC 222 | Economics of Food Systems (GT-SS1) | X | 1C | 3 | |
| AREC 224 | Introduction to Agribusiness Entrepreneurship | X | 1 | ||
| AREC 311 | Agricultural and Resource Product Marketing | X | 3 | ||
| SPCM 200 | Public Speaking | 3 | |||
| AREC XXX | 3 | ||||
| Arts and Humanities | 3B | 3 | |||
| Total Credits | 16 | ||||
| Semester 4 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| ACT 205 | Fundamentals of Accounting | 3 | |||
| SOC 105 | Social Problems (GT-SS3) | X | 3C | 3 | |
| STAT 301 | Introduction to Applied Statistical Methods | X | 3 | ||
| Arts and Humanities | 3B | 3 | |||
| Historical Perspectives | 3D | 3 | |||
| Total Credits | 15 | ||||
| Junior | |||||
| Semester 5 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| AREC 305 | Agricultural and Resource Enterprise Analysis | X | 3 | ||
| MGT 301 | Supply Chain Management | 3 | |||
| MKT 305 | Fundamentals of Marketing | 3 | |||
| Select one course from the following: | 3 | ||||
| Data-Driven Ag and Res Econ Decision Making | |||||
| Introduction to Econometrics | |||||
| Select one course from the following: | X | 3 | |||
| Writing Arguments (GT-CO3) | 2 | ||||
| Strategic Writing and Communication (GT-CO3) | 2 | ||||
| Total Credits | 15 | ||||
| Semester 6 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| AREC 307 | Agricultural and Food Managerial Economics | X | 3 | ||
| FIN 305 | Fundamentals of Finance | 3 | |||
| Food Systems Electives (See List on Concentration Requirements Tab) | 6 | ||||
| Elective | 3 | ||||
| AREC 222, AREC 305, AREC 311, and ECON 306 must be completed by the end of Semester 6. | X | ||||
| Total Credits | 15 | ||||
| Senior | |||||
| Semester 7 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| AREC 422 | Food Supply Chain Management | X | 3 | ||
| Select two courses from the following: | X | 6 | |||
| Agricultural Production Management | |||||
| Agricultural Finance | |||||
| Agricultural Commodities Marketing | |||||
| International Agricultural Trade | |||||
| Food Systems Elective (See List on Concentration Requirements Tab) | 3 | ||||
| Elective | 3 | ||||
| Total Credits | 15 | ||||
| Semester 8 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| AREC 428 | Agricultural Business Management | X | 4A,4C | 3 | |
| AREC 492 | Senior Seminar in Ag and Resource Economics | 1 | |||
| Select one course from the following: | X | 3 | |||
| Agricultural Law | |||||
| Agricultural Policy | 4A,4B,4C | ||||
| Food Systems Electives (See List on Concentration Requirements Tab) | X | 6 | |||
| Elective | X | 0-3 | |||
| The benchmark courses for the 8th semester are the remaining courses in the entire program of study. | X | ||||
| Total Credits | 13-16 | ||||
| Program Total Credits: | 120 | ||||