The Future of Food
Develop an understanding of the food system and work in multi-disciplinary student groups to create a solution to a food system related challenge.
The current UK food system is giving rise to a growing social, health and environmental crisis. Much food production and our practices of food consumption are environmentally unsustainable. A new kind of food system is needed which restores and regenerates the natural environment while also delivering safe, healthy, affordable food to all populations.
The Module
The module will introduce you to social, economic and environmental challenges in food systems with case studies covered in lectures and workshops. You will then work in multi-disciplinary teams to create a solution to a food system related challenge.
Teaching will draw on expertise from a range of disciplines and involve guest lectures from policymakers, food industry and leaders in civil society, ensuring different voices and perspectives across the food system are heard.
Understand contemporary challenges
Learn about social, economic and environmental challenges within the UK's food system
Collaborate with other students
Bring knowledge from your own discipline to the team and work together to solve a food system related issue
Hear from the experts
Enjoy a range of guest lectures from policy makers and industry leaders speaking about food-related challenges
A module for everyone
The module is open to students from all subject backgrounds
An interdisciplinary module
The Future of Food is part of our suite of York Interdisciplinary Modules (YIMs) and is available to choose as an elective module in 2024/25. Students from all Departments/Schools across the University have an opportunity to take part (subject to timetabling availability/department constraints).
This module is a collaboration between the Department of Biology and School for Business & Society.
Issues you might tackle
This module will introduce you to the complex social, economic and environmental challenges arising in food systems, with particular focus on the issues stated in the boxes below.
This will provide you with a foundational understanding of the food system and developing key skills such as the use of system mapping tools to estimate tradeoffs and identify synergies.
Food waste
Sustainable diets
Agricultural management
How to register
The Future of Food is part of our suite of sustainability-related York Interdisciplinary Modules (YIMs) available in 2024/25. This module is available for 2nd Year undergraduate students, and will run in semester 2.
Students should apply to take YIMs using the usual electives process in their Department/ School. Students should contact the module conveners listed on the module catalogue with any questions about the module and esay@york.ac.uk with any questions about the process.
We also note that it may not always be possible to grant your request to undertake an elective module because of timetabling or other constraints.