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Twin Cities Campus

Food Systems and the Environment Minor

College of Food, Agri & Natural Resource Sciences
College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences
  • Program Type: Undergraduate free-standing minor
  • Requirements for this program are current for Fall 2013
  • Required credits in this minor: 15
This interdisciplinary minor, based in CFANS, serves students from other colleges who have an interest in and a desire to acquire some breadth about food systems and the environment. Students completing this minor will be better prepared to understand the complexity of modern global food systems, interdependence of rural and urban societies, and environmental impact of consumer driven food systems choices; manage natural resources used for food and fiber for the benefit of society; and make more responsible personal and public decisions impacting food systems and the environment.
Program Delivery
This program is available:
  • via classroom (the majority of instruction is face-to-face)
Admission Requirements
This minor is limited to non-CFANS majors. Interested students should contact the minor adviser at 612-625-6754 or the CFANS Student Services Office at 612-624-6768.
For information about University of Minnesota admission requirements, visit the Office of Admissions website.
Minor Requirements
Minor Courses
Students may only choose one course from each designator, in consultation with the minor adviser.
Take 15 or more credit(s) from the following:
· CFAN 1501 {Inactive} [TS] (3.0 cr)
· CFAN 3001 {Inactive} (3.0 cr)
· CFAN 3500 {Inactive} (1.0-3.0 cr)
· AGRO 1103 - Crops, Environment, and Society [ENV] (4.0 cr)
· ANSC 1011 - Animals and Society [CIV] (3.0 cr)
· ANSC 1101 - Introductory Animal Science (4.0 cr)
· APEC 3611W - Environmental and Natural Resource Economics [ENV, WI] (3.0 cr)
· BBE 5203 {Inactive} (3.0 cr)
· ENT 4015 {Inactive} (3.0 cr)
· ESPM 3221 - Soil Conservation and Land-Use Management (3.0 cr)
· FSCN 1102 - Food: Safety, Risks, and Technology [CIV] (3.0 cr)
· FSCN 1112 - Principles of Nutrition [TS] (3.0 cr)
· WRIT 3315 - Writing on Issues of Land and the Environment [AH, DSJ] (3.0 cr)
· SOIL 1125 {Inactive} [ENV] (4.0 cr)
· AGRO 3203W - Environment, Global Food Production, and the Citizen [GP, WI] (3.0 cr)
or ANSC 3203W - Environment, Global Food Production, and the Citizen [GP, WI] (3.0 cr)
· AGRO 4103 {Inactive} [GP] (3.0 cr)
or APEC 4103 {Inactive} [GP] (3.0 cr)
 
More program views..
View college catalog(s):
· College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences

View future requirement(s):
· Fall 2022
· Spring 2022
· Fall 2020
· Fall 2018
· Fall 2016
· Fall 2015
· Fall 2014
· Fall 2021


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· Food Systems and the Environment Minor
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AGRO 1103 - Crops, Environment, and Society (ENV)
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Course Equivalencies: Agro 1103/AgUM 2222
Typically offered: Every Fall
Plants are used for food, fuel, and fiber to sustain humans across the globe. Where and how these plants are produced is determined by soil, weather, natural biodiversity, and human culture. In turn, agricultural production of plants shapes the natural environment and society. This class will provide students with an overview of crop production including the history of agriculture, food chemistry, and plant growth and physiology as it relates to agriculture. Students will evaluate crop production practices in terms of their economic, social, and environmental outcomes, and highlight tradeoffs and synergies among these outcomes. In the lab, students will receive hands-on experiences with field crops as they collect, analyze, and synthesize data from field experiments to inform decision-making in agriculture.
ANSC 1011 - Animals and Society (CIV)
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Typically offered: Every Spring
This online course is designed for anyone interested in the ways in which we as a human society interact with, affect and are affected by non-human animals. Students will gain a broad understanding of the major ways in which humans use animals in contemporary society, including as food, as companions, as research subjects, and as entertainment. Other topics will include: social and ethical issues concerning animal use, the human-animal bond, animals in culture, and animals and the law.
ANSC 1101 - Introductory Animal Science
Credits: 4.0 [max 4.0]
Typically offered: Every Fall & Spring
Fundamental concepts of animal breeding, physiology, nutrition, and management as they apply to the production of beef, dairy, horses, poultry, sheep, swine, and other livestock. Fall term class open only to ANSC majors. Spring term class open to all majors.
APEC 3611W - Environmental and Natural Resource Economics (ENV, WI)
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Typically offered: Every Spring
Concepts of resource use. Financial/economic feasibility. External effects, market failures. Resource use, environmental problems. Measuring impacts of resource development. Economics of alternative resource programs, environmental strategies. prereq: 1101 or ECON 1101 or 1101H or ECON 1101H
ESPM 3221 - Soil Conservation and Land-Use Management
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Typically offered: Every Spring
This course is designed to provide a local and global historical perspective of soil erosion (causes and consequences); develop a scientific understanding of soil erosion processes; and relates various soil conservation and land-use management strategies to real-world situations. Basics of soil erosion processes and prediction methods will be the fundamental building blocks of this course. From this understanding, we will discuss policies and socioeconomic aspects of soil erosion. Lastly, we will focus on effective land-use management using natural resource assessment tools. Case studies and real-world and current events examples will be used throughout the course to relate course material to experiences. prereq: SOIL 2125 or instr consent
FSCN 1102 - Food: Safety, Risks, and Technology (CIV)
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: OPT No Aud
Typically offered: Every Fall & Spring
Introduction to inherent risks/safety of food supply. Use of public policy and food technology to reduce risks. Microbiological, chemical, and environmental hazards, government/industry controls.
FSCN 1112 - Principles of Nutrition (TS)
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Typically offered: Every Fall, Spring & Summer
This course explores fundamental concepts of nutrition, nutrient functions, human nutritional requirements, and food sources. We will learn about evaluating nutrition information and food safety, and investigate the role of nutrition in chronic disease, public policy, and the environment. Nutrition is both a science and social science. This class involves social aspects, but mainly concerns the biochemistry and physiology of how food is processed in the body. The chapters on carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and metabolism especially built on biology and physiology. Course topics include: 1. essential nutrients (macro-and-micro-nutrients) needed from the diet; 2. major functions of nutrients and physiological changes with deficiency or excess; 3. digestion, absorption, and metabolism of nutrients; 4. weight management; 5. scientific method and nutrition; 6. life cycle issues; 7. food safety issues 8. nutrition for sports Prerequisites: High school biology and chemistry
WRIT 3315 - Writing on Issues of Land and the Environment (AH, DSJ)
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Spring
This course explores how written texts help shape understandings of the land in the U.S. Students read and analyze historical texts that have contributed to colonialist understandings of nature and the land. Students will study how the rhetorical strategies of such texts helped to form exploitive relations with the land and enact violence against indigenous peoples. Historical and current texts written by native peoples provide a counter-narrative to the myth of progress. Emphasis in the course is placed on analyzing texts with an eye toward setting the ground for conversations aimed at achieving sustainability and justice. Students will also study how written texts are composed within material contexts that contribute to their understanding.
AGRO 3203W - Environment, Global Food Production, and the Citizen (GP, WI)
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Course Equivalencies: Agro/AnSc 3203/AgUM 2224
Typically offered: Every Spring
Ecological/ethical concerns of food production systems in global agriculture: past, present, and future. Underlying ethical positions about how agroecosystems should be configured. Decision cases, discussions, videos, other media.
ANSC 3203W - Environment, Global Food Production, and the Citizen (GP, WI)
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Course Equivalencies: Agro/AnSc 3203/AgUM 2224
Typically offered: Every Spring
Ecological/ethical concerns of food production systems in global agriculture: past, present, and future. Underlying ethical positions about how agroecosystems should be configured. Interactive learning using decision cases, discussions, videos, other media.