Ready to sign up? Please download the form at the right, and email it to the EFFS graduate student adviser Julie Cotton. She will confirm the receipt of your form, and follow up for your initial advising appointment.

Committee Requirements

EFFS Graduate students are required to have a faculty member from the biogeochemical sciences and one from the social or economic sciences. For example:
  • A horticulture graduate student includes an agricultural economics professor on her committee
  • A sociology student includes a crop science faculty member on his committee
The role of this committee member is to assist students in understanding the context of their research from another disciplinary viewpoint. It is up to each graduate student, their primary adviser, and committee members to determine how the student will demonstrate their understanding.

Core Courses (7 credits)

ACR 811 Community, Food and Agriculture: A Survey  (3 cr, Fall)
CSS 442 Agricultural Ecology (3 cr, Fall)
CSS/ACR 892B Ecological Food & Farming Seminar (1 cr, Fall or Spring)


Elective Courses (6 credits)

At least one biological science course (3 cr)

ANS 491 sec. 431 Grazing Management & Automated Milking
        Systems (Summer condensed, KBS)
CSS 424 Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems: 
    Integration & Synthesis (Fall)
CSS 431 International Agricultural Systems (Spring)
CSS 433 Social Agroecology Systems (Summer condensed, KBS)
ENT 479 Organic Pest Management (Fall)
ENT 848 Biological Control of Insects and Weeds
    (Spring, odd years)
HRT 486 Biotechnology in Agriculture: Applications and 
    Ethical Issues (Fall, even years)
 


At least one social science course (3 cr)

ABM 400 Public Policy Issues in the Agri-Food System
        (Spring)
ACR 854 Social Movements in Agriculture
        (Spring, even years)
ACR 823 Contemporary Issues in Animal-Human Relationships
        (Fall, even years)
ACR 848 Community-Based Natural Resource Management
        (Spring)
ACR 853 Industrialization of American Agriculture
        (Fall, even years)
AEC 861 Agriculture in Economic Development (Fall)
ANP/GEO/SOC 858 Gender, Justice and Environmental
        Change: Issues & Concepts (Fall)
ESA 470 Theory and Practice in Community and Economic
        Development (Spring)
GEO 410 The Geography of Food and Agriculture (Fall)
HNF 406 Sociocultural Aspects of Food (Spring)

Interested in International Options?

MSU has international student exchange programs, study abroad opportunities, and Peace Corps partnerships that may suit your interests. Please make an appointment with the EFFS adviser to discuss these options.
View the EFFS specialization program entry in the MSU Academic Programs Catalog.