UMN Agroecology Graduate Curriculum

Lead Organization:

University of Minnesota Foundation

Partner Organizations:

The project will be developed in consultation with possible collaborative development of agroecology curricula with agroecology colleagues at UC-Davis (Amelie Gaudin); North Carolina State University (Michelle Schroeder-Moreno); UC-Berkeley (Tim Bowles); University of Nebraska (Andrea Basche); and University of Vermont (Ernesto Mendez).

While the collaborations have not been fully established, there is strong mutual interest in further discussions, as we will pursue in the project period.

Countries:

United States

Duration:

11/2024—11/2026

Overview:

This project aims to develop and pilot a graduate-level co-curriculum for agroecology at the University of Minnesota. The co-curriculum will provide students with integrative agroecology skills, combining science, practice, and movement in a transdisciplinary approach to sustainability challenges in food and agriculture systems.

Grant Aims:

To create and pilot an integrative agroecology graduate co-curriculum at the University of Minnesota, aimed at developing T-shaped skills in students to enhance their ability to address complex sustainability challenges in the agri-food-environment nexus.

Outputs and Outcomes:

Outputs:

• A piloted and evaluated graduate agroecology co-curriculum.
• A faculty group committed to supporting agroecology graduate curriculum at UMN.
• Opportunities for joint development of graduate agroecology curricula with other universities.

Outcomes:

• A refined, efficient agroecology graduate curriculum with strong learning impacts.
• Successful integration of the co-curriculum with the formal graduate curriculum at UMN.
• Growth of faculty support and involvement in agroecology curriculum at UMN.
• Identification of opportunities to augment the agroecology curriculum through new faculty hires and joint programs with other institutions.