The University of Massachusetts Amherst offers a 15-credit Certificate in Sustainable Food and Farming, developed in response to growing student demand and emerging job opportunities. If you not ready or able to launch into an 4-year undergraduate degree, but would like to earn a UMass credential, perhaps this program is for you. This degree program is open to anyone who has earned a High School Diploma or GED. Courses may be taken online or on campus. Some of the online classes being offered this summer include:
PLSOILIN 120 – Organic Farming and Gardening (4 credits) is an introduction to principles of soil fertility and crop management by organic procedures which are contrasted and evaluated against conventional chemical methods of farming. Click here.
PLSOILIN 185 – Sustainable Living (4 credits - online only) GenEd (I); introduces you to diverse global perspectives and practical personal solutions related to environmental, economic and social sustainability. Click here.
PLSOILIN 290C – Land Use Policies and Agriculture in the U.S. (3 credits - online only); provides students with an opportunity to explore the political, economic and societal forces that influence land use decisions, an understanding of the history of land use policies and planning in the U.S. as they relate to agriculture. Taught by Robert Wagner, Senior Policy Analyst for American Farmland Trust. Click here.
PLSOILIN 397C – Community Food Systems (3 credits – mostly online, with one Saturday field trip); examines the movement of food from seed to table. Participants in the course explore local and global food systems, and specific food related issues that impact health of communities. Taught by Catherine Sands, Director of Fertile Ground. Click here.
PLSOILIN 398P – Permaculture (4 credits) includes in-class lectures, field trips and a hands-on field component at the Montview Neighborhood Farm, to offer students a foundation in permaculture history, ethics, principles, design process, and techniques. Click here.
For more information regarding the program and registration: http://people.umass.edu/jgerber/cert.html