180.605.01
Food Systems Practicum: Service and Reflection to Enhance Policies and Programs
Location
East Baltimore
Term
2nd Term
Department
Environmental Health and Engineering
Credit(s)
4
Academic Year
2025 - 2026
Instruction Method
In-person
Friday, 9:30 - 11:50am
Auditors Allowed
No
Available to Undergraduate
Yes
Grading Restriction
Letter Grade or Pass/Fail
Course Instructor(s)
Contact Name
Frequency Schedule
Every Year
Resources
Prerequisite
Enrollment Restriction
This course is not restricted.
Focuses on partnering with organizations to apply skills and drive improvements to food systems and public health. Deepens knowledge, hone abilities, and grapples with real-world challenges for policies and programs by working in small teams for 8-9 hours a week outside of class. Weaves themes of equity and systems thinking, and focuses on how racism and social inequities shape food systems. Features presentations from diverse speakers and explores food’s connections to a range of public health issues. Provides the framework for students’ learning and action using tools for effecting change, including political advocacy, health education, and journalism.
Learning Objectives
Upon successfully completing this course, students will be able to:
- Partner with an organization to develop a product that advances food systems and public health change based on partner goals and needs
- Demonstrate an understanding of the assets, needs, and context of an organization in relation to food systems
- Reflect on their own role and identity as a professional engaging with an organization—including recognizing personal strengths and areas for further improvement, examining the role of identity, and considering connections between one’s self and broader social factors
- Consider the relevance of racism and other social inequities to a wide range of food systems issues
- Use systems thinking to analyze food’s connection to other public health topics
- Describe and critically evaluate the tradeoffs associated with various tools (e.g., political advocacy, health education) for addressing food systems issues
Upon successfully completing this course, students will be able to:
Methods of Assessment
This course is evaluated as follows:
- 35% Practicum
- 30% Reflection
- 10% Discussion Board
- 5% Submission of SOURCE service-learning evaluation
- 20% Peer-feedback
This course has been approved for 75 practicum hours. Students wanting to take this course for practicum hours should complete the Practicum Learning Plan form.