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Priority deadline for fall enrollment is February 1. Submit all materials by this date for fellowship and assistantship consideration. Regular deadline for fall enrollment is July 1. Regular deadline for spring enrollment is November 1.
At under $25,000, the MAFS program combines hands-on learning, faculty mentorship, and real-world experience to prepare graduates for careers in food systems, food policy, sustainable agriculture, nonprofits, and related industries.
The Falk School of Sustainability & Environment cultivates robust partnerships with entities in Pittsburgh and beyond.
Join us for an upcoming event to learn more about the MAFS and the Falk School of Sustainability & Environment.
I entered the food studies program convinced that industrialized farms were the enemy and that local/organic farms were the avenue to creating a more just food system. I’ve learned that there is no black and white in the world of food. There are many obstacles to achieving a just and equal food system, but this program is giving me the tools to ‘fight the good fight.'
—KAITLYN BEST, MAFS ’13
The Falk School of Sustainability & Environment cultivates robust partnerships with entities in Pittsburgh and beyond. Find out how one such partnership brought new life to the David L. Lawrence Convention Center downtown.
Chatham University's MA in Food Studies (MAFS) requires 39 credits and can be completed in two years of full-time study, with part-time options available. The food studies curriculum explores food systems, agricultural and culinary history, food production, sustainability, and consumption through sociological, cultural, political, ecological, economic, and geographic perspectives.
Explore MAFS Curriculum : Checkerboard 1 - Food Studies Courses & Curriculum
Chatham’s Master of Arts in Food Studies program emphasizes experiential learning and hands-on food systems education. One example is the student-driven Agroecology Demonstration Garden (ADG), which allows students to connect sustainability concepts with practical application.
Learn About the ADG : Checkerboard 2 - Experiential Learning in Food SystemsSince the start of Chatham University’s Master of Food Studies program, students have been touring the Pittsburgh coffee purveyor La Prima Espresso Company. Through partnerships like this one with local businesses, government, non-profits, farms, purveyors, and restaurants across the region, Chatham MAFS students gain the kind of hands-on, experiential understanding of their field that marks our Food Studies program as truly unique.
Watch More Videos : Checkerboard 3 - Community PartnershipsFrankie Williams, MAFS is the fire master for the Eden Hall bread oven, a community gathering place on campus. The bread oven was a thesis project by MAFS alum Shauna Kearns, who wrote a successful grant for this project.
Watch More Videos : Checkerboard 4 - Support to Build Your ProjectsLocated 20 minutes north of Pittsburgh, Chatham's Eden Hall is the world's first academic community built from the ground up for sustainability. The grounds and infrastructure support research and learning around energy and climate; water and aquaculture; food and agriculture; community and health; and design and planning. The farm produces thousands of pounds of food for our campus cafeterias, culinary courses, community meals, and food pantries on and off campus.
Explore Eden Hall Farm : Checkerboard 5 - Eden Hall
Chatham's Food Studies faculty members are accomplished teachers, scholars, practitioners, and active leaders in the field. They serve as mentors and advisors and are there for you every step of the way.
Meet the Faculty : Checkerboard 6 - Program Faculty
An affiliate of the MAFS program, CRAFT provides resources, learning opportunities, and technical assistance on food systems, regional food cultures, and sustainable economies to individuals, organizations, and businesses. It offers ample opportunities for students to be involved in assistantships, research, and project engagement.
Learn About CRAFT : Checkerboard 7 - Center for Regional Agricultural, Food, and Transformation (CRAFT)
In the Master of Arts in Food Studies and Sustainable Tourism (MFSST) program, students combine food studies, sustainability, and international tourism education through hands-on learning experiences in both Pittsburgh and Costa Rica.
Explore the MFSST : Checkerboard 8 - Master of Arts in Food Studies and Sustainable Tourism (MFSST)
Discover practical applications for your learning in real time with professional on-campus, part-time employment tailored to your course of study. Earn money, on-the-job training, and valuable work experience without ever stepping off campus.
Learn more about Chatham's MAFS program admissions process, requirements, and information for international applicants.
View Admission Requirements : Checkerboard 10 - Admission Requirements
Start the next steps in your graduate journey at Chatham University by visiting campus or attending upcoming events. Join virtual info sessions, open houses, or admitted student sessions to learn about our programs and the application process, interact with faculty, and experience the Chatham community. Click the button below to view the schedule and register, and email graduate@chatham.edu with any questions.
View Graduate Event Schedule : Checkerboard 11 - Visits & Events
Find out about Chatham's Agroecology Demonstration Garden, a student-focused garden at Eden Hall where they pursue projects that illustrate what they're learning in class.
ChathamU alum Toni Simpson knows the power of food to unite and inspire. Learn about her role as School Director and Lead Chef Instructor at Community Kitchen Pittsburgh.
As a final project, Rachel Waugh designed a tour of Eden Hall Campus that focuses on the earliest known occupants of the land, acknowledging that it “shares the legacy and continued violence of settler colonialism with the rest of the state and country.”
