New  Master Degree in Food, Society, and International Food Governance

Apply Your MSU IFLR Courses Towards the Master Degree

The Institute for Food Laws & Regulations (IFLR) is pleased to announce a collaboration with the Open University of Catalonia (UOC) on a new Master's degree in Food, Society, and International Food Governance.  IFLR Director Neal Fortin serves on the program's distinguished International Academic Advisory Committee.

The program is designed for individuals interested in enhancing their understanding and analysis of agriculture and food policy, and increasing their understanding of the social, cultural and economic factors that influence and shape the development and enforcement of agriculture governance. This combination presents an opportunity to explore connections between the historical, political, scientific, strategic, and ethical considerations involved in the organization of food policy and agriculture internationally. The program trains students to identify and generate solutions for just and sustainable food systems.  

The approach of this program is the study of food through a study of systems. Food systems are the organization of the production, processing, distribution, selection and consumption of food. This framework allows us to expand the scope of our programme to include analyses of issues linked to culture, economy, history, land, politics, power, processing, production and regulation. In turn, students are better prepared to deal with sector-related issues in a more holistic fashion.

From a solid methodological and theoretical grounding, students will learn the critical tools necessary to tackle some of the most pressing issues concerning the organization and regulation of food systems and correspondingly our world. This program prepares people to meet the demand for knowledgeable and well-trained food systems leaders and analysts by fostering practical and critical learning with an international perspective. Enhance your knowledge about food systems anywhere in the world, on your schedule.

The UOC is a leader in e-learning and is a progressive champion of open education that integrates new ideas and new technologies. The UOC is a 100% internet-based, fully accredited university operating from Barcelona, Spain. This University has received a number of awards such as the ICDE 2001 Award for Excellence, which recognizes it as the best virtual and distance learning university in the world.

Apply Your IFLR course credits to the master degree

In an agreement to be finalized, the UOC will recognize any two (2) of the MSU IFLR courses  listed below (6 credits total) as equivalent to 15 ECTS (UOC credits).  Thus, UOC would accept these credits as one fourth of the UOC Masters in Food, Society and International Food Governance. Students have the option of either enrolling in these courses through MSU's Lifelong Education Program first and applying the credits towards the UOC Master Degree, or students may enroll in the UOC program first.

The UOC would recognize the IFLR courses as follows:

• Food Regulation in the United States

• Food Regulation in the European Union

• Food Regulation in Latin America

• Food Regulation in Canada

• Food Regulation in Asia

Two in One:  Courses may also be taken both for the Master degree and to satisfy the requirements for a Certificate from Michigan State University in International Food Law. Successful completion of four international food law courses is required for the MSU certificate). Certificate holders may apply past MSU credits towards the new master's degree.

The brochure for the International Food Law Certificate Program is available here: