To fulfill the requirements of the Food Studies Certificate program, students must complete a food-related internship, research project, or other approved experiential learning experience during or after the semester in which they begin their first Food Studies course.
The experiential component is intended to help students connect academic inquiry with practical experience and gain a deeper understanding of food systems and food culture. Qualifying experiences should contribute to one or more of the following FDST Program Goals:
- Demonstrate knowledge of change and continuity in food systems and food culture (such as: obtainment, production, composition, distribution, preparation, consumption, and representation of food).
- Critically analyze food systems and food culture from multiple disciplines and diverse perspectives across time and place.
- Articulate the challenges the world is facing and will encounter in the future with respect to food.
- Make connections between practical experience and intellectual inquiry.
Important: Experiential learning must have a meaningful academic, reflective, or critical component. Participation in a food-related job or work experience alone does not automatically fulfill the requirement. For example, working on a farm or in a restaurant will not automatically qualify unless the experience incorporates an appropriate academic or research component.
Three ways to fulfill the FDST Registered Experiential Component
Students are strongly encouraged to fulfill the experiential component through one of the following registered pathways.
- Students participate in a food-related internship during the summer or academic year. A food-related job or internship alone is not sufficient. The experience must include an academic, reflective, or critical component that allows students to connect their practical work with the intellectual goals of the Food Studies Certificate. A scholarly, off-campus academic research can also be coded as INP.
- INP registration must take place at the beginning of the experience, before the internship starts. Retroactive registration is not permitted.
- Students receive a non-graded INTR 7xx notation on their transcript, worth one-quarter (0.25) academic credit.
- The Internship Program (INP) is Dickinson's official way of recognizing and documenting internships and a scholarly, off-campus academic research.
- Students undertaking summer INP experiences may be eligible for grants or other funding opportunities. Students should consult the Internship Program for information about available funding and application deadlines.
2. Research Experience Program (REXP)
- Students participate in a scholarly research experience related to food studies, typically during the summer, under the supervision of a professional researcher at Dickinson.
- REXP registration must take place at the beginning of the experience, before the research starts. Retroactive registration is not permitted.
- Students receive a non-credit REXP 7xx notation on their transcript, worth one-quarter (0.25) academic credit.
- The Research Experience Program (REXP) is Dickinson's official way of recognizing on-campus scholarly academic research.
3. Independent Study / Independent Research, Including Research Abroad
- Students may complete an independent study or independent research project on a food-related topic under the supervision of a Dickinson faculty member.
- Projects may include laboratory-based research, community-based research, or other forms of scholarly inquiry related to food studies.
- Students may also fulfill this requirement through qualifying independent study or research experiences conducted abroad as part of a study abroad program.
- Research and experiential learning associated with study abroad may be recognized through INTD 390, the course code designated for experiential learning and research associated with study abroad.
- Students must register for independent study, independent research, or the appropriate study abroad course according to the relevant semester's registration and add/drop deadlines.
Unregistered Experiential Experiences: Limited Exceptions
The FDST program strongly encourages students to complete their experiential component through one of the registered pathways described above. Unregistered experiences will generally not be accepted. Exceptions may be considered in limited circumstances and must receive prior approval from the FDST Chair before the experience begins.
A food-related job or internship alone is not sufficient. The experience must include an academic, reflective, or critical component that allows students to connect their practical work with the intellectual goals of the Food Studies Certificate.
Students seeking an exception must complete the following requirements:
- Receive a pre-approval from the FDST Chair before the experience begins.
- Complete at least 80 hours of work or internship experience.
- Within four weeks of completing the experience, submit a letter from the organization, on official organizational letterhead, to the FDST Chair. The letter must include: 1) The number of hours worked. 2) A description of the responsibilities held by the student. 3) The letter must not be written by a relative of the student.
- Within four weeks of completing the experience, submit a three-page reflective paper to the FDST Chair addressing: 1) The ways in which the experience encouraged the student to think about food from multiple perspectives (e.g., individual, community, economic, or psychological). 2) The ways in which the experience helped the student develop research skills to critically examine food. 3)The ways in which the student applied their skills and knowledge about food to their field experience.
- To receive final approval for the experiential component, the student must meet with the FDST Chair to discuss the experience. During this meeting, the student will be asked to reflect on the experience and respond to questions connecting their practical work to the academic goals and learning outcomes of the Food Studies Certificate.
Previously completed work, jobs, internships, or research experiences cannot be recognized retroactively toward the Food Studies Certificate requirement. For questions about eligibility or exceptions, please contact the FDST Chair.
Funding Opportunities
Students pursuing food-related internships or research experiences may be eligible for funding opportunities through Dickinson College.
- Summer internships: Students participating in INP summer internships may be eligible for grants or other financial support through the Internship Program.
- Research and internships abroad: Students undertaking qualifying research or internship experiences abroad as part of a study abroad program may have access to additional funding opportunities.
Students are encouraged to consult the Internship Program and the appropriate study abroad program staff to learn about eligibility requirements and application deadlines.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Where do I start?
- Visit the Center for Career Development to discuss food-related internship opportunities.
- Talk to your major advisor about the possibility of conducting food-related research on or off campus.
- Explore whether your study abroad program offers food-related internship or research opportunities.
- Contact the FDST Chair to discuss whether a proposed experience meets the certificate requirements.
Q: Can my internship or research experience in X, Y, or Z topic count?
Possibly. All experiences must be substantially food-related and have a meaningful academic, reflective, or critical component. Students should ask the FDST Chair to pre-approve their proposed experience before beginning.
Students should be able to address the following questions about their experience:
- How did the experience encourage you to think about food from multiple perspectives (e.g., individual, community, economic, or psychological)?
- How did the experience help you identify challenges the world is facing and will encounter in the future with respect to food?
- How did the experience help you develop research skills to critically examine food?
- How did you apply your skills and knowledge about food to your research project or internship?
Q: Can a regular job at a farm, restaurant, or other food-related organization count?
Not automatically. A food-related job or work experience alone does not fulfill the experiential component. The experience must incorporate an academic, reflective, or critical component that connects practical work with the intellectual goals of the Food Studies Certificate. Students should seek pre-approval from the FDST Chair and/or the Internship Program.
Q: Can I double-dip so that the Experiential Component counts toward my major and the FDST Certificate?
Possibly. Students should ask the FDST Chair to pre-approve the experience before beginning. Approval will depend on the nature of the experience and the requirements of the respective programs.
Q: What are the important deadlines?
- Students should seek approval from the FDST Chair before beginning their experiential component to ensure that the proposed experience will fulfill the certificate requirement.
- If pursuing the experiential component through INP or REXP, students must register before starting the experience. Retroactive registration is not permitted. Contact the Director of Internship Programs with questions about registration deadlines.
- If pursuing the experiential component through independent study, independent research, or study abroad, students must register according to the appropriate semester's add/drop deadline.
- For approved exceptional unregistered experiences, the supervisor's letter and the student's reflective paper must be submitted to the FDST Chair within four weeks of completing the experience.
- Previously completed experiences, including past jobs and internships, cannot be recognized retroactively.
Q: Do I have to complete the Experiential Component at a specific time?
Students may complete the Experiential Component during the fall semester, spring semester, or summer. Many students complete it during the summer between their junior and senior years. The experience must take place during or after the semester in which students begin their first Food Studies course.