MA in Food Studies

MA in Food Studies

The AUR Master of Arts in Food Studies examines the connections between the production, distribution, and consumption of food, focusing on sustainability criteria. This is a cross-disciplinary program exploring the current practices of sustainable food production and consumption.

The goal of the M.A. in Food Studies is to provide students with specialized knowledge and practical skills relating to the food system at all levels – from the local to the global – through a cross-disciplinary and international lens.

Rome serves as the headquarters of numerous United Nations agencies dealing with food security and sustainable development: the Food and Agriculture Organization, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, the World Food Programme, and Bioversity International are all based in the city. AUR’s close ties with these institutions means that the topics studied on campus are frequently complemented by on-site visits and contacts with professionals whereby students can see the theory behind their specialization put into action.

Innovative program structure and content, tuition tailored to the individual student, expert faculty, visiting scholars, and a diverse, international student body combine to form a learning experience you will not find elsewhere.

The Graduate admission cycle is run on a rolling basis with five distinct application rounds. The earlier you apply, the earlier you receive an admissions decision and notification of your scholarship status, so we encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible. For an application to be considered complete, the online application form and all supporting documents(including letters of recommendation) must be received by the relevant application deadline, otherwise the candidacy will be rolled over to the next round.

Application Fee (non-refundable)*

• 50 Euros for citizens and permanent residents of countries other than the United States or Canada.
• 50 US Dollars for U.S. citizens and permanent residents and Canadian citizens.

Checklist of required documents

• A completed online application form
• Official university transcripts from all institutions attended. Applicants must have earned a minimum grade point average of 3.0 or equivalent
• Curriculum Vitae
• A motivation letter (minimum 700 words) that explains your career goals and interest in the relevant M.A. program
• At least one academic letter of recommendation (from an academic advisor or professor at the undergraduate/graduate level), and one professional letter of recommendation (applicants in the workforce for more than 5 years may submit two professional letters of recommendation)
• A scan of the student's passport photo page or European Union ID
• For students whose previous degrees were conducted in a language other than English: Official TOEFL results (minimum score 100) or IELTS Academic (minimum score 7.0) or DuoLingo English Test results (minimum score 130).

Recommended for Merit Scholarship Applicants

The admissions committee highly recommends that all candidates submit a sample of academic writing demonstrating research abilities to be taken into consideration both during the admissions and merit scholarship selection process.

Official Documents

All admissions decisions are conditional on receiving official/original documents:

• Official Final Transcripts must show the final GPA, a complete list of courses, and date/description of degree conferred. To be official, U.S. and Canadian transcripts must be delivered in a sealed envelope or via certified PDF. For students of international universities, official documents may be shown and photocopied in person.
• Official ESL Test Scores must be sealed and sent by the test provider.
• Letters of Reference: if scanned or sent by anyone other than the author, please provide an email address and telephone number where the referee can be reached.

Interviews

Personal interviews are required of all applicants. They may be conducted face-to-face, on the phone, or via video-conferencing. Upon completion of the application, students will be contacted by the Admissions Office to schedule an interview.

Letters of Recommendation

Applicants without any significant professional experience may submit two academic letters of recommendation, while those who are returning to university from the workforce may submit two professional letters of recommendation instead.

GRE results

GRE results are not required for admission into AUR's M.A programs, however, test results are always welcome in addition to the documents listed above. They are recommended (but not required) for students applying for merit-based scholarships.

Feedback

When rolling, completed applications will receive a decision within one month of the final interview.

Student Visa

Non-EU/EEA citizens and residents must apply for a student visa upon acceptance. The necessary documentation will be provided to each accepted student once the deposit has been paid. It is the student's responsibility to ensure the student visa is obtained before arriving in Italy. Note that it may take several weeks to obtain an appointment with the local Italian Consulate. Appointments should be made for a date no more than 90 days prior to the arrival date. Contact your admissions counselor if any issues arise during the process.

The University reserves the right not to run an M.A. program if it does not enroll sufficient numbers of students. Acceptance to an M.A. program does not automatically guarantee that the program will run.

For more information about admission requirements, please visit the university website.

Several scholarship options are available. Please check the university website for more information.