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Overview

You already know that complex social, environmental, and economic factors shape the world’s current food and food systems—for better and for worse. The challenges around creating better food systems that support personal and planetary health, equity and diversity, and more require a new approach to problem-solving, and you want to be part of the solution. But how? With our online Master’s in Sustainable Food Systems you’ll be equipped with the tools, advanced level of knowledge, and qualifications to transform our food systems at the local, regional, and global levels. Step up and lead—it’s more important than ever. 

You must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited U.S. institution or hold an international equivalent to a bachelor’s degree. If your first language is not English, you must complete an English proficiency examination. 

Recognizing the need to create leaders who think about sustainability from the field to the fork, including special considerations for the health of their suppliers, employees, and diners and to transform food-centered organizations and institutions into more resilient enterprises engaged in innovation around a range of social, economic, and environmental imperatives, this master’s degree aims to:
 
  • Equip changemakers with applied knowledge and skills needed to lead positive change in the development of food systems that provide equitable and optimal nutrition for a global population nearing 10 billion (in 2050) while staying within evidence-based planetary boundaries.
  • Build capacity of professionals to identify, design, implement and evaluate food system interventions that address current and future sustainability challenges in communities and organizations, locally and globally.
  • Train professionals to center sustainability around the health of the planet as well as the health of its people, including understanding what makes for a sustainable workforce throughout the food system, from farmworkers and suppliers to restaurant workers and owners—all within sustainable business models for the future.

What You'll Learn

• Apply systems thinking to critical analyses of the social, environmental, and economic sustainability of existing food systems.
• Evaluate food system contributions to climate change and appropriate interventions for decreasing the carbon footprint of a food system.
• Assess current approaches to theories of change and key elements of leadership cultivation relevant to food system transformation within organizational structures and through grassroots action.
• Appraise the nutritional, social, and geographic components of healthy, sustainable, and culturally appropriate cuisines, dietary patterns, and dining choices.
• Examine institutional and public policies that address issues of systemic racism, class disparity, labor justice, and gender bias within the food system.
• Develop and apply strategies to cultivate engagement, collaboration, resource acquisition, visibility, and impact within organizations and communities.
• Illustrate innovative and critical thinking in the development of interventions that address current problems in local, regional, and global food systems.

Career Outcomes

CIA Master’s in Sustainable Food Systems degree is designed for professionals who aspire to champion sustainability innovations for non-profits and corporations, help existing organizations turn ideas into actions, and drive change around the health of the planet and its people.
 
Whether forging a new professional path or growing within a current role, this program is perfect for people looking to advance their careers in the following areas and beyond:
  • Agricultural specialist
  • Supply chain management
  • Environmental lobbyist
  • Farmer advocate food and/or nutrition educator
  • Food writer
  • Product developer
  • Sustainability program manager
  • Innovation manager
  • Registered Dietitian
  • Farm-to-Table Program Director
  • Policy director

Cost: $4,740 per course
Next Start Date: September 8, 2026

Program Details:

  • icon Master
  • icon Online
  • icon Instructor Led
  • icon 12 courses
  • icon 30 credits
  • icon 2 years
  • icon 10 hours per week
  • icon Military Friendly

Why Culinary Institute of America?

Founded in 1946, the Culinary Institute of America is the world’s premier culinary college. Dedicated to developing leaders in foodservice and hospitality, the independent, not-for-profit CIA offers associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees with majors in Baking and Pastry Arts, Culinary Arts, Culinary Science, Culinary Therapeutics, Food Business, Food Studies and Sustainability, Hospitality Management, and Wine and Beverage Management. The college also offers executive education, certificate programs, and courses for professionals and enthusiasts. Its conferences, leadership initiatives, and consulting services have made CIA the think tank of the food industry and its worldwide network of more than 55,000 alumni includes innovators in every area of the food world. CIA has locations in New York, California, Texas, and Singapore.