Course

Directed Research – Italy

SFS 4971

Directed Research – Italy

4 credits

Students will select a research topic related to one of the three core courses in the program and conduct a research project under the direction of the appropriate program faculty. The directed research prepares students to identify hidden assumptions in scientific approaches and separate fact from interpretation, correlation from causation, and advocacy from objectivity. Students will learn specific tools, including experimental design; geographical information systems (GIS); field techniques; basic descriptive statistics; as well as qualitative and quantitative analysis.

The directed research will allow students to tailor the program to individual learning, interests, and career objectives. Students can pursue a research question about a particular issue relevant to the program using academic resources accessible through their own campuses’ online library systems, as well as other websites and databases, data gathered during field research and by interviewing local stakeholders in Greve, Chianti, Florence and Tuscany. Guidelines on how to integrate what was learned in class into the field research project will be presented and discussed in class. Students will write a final report on their research and present the results in class. Together with the final written paper, presentation to the class and local communities serves as a capstone of the research experience, and a way of integrating it into the group’s collective experience. Emphasis is placed on succinct scientific writing, graphic and tabular presentation of results, and effective communication of the results of their Food Systems research project.

View Syllabus
Semester

Sustaining Traditions: Food, Farming, and Climate

Italy
15 Weeks
18 Credits
Fall 2024
Sep 1 - Dec 12
In the Field
Spring 2025
Jan 27 - May 9
Open