University College Cork: University College Cork (UCC) is a prestigious public research university located in Cork, Ireland. Established in 1845, UCC is known for its academic excellence, innovative research, and vibrant campus life. It offers a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate programs across various fields, including arts, sciences, business, engineering, medicine, and law. UCC is committed to providing a supportive learning environment, fostering critical thinking, and preparing students for successful careers and global citizenship.

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Interest in food and culinary matters is at an all-time high as Ireland develops a more considered relationship with Irish food culture. Recent and ongoing research reports by government food agencies and industry identify trends that impact and direct food business; production; product development; food tourism; media focus, and food-based community initiatives. Prominent findings highlight the importance of local connections and the development of local food cultures: ‘authenticity’ of food, place and product story; food systems transparency; sustainable food practices, and social responsibility; ethical and responsible production practices and purchase and consumption choices; product and economic development based on heritage of place, nostalgia, regionality, and seasonality. Yet despite these developments, there has been no corresponding academic programme of study that examines the complexities, the intricacies, and the fascinating elements in the development and evolution of Irish food culture and its connection to global food developments. The MA In Food Studies and Irish Foodways is designed to redress this imbalance. It is the first university programme of study that has a dedicated focus on Irish food and culinary culture. It examines food and culinary systems of the past and the present from the perspectives of production, processing, preservation, preparation, and consumption. It will guide students through popular discourses such as farm to fork, ocean to plate, factory to plate, exploring what these mean in the present day and what they meant in the past. It will also explore concepts like identity, tradition, gender, memory, and ethics and discuss how these apply to the study of food. Areas of study include food and culinary history, food and folklore, food and creative practice, food and literature, nutrition and health, food and the environment, sustainability, food policy, the contemporary Irish food system, and research methods in foodways. Show less

Year 1 Modules

FL6804 An Introduction to Irish Food Studies
GG6802 The Irish Food System and Food Policy
HI6801 Irish Food and Culinary History
DR6801 Food and Creative Practice
Year 2 Modules

FL6802 Food, Festival and Folklore
PS6801 Food, the Environment and Sustainability
NT6801 Introduction to the Principles of Nutrition
FL6805 Dissertation in Irish Food Studies
FL6806 Heritage Foods in Contemporary Society
FL6807 Research Methods in Irish Foodways
Assessment

Assessment is by continuous assessment. Typically, students complete an assignment for submission at the end of each module. Assignments include essays; a case study; a reflective journal of learning; reports; oral presentations; one MCQ; one scientific poster; portfolio entries; creative writing and oral presentations.

The third semester of Year 2 is devoted to the completion of a dissertation in food studies. Dissertation topics are chosen at the beginning of Year 2 in consultation with staff and once finalized, each student has dedicated one-to-one supervision.

Who teaches this course
Lecturing staff are drawn from across University colleges and include but are not confined to:

Professor Jools Gilson, School of Music and Theatre
Ms Ruth Hegarty, Adult Continuing Education
Dr Eoin Lettice, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences
Dr. Alice Lucey, School of Food and Nutritional Sciences
Dr Stiofán Ó Cadhla, Rionn an Bhéaldoidis/Department of Folklore and Ethnology
Dr Clíona O’Carroll, Rionn an Bhéaldoidis/Department of Folklore and Ethnology
Dr Ciarán Ó Gealbháin, Rionn an Bhéaldoidis/Department of Folklore and Ethnology
Ms Regina Sexton, Adult Continuing Education and School of History
The programme will also welcome a wide range of national and international guest speakers and lecturers from the academy and industry.

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You will need to book the accommodation after you have been accepted.

You can choose to live on campus or off campus in private accommodation.

How to book:

• Make a booking online after you have been accepted (in this case please let us know your choice when you apply).
• Register when you arrive - its not possible to reserve a room before arriving. You can arrive a few days before and book it

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