Academic Programs

Educational and Training Programs

The INSTITUTE FOR FOOD SAFETY AND FOOD SECURITY will strengthen existing training programs (PDF) and will assist in coordinating and developing new programs. The existing programs serve a wide variety of target audiences. Current target audiences include undergraduate, graduate and professional students on campus. However, there are other audiences being served that extend well beyond campus including food service workers, food safety specialists, law enforcement officers, veterinarians, etc. The INSTITUTE will strengthen existing programs by increasing their visibility, potentially expanding their target audiences and making opportunities for resources available to them. In addition, the INSTITUTE will help in fostering integration of food safety/security concerns and issues into existing programs/curricula. This is presently occurring in areas such as economics, sociology and The Risk Communication Center within the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication.

The INSTITUTE will assist undergraduate, graduate and professional students in career placement with state, national and international businesses and agencies. The INSTITUTE serves as a national focal point providing the visibility and networking needed by new graduates to be competitive for new career opportunities. Graduates are particularly suited for multi-national businesses involved with the USDA, U.S. Public Health Service, Peace Corps, Agency for International Development, and World Health Organization. Post-graduate training opportunities include programs developed specifically for inspection services of the USDA, FSIS, U.S. Army, and developing units of the Homeland Defense Department. Other post-graduate training opportunities, in the future, may involve the U.S. customs inspectors and the FDA food safety inspection programs.

Iowa State University offers an interdepartment food safety minor for interested students. For more information about this program, go to:

http://www.fshn.hs.iastate.edu/ugrad/ugminors.php.