Experiential Learning

In Chatham's Master of Arts in Food Studies program, we stress experiential learning, which often focuses on learning how in addition to learning what.

Photo of trees in sunlight on Chatham University's Eden Hall CampusFST528: Tree Care

You'll learn how to...

  • graft, plant, and nurture trees
  • climb, remove, and prune trees
  • use a chainsaw
  • identify tree varieties, health, and diseases

You'll also...

  • design a management plan for old orchard
  • design a potential new orchard site
  • visit Soergel Orchards for fruit tree pruning demos
  • visit with the Allegheny County Forester to assess Eden Hall Campus forest parcels
Photo of a rooster with red neck and brown and black feathers pecking through grass.

FST532: Sustainable Meat Production

You'll learn how to...

  • break down and cook chicken, lamb, and beef
  • harvest, gut, fillet, and cook fish
  • butcher in small and large scale
You'll also...
  • visit Jamison Farm
  • visit Country View Family Farms to learn about their confined pork production
  • create a final project, with the option to make it experiential and animal and/or culinary-based. Past projects have included a design of rotational grazing plans and the design and construction of a chicken coop.

Photo of Chatham University students working in the industrial aquaculture lab at Eden Hall.

Research Methods

You'll learn how to...

  • design, conduct, transcribe, and analyze an interview
  • design, conduct, transcribe, and analyze a survey
  • choose the right method for the problems and projects at hand
  • conduct evaluation research
You'll also...
  • observe at different sites to understand how to conduct research
  • listen and talk to researchers from a variety of organizations about how they conduct research and what problems and issues arise
  • connect with potential thesis and internship projects

Photo of tall green grass on Eden Hall farm against a sunset.

FST608: Culture and Culinary Grains

You'll learn how to...

  • integrate grains in crop rotations, including what equipment is required
  • mill grains
  • cook with different grains, across different cultures and historical times
You'll also...
  • develop products with local grains such as pizza crust, pancake mix, gluten-free baking mixes, or spent grain crackers
  • harvest and mill grain
  • visit grain producing farms, local mills, and bakeries