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180.614.61
Urban Agriculture and Public Health

Location:
East Baltimore
Term:
Summer Inst. term
Department:
Environmental Health and Engineering
Credits:
2 credits
Academic Year:
2020 - 2021
Instruction Method:
TBD
Dates:
Mon 05/25/2020 - Fri 07/03/2020
Auditors Allowed:
Yes, with instructor consent
Undergrads Allowed:
Yes
Grading Restriction:
Letter Grade or Pass/Fail
Course Instructor:
Contact:
David Love
Resources:
Description:

Urban agriculture is increasingly used as a tool for community development, improving neighborhood engagement, and improving access to healthy food. Through this course, public health students will gain an enhanced understanding of urban agriculture and its impacts on different aspects of public health.

Explores the connections between urban agriculture and public health using case studies around the United States. Examines the people, practices, policies, and public health significance of urban agriculture. Lectures and background reading provide an evidence-based introduction to the connections among public health, agriculture, community development and food justice. Students are expected to listen to online lecture(s), do readings, and quizzes before the course begins. We will invite Baltimore City farmers and entrepreneurs to participate in live video calls with the class to help students blend theory and practice. For a final assignment, students write about the impacts of COVID-19 on their local food system.

Learning Objectives:

Upon successfully completing this course, students will be able to:

  1. Describe the connections between urban agriculture and public health
  2. Discuss key factors that have shaped urban agriculture in Baltimore and other urban locales
  3. Compare various urban agriculture methods and models, including aquaponics, and discuss their strengths and limitations
  4. Identify the potential strengths and limitations of urban agriculture to address food security
  5. Translate the skills and knowledge gained in this course to their own local food environment
Methods of Assessment:

This course is evaluated as follows:

  • 25% Participation
  • 25% Final Project
  • 25% Quizzes
  • 25% Reflection

Instructor Consent:

No consent required

Special Comments:

For this year only due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the course will be offered completely online. Students are expected to listen to lectures and complete readings and quizzes before the start of the course.