About BU MET’s Gastronomy & Food Studies Programs

As a culinary melting pot, Boston has long been home to world-class cuisines, innovative food, and vibrant restaurant culture. Boston University’s Metropolitan College (MET) has helped the city take a leadership position in this vital cultural space, both by being among the first in the nation to offer an academic approach to gastronomy via a master’s degree program, and through the Programs in Food & Wine, which offers a range of hands-on, experiential food and beverage courses and certificates to professionals in the industry and those seeking to explore their culinary passion.

MA in Gastronomy
BU MET’s Master of Arts in Gastronomy program, founded in 1991 in collaboration with legendary chefs Jacques Pépin and Julia Child, provides a rigorous academic framework for food scholarship through a unique, multidisciplinary curriculum encompassing the humanities, natural and social sciences, and the arts. The gastronomy master’s degree program is among the few in the country, and its blend of cross-pollinated academic perspectives helps develop a comprehensive understanding of society and food throughout history. Classes are taught by BU faculty members, visiting lecturers, and industry professionals with expertise in a wide range of fields, such as policy, history, anthropology, entrepreneurship, marketing, hospitality, journalism, and the sciences. Read More.

Graduate Certificate in Food Studies
For those seeking a less-intensive entry into the field, MET’s 16-credit Graduate Certificate in Food Studies, available online as well as on campus, fosters expertise in the culture and science of food, making it a substantial credential that can also serve as an appetizer to an eventual pursuit of the master’s degree in gastronomy. The Food Studies curriculum can be tailored to focus on food-related areas such as business, communication, history and culture, or policy. Read More.

Programs in Food & Wine
Metropolitan College’s experiential Programs in Food & Wine put students face-to-face with some of the most talented chefs, mixologists, wine experts, and food industry veterans from Boston and beyond. Food professionals and aspiring artisans alike can benefit from the culinary arts and wine studies programs, taught by masters of their craft. Hands-on certificate programs—such as the intensive, semester-long Certificate Program in the Culinary Arts, developed in 1989 by Founding Director Rebecca Alssid along with Child and Pépin—exist alongside a variety of noncredit Seminars in Food & Wine, lectures, and certificates in subjects such as Cheese Studies, Pastry Arts, and Wine Studies. Programs in Food & Wine are open to the public and are noncredit, though students in the Master of Arts in Gastronomy receive credit for select certificate programs and courses.