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ANSC40320

Academic Year 2026/2027

Global Food Systems (ANSC40320)

Subject:
Animal Science
College:
Health & Agricultural Sciences
School:
Agriculture & Food Science
Level:
4 (Masters)
Credits:
10
Module Coordinator:
Professor Alexander Evans
Trimester:
Spring
Mode of Delivery:
Online
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

This module is only suitable for students on Postgraduate programmes and is not open to students registered to Undergraduate programmes.

Food and food security has always been important to humankind; however the nature of food availability, food production, food supply and food choice is constantly changing. The world’s food system is in disarray. One in ten people is undernourished, one in four is overweight, and more than one-third of the world’s population cannot afford a healthy diet. Food supplies are disrupted by heatwaves, floods, droughts and wars and are responsible for about 30% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Now more than ever we live in a global world where food is traded as a commodity, but systems that impact and interrupt this trade can have dramatic effects on the food we eat. On top of this are the complexities of consumer demands, nutrition, climate change, and sustainability.

This module is relevant to all graduate students interested in food, the global food-web systems, food and the environment, and sustainability.

The module is developed to give students the opportunity to learn about food demand, food production, the major food commodities of the world, animal/plant sourced foods, food waste, and food safety and security. It will also include food and climate change, food and biodiversity, food and energy, future foods, and food in the bioeconomy.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of this module students should be able to:

• Understand the elements of sustainable diets
• Understand the complexities of food production, distribution, demand and consumption
• Explain the differences among nutritional requirements, food demand, and consumer behaviour for food
• Apply knowledge of different food chains and their effects on food systems
• Understand the issues around the consumption of animal and plant sourced foods
• Appreciate the challenges of food safety, security and authenticity
• Weigh up the issues associated with food production, sustainability, climate change and biodiversity loss

The United Nations identified seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as core to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and UCD contributes in general to SDG 4 Quality Education. Further SDGs explored within this module if relevant are listed below. A scale of 1 - 5 indicates the extent to which the SDG is covered.


Goal Name Description Coverage

End poverty in all its forms everywhere 2

End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture 4

Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages 2

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all 1

Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls 2

Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all 1

Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all 1

Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all 2

Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation 1

Reduce inequality within and among countries 3

Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable 2

Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns 4

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts 4

Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development 4

Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss 4

Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels 1

Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development 1
 

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Specified Learning Activities

70
Autonomous Student Learning

115
Lectures

35
Total

220

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
This module will be delivered through the UCD VLE system and teaching & learning will be achieved through:
• Lectures and presentations
• Reading
• Short self learning assignments

Students are required to properly cite all sources of information and tools used to complete their assignments. This includes, but is not limited to, information in the literature, books, popular press, web sites and artificial intelligence tools.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Incompatibles:
FDSC10030 - Our Food, Our Planet


 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade Component repeat (in-module) Offered
Assignment(Including Essay): Short questions assessing learning and reflection, and requiring a half to two page answers Week 6 Alternative linear conversion grade scale 40% No
15
 No
Assignment(Including Essay): Short questions assessing learning and reflection, and requiring a half to two page answers Week 8 Alternative linear conversion grade scale 40% No
20
 No
Assignment(Including Essay): Short questions assessing learning and reflection, and requiring a half to two page answers Week 11 Alternative linear conversion grade scale 40% No
25
 No
Assignment(Including Essay): Short questions assessing learning and reflection, and requiring a half to two page answers Week 14 Alternative linear conversion grade scale 40% No
40
 No

As part of UCD's student support, under the Additional Consideration policy, extensions may be available for the following assessments in the module: Assignment (including essay/poster), Portfolio, Reflective Assignment, Report(s), and Individual Project.


Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 

Remediation Type Remediation Timing
In-Module Resit Prior to relevant Programme Exam Board
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Students will receive feedback in response to their submitted assignments

Name Role
Professor Patrick Gerard Wall Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
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