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GEOG 361Food Systems and Sustainability

Units
0.50
Faculty
Environment
Subject
Geography and Environmental Management
Cross-listed
ERS 361

When it runs

  1. F24
  2. W25
  3. S25
  4. F25
  5. W26
  6. S26
  7. F26
  8. W27
  9. S27

Ran in 2 of the last 7 terms. Winter 2027: not on the schedule. Spring 2027: schedule not out yet.

This course examines dimensions of food systems sustainability and food security, from production to consumption, from local to global scales, in the Global North and South. Specific themes covered in the course include technological and genetic change in food production, resource depletion and wider environmental impacts of the industrial food system, and policy, market-oriented, and civil society initiatives to bring about change in the food system, including organic production and localizing food systems.

Prerequisites

None listed.

Antirequisites

None listed.

Leads to

Reviewed on UW Flow

50% liked it58% easy69% useful

From 18 ratings and 6 comments on UW Flow. The most helpful comments, quoted as written, without names. Read them all on UW Flow.

  • Genuinely one of the worst classes I have ever taken. 500 word responses every week, no actual grades just complete/incomplete, and just non stop work every single week. Highly recommend not taking unless you must.

    Aug 2026 · didn’t like itOn UW FlowRemove this

  • I've never had a class where the expectations for reading posts are so high and it seemed like the standard for a "pass" was would change every week. Some weeks would have 4-5 different pieces of content and they want at least 3 posts per article/video. Basically making 15 discussion posts sometimes just to get the pass that week. Also doesn't help that the discussion post prompts are the exact same every week of the class.... Choosing your grade path way classes are just a joke in general and for some reason they try and make it out like it is best for the student. Assignments are fairly easy but same thing with the standard being weirdly high and different each time

    Aug 2024 · didn’t like itOn UW FlowRemove this

  • Assignments weren't bad but the discussion prompts were exactly the same every single week but with different readings. It got old pretty fast.

    Jul 2023 · didn’t like itOn UW FlowRemove this

  • Loved this course! The grading system was great and you learn so much about wild foods in case you're ever stranded on an island or smth.

    May 2023 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this

  • Online course consisted of basically answering weekly reflection questions based on the readings. Only some weeks had a video lecture - which was kind of irrelevant when reflection was based on the readings. Also, same exact reflection questions every single time. Got really tedious and boring after a while.

    Nov 2021 · didn’t like itOn UW FlowRemove this

Discussed on r/uwaterloo

3 posts and comments in 3 threads mention GEOG 361, April 2023 to December 2024. Quoted word for word, newest first; each reply sits under the post and the comment that started its branch. Search r/uwaterloo for newer posts.

Winter 2024

Spring 2023

Winter 2023

bird/online course next term 28 points, 28 comments

“I will be traveling a lot next term, and I won't be physically at Waterloo for more than 2-3 days a month. What are some bird/online courses that I can take next term?”

u/NetMiddle8797: “GEOG 219. GEOG 225.”

u/mark4600: “… I took GEOG 361 (food systems and sustainability) along with these in the same term, and it is perhaps the easiest if you are fine with summarizing readings. I also found it more interesting. …”

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Check it elsewhere for Fall 2026

Calendar versions

Undergraduate Calendar