Boston University Metropolitan College

Turn Your Passion into Purpose with an MA in Gastronomy or Graduate Certificate in Food Studies

Explore the cultural significance of food, build culinary expertise, or specialize in wine studies. Study online or on campus, full- or part-time.

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Learn more about BU MET’s affordable, flexible Gastronomy and Food Studies programs. Get news and invitations to upcoming information sessions. Connect with a BU advisor.

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In today’s food landscape, understanding the complex interplay of culture, history, and business is essential. As consumer awareness and sustainability demands reshape the industry, deep food knowledge has become a competitive advantage.

If you’re looking to explore the intersections of food with culture, history, policy, and business, Boston University’s Master of Arts in Gastronomy and Graduate Certificate in Food Studies will get you there. Established in collaboration with culinary legends Jacques Pépin and Julia Child, these programs offer hands-on learning and scholarly insights that you can apply across specialized pathways in Business, Communications, Food Policy, and History & Culture.

With flexible online and evening campus options for working professionals, you’ll develop the critical skills needed to address today’s complex food challenges. Want more? Take a look below.

Programs

Which Program is Right for You?

BU MET offers a variety of Gastronomy and Food Studies programs available online or on campus, full- or part-time.

Master of Arts in Gastronomy

(40 credits, online and on campus, part- or full-time)

Founded by culinary legends Jacques Pépin and Julia Child in 1991, the MA in Gastronomy program at BU MET immerses you in a rigorous, interdisciplinary approach to food studies that pairs a liberal arts core curriculum with opportunities for experiential learning in culinary arts laboratories, wine studies courses, and classroom lab activities. The interplay of research, reading, and writing about food—combined with the process of exploring food through the senses—ensures that your experience in MET’s Gastronomy program is both unique and imbued with exceptional depth.

Food Studies Graduate Certificate

(16 credits, online and on campus, part- or full-time)

If you are seeking an entry point to the study of food, or are hoping to further enhance your academic credentials, the four-course Graduate Certificate in Food Studies is an opportunity to gain valuable insight on food issues without committing to a full degree program. The Food Studies graduate certificate provides a multidisciplinary perspective on foodways through the lens of the liberal arts, while also offering electives that focus on hands-on culinary practice in our state-of-the-art kitchen facilities. With a focus on real-world applications, this certificate provides a solid foundation for those intending to develop a career based in the deeper academic investigation of food.

Wine Studies Graduate Certificate

(16 units, on campus, part-time)

The four-course Graduate Certificate in Wine Studies provides an in-depth foundation in viticulture, enology, wine history, and sensory evaluation. Blending rigorous, graduate-level academic coursework with practical experiences, the program offers a global perspective on key wine regions and cultivates critical skills. Through expert-led tastings, pairing workshops, fieldwork, and guest lectures, the program focuses on developing skills to assess wine quality, understand production processes, and stay informed about industry trends—preparing you to engage confidently with wine at an advanced academic and professional level.

Looking for more? Explore our food & wine certificate programs below.

Program Highlights

BU’s Food Studies programs are top ranked: Here are a few reasons why:

Groce Pépin Culinary Innovation Laboratory

Benefit from the recently renovated Groce Pépin Culinary Innovation Laboratory, a state-of-the-art demonstration kitchen that boasts a gleaming granite countertop, stainless steel stove, glass-door fridge, and commercial sink station.

Library and Seminar Room

MET’s expansive culinary library includes seminal cookbooks and literature on gastronomy, cuisine, and wine studies.

Flexibility

Study at the pace that works for you, full- or part-time, online or on campus, with evening courses that begin fall, spring, and summer.

24:1 Class Ratio

Enjoy an exceptional student-to-instructor ratio, ensuring close interaction with faculty and access to the support you need to thrive.

Extensive Network

Study complex issues of gastronomy and foodways alongside peers with solid academic and practical experience, learn from faculty who have valuable contacts in the field, and benefit from an alumni community with strong professional connections.

Experiential and Sensory

BU MET is proud to be the only school in the country with a graduate food studies program that offers the unique option to gain hands-on experience through wine studies courses and a state-of-the-art culinary arts laboratory.

Comprehensive Financial Services

In honor of the late Julia Child, up to three awards per semester are given to enrolled Master of Arts in Gastronomy students for outstanding work in a course. MET also offers merit scholarships to help finance your degree.

Track Record

Learn from the best—BU MET’s Gastronomy master’s degree program was founded in 1991 by Jacques Pépin and Julia Child, two legends of the culinary world.

Engaged, connected faculty

At BU MET, you’ll benefit from working closely with highly qualified faculty who draw from active research and extensive field experience in all aspects of food studies: policy, history, anthropology, marketing, entrepreneurship, hospitality, journalism, and science. Culinary arts and wine courses are taught by highly regarded working chefs, food professionals, and wine experts.

The Boston University reputation

When you have a degree from Boston University, that means something. Named to the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU), BU is one of the top research universities in the United States and Canada. And as a graduate, you’ll be able to take that name with you. Always.

A city unlike any other

There’s a reason we’re called Boston University. Hip neighborhoods, soaring skyscrapers, championship sports teams, and rich history and culture. When you’re at BU, you’re at the heart of it all. And because we’re right in Boston, you’ll have a wealth of opportunities to consider for your field of study or area of special interest.

Career Outlook

BU MET – For those who want to lead

Earning a master’s in gastronomy or food studies graduate certificate from BU MET has propelled our graduates into positions far and wide.

Recent graduates have established their careers at:

Slow Food USA
The Pioneer Woman and Food Network Magazines
Johnson & Wales University
America’s Test Kitchen
The HIVE at PepsiCo
Amazon
Whetstone Media
Cornell University
Oxfam America
Allrecipes.com
Boston Globe
New England Culinary Institute
Aramark
Legal Seafoods

Potential careers include

Chef Instructor
Wine Columnist
Food Business Incubation Specialist
Director of Communications
Professor of Hospitality
Brand Manager
Director of Nutrition
Director of Operations
Editor-in-Chief
Enterprise Sustainability Manager
Executive Producer
Managing Editor
Product Manager
National Sales Manager
VP of Academic Affairs and Operations
Corporate Sommelier

I feel so lucky to be a part of the food studies community, and to have had the opportunity to grow as a researcher and writer during my time in the Gastronomy program.

Dana Ferrante (MET’23)

Writer-Editor, Urban Institute MA,
Gastronomy

I chose the gastronomy program because it is one of the few food studies programs in the country. I really liked that it included experiential learning (as do the culinary and the wine and cheese programs). The Gastronomy program has been central to my entrepreneurship journey.

Kimi Ceridon (MET’15)

Founder and Head Cheese, Life Love Cheese
MLA, Gastronomy; Culinary Arts Certificate; Cheese Studies Certificate

More Ways to Pursue Your Passion

Culinary Arts Programs

(Noncredit or for credit, online and on campus, full- and part-time)

BU MET’s chef-led, hands-on Professional Culinary Arts Program was established to help aspiring chefs learn essential techniques necessary to excel in the food industry. Taught entirely by experienced, working chefs and food industry experts, this intensive, semester-long program provides a strong foundation in culinary techniques.

In addition to this one-of-a-kind, semester-long program we offer two online culinary arts courses.

Pastry Arts Programs

(Noncredit or for credit, online and on campus, full- and part-time)

BU MET’s Professional Pastry Arts Program is an intensive, hands-on, 14-week course of study that provides the foundational skills and sensory knowledge necessary to launch a career in the pastry arts field, including entry-level positions in restaurants and professional bake shops. Taught entirely by experienced, working pastry chefs, bakers, and experts in the food industry, this program is the only one of its kind in the country.

In addition to the professional program, we also offer online and on campus baking and pastry courses.

Certificate Program in Cheese Studies

(Noncredit or for credit, on campus, full-time)

Develop your expertise in cheese at BU’s Metropolitan College (MET). The 14-week Cheese Studies program covers a wide variety of cheeses, from production techniques to pairing, while offering insight into today’s cheese industry.

Professional Certificate in Wine Studies

(Noncredit, on campus, part-time)

The four-course Professional Certificate in Wine Studies is designed for wine professionals, hospitality leaders, and serious enthusiasts who wish to explore the cultural, scientific, and business aspects of wine in order to develop a well-rounded foundation in viticulture, enology, wine history, and sensory evaluation. Employing expert-led tastings, food and wine pairing workshops, field experiences, and insight from guest speakers, the certificate program embraces a global perspective, introducing you to wine regions of Europe, the Americas, Oceania, South Africa, and Eastern Europe.

Not ready to commit to the full certificate? You can also take individual courses in wine studies.

Boston University is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (formerly the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc.).

Turn Your Passion into Purpose with an MA in Gastronomy or Graduate Certificate in Food Studies

Ready to dig in?

Which Program is Right for You?

Wondering which Gastronomy or Food Studies program is right for you?

BU’s Food Studies programs are top ranked: Here are a few reasons why:

Ready to take the next step in your food studies journey?

BU MET – For those who want to lead

Recent graduates have established their careers at:

Potential careers include

More Ways to Pursue Your Passion

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