Master Sciences Sociales — Sciences Sociales Appliquées à l'Alimentation (SSAA)

At Université Toulouse - Jean Jaurès, tuition fees are 292 USD per year.

The social scientific study of food examines how eating habits, food systems and cultural attitudes toward food are shaped by society, economics and history, and the Master Sciences Sociales at Université Toulouse - Jean Jaurès in Toulouse addresses this focus through its Sciences Sociales Appliquées à l'Alimentation (SSAA), or social sciences applied to food, track. Programs in this area typically draw on sociology, anthropology, geography and economics to study topics such as food consumption patterns, the organization of food supply chains, food security and access, changing dietary habits, and the cultural meanings attached to food across different communities. Students often engage with questions about how food policy is made, how food industries and markets are structured, and how social inequalities show up in access to food and nutrition. Fieldwork, surveys and qualitative research methods are commonly part of the training, alongside seminars examining current debates in food studies, such as sustainability, local food systems and the social effects of industrial food production. Career paths connected to this specialization include research and analysis roles within food policy organizations, positions in food industry market research or corporate social responsibility, work with nonprofit organizations focused on food security, and further doctoral study in food-related social science fields. The degree is taught in French, structured over two years of full-time study, and begins in September. Yearly tuition is 250 EUR, in line with standard public master's fees in France. Graduates typically leave with strong analytical and research skills applied specifically to food and its social dimensions.