Just got word that my “Food & Culture in Louisiana” class is scheduled for Wednesday nights during the spring semester.  This Louisiana Studies class (LOUS 303) is offered through Tulane’s School of Continuing Studies, which means that it is open to anyone with a high school diploma or GED.  It is a three-credit undergraduate class, meets for the entire 16-week semester, and focuses on how Louisianians across the state employ foodways in their daily lives, in the construction of self-identity, and to reinforce community and a sense of place.

final exam potluck dinner, LOUS 303 Spring 2008

Oh, and students get to eat lots of in-class snacks.  Assignments include participant-observation fieldwork (visits to festivals, farmers’ markets, recipe collection), community cookbook analysis, and similar fun stuff.  The final exam combines student presentations with a potluck dinner.

To enroll, apply to the School of Continuing Studies at www.scs.tulane.edu.  The application fee is just $25; applicants will receive an admission packet and instructions for online registration.  The semester starts on January 12th, and enrollment is open until the class fills up.  Tuition for the three-credit course is $819; students can enroll for credit, pass/fail, or audit.