Thesis M.S. in Food Science
Thesis M.S. in Food Science
This research-focused degree prepares students for a variety of careers related to food science or for further training in a PhD program. Students work closely with a faculty advisor to develop and complete research related to the faculty advisor’s field of study. Students write a Master’s Thesis summarizing their work and defend that thesis to their faculty advisor and graduate committee. Students balance their research with 30 credits of advanced coursework, and the program is completed in 2 to 2 1/2 years of full-time study.
Jump to: Admissions Requirements | Application Deadlines | Curriculum | Funding
Admission Requirements
Admission to the Food Science program is highly competitive and dependent upon support of a faculty advisor. Students are required to connect with a potential advisor prior to submitting an application. A list of our faculty and their research areas are found on the Department of Animal and Food Sciences website. Strong candidates will have a GPA of 3.0 or greater, a BS in a science related field that includes coursework in chemistry, biology, and microbiology, excellent letters of recommendation from faculty members or employers, and some previous research experience. Students who do not meet one or more of these criteria may still apply if encouraged to do so by a potential advisor.
Additional details about the admission process can be found in our Application and Admission Process Guidelines document. Application to the program is completed through Graduate Admissions. The GRE is not required. For applicants from countries where English is not the primary language, students must meet English proficiency requirements established by the Graduate College.
Application Deadlines and Admission Decisions
Applications are considered for admittance in the fall or spring semesters. Final deadlines for application are listed below, but we encourage applying before February 1 for fall admission and by September 15 for spring admission. Students are admitted on a rolling basis upon the recommendation of their faculty advisor. Students not selected by a faculty member for admission into their lab are notified that they are not admitted to the program shortly after the application deadlines listed below.
Fall semester deadline
- June 1 (international applicants)
- Aug. 1 (U.S. citizens)
Spring semester deadline
- Dec. 15 (international applicants)
- January 15 (U.S. citizens)
Curriculum
The curriculum is intentionally flexible to allow students to choose courses most relevant to their research focus.
The 30 credits of required coursework include:
1 credit of graduate seminar where students will present their research and learn about other research;
3 credit biochemistry course;
3 credit statistics course;
17 credits of graduate courses selected by the student with the input of their advisor;
6 credits of Master’s Thesis.
Complete degree requirements and course options can be found in the graduate catalog.
Funding
All students admitted to this program are supported with a research or teaching assistantship. This includes 12 months of competitive stipend support each year, a tuition waiver, and access to discounted health insurance. Students admitted on a teaching assistantship will have undergraduate teaching responsibilities in addition to research and coursework. Financial support for graduate students is provided by an admitted student’s faculty advisor, and all funding decisions are made by individual faculty members planning to accept students into their labs.