Undergraduate Degree

Graduates with a Bachelor of Science degree in food science may be employed by food and allied industries, federal and state governments, and sectors throughout academia to work at the interface between the production and delivery of food. The program also prepares students for advanced study in graduate and professional schools. The required courses stress the principles of food safety and preservation and the application of scientific principles to control and enhance the flavor, color, texture, and nutritive value of foods.

In addition to the core program, students in food science must complete one of the following interdisciplinary concentrations that are designed to provide additional breadth and depth: basic food science, food business and industry, food packaging, or food technology. The major and concentrations are Approved by the Institute of Food Technologists Higher Education Review Board.  

Basic Food Science. This concentration is designed for students with an interest in integrating in-depth study of basic sciences with the core of their food science education. Advanced courses in chemistry, microbiology, food safety, toxicology and pharmacology are among the fields students may elect to strengthen their bachelor's degree. Students interested in professional post-graduate education such as medicine and dentistry may elect to take a series of courses that meets the admission standards for most professional colleges.

Food Business and Industry. This concentration is designed for students who are interested in working for food or food-related businesses, where a knowledge of both food science and of food business management, economics, and marketing is important.  Students who complete this concentration may pursue careers in manufacturing management, technical sales, food product marketing, or similar areas or may pursue graduate study in business.

Food Packaging.  This concentration is designed to prepare students for careers in the food industry with an emphasis in food packaging. The concentration focuses on the design, use, and evaluation of food packaging materials and the effect of packaging materials on the shelf life of food.  Students who complete this concentration may pursue graduate study in packaging or food science.

Food Technology.  This concentration focuses on food processing  methods and their effect on food quality and process characteristics.  Students who complete this concentration may pursue careers in production supervision, quality assurance, inspection, product development, and process development.  They may also pursue graduate study to prepare for positions in research, production, and management in the food industry, government, or universities.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Science Degree in Food Science

1. The University requirements for bachelor's degrees as described in the Undergraduate Education section of this catalog; 120 credits, including general elective credits, are required for the Bachelor of Science degree in Food Science.
   
   The University's Tier II writing requirement for the Food Science major is met by completing all of the following courses:  Food Science 402, 440, 441, 455, 470. Those courses are referenced in item 3.a. below.
   
   Students who are enrolled in the Food Science major leading to the Bachelor of Science degree in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition may complete an alternative track to Integrative Studies in Biological and Physical Sciences that consists of the following courses: Biological Science 161, Chemistry 161 and 162, and Physics 221, 231, 241 or Lyman Briggs 273. The completion of Chemistry 161 and 162 satisfies the laboratory requirement. Biological Science 161, Chemistry 161 and 162  and Physics 221, 231, 241 or Lyman Briggs 273 may be counted toward both the alternative track and the requirements for the major referenced in item 3. below.
   
   The completion of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources mathematics requirement may also satisfy the University mathematics requirement.
2. The requirements of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources for the Bachelor of Science degree.
   
   Certain courses referenced in requirement 3. below may be counted toward College requirements as appropriate.  The completion of Mathematics 124 satisfies the College's mathematics requirement.
3. The following requirements for the major:

   a.	All of the following courses (51 credits):
   	BE	429	Fundamentals of Food Engineering				3
   	BS	161	Cell and Molecular Biology				3
   	CEM	141	General Chemistry				4
   	CEM	142	General and Inorganic Chemistry				3
   	CEM	161	Chemistry Laboratory I				1
   	CEM	162	Chemistry Laboratory II				1
   	FSC	211	Principles of Food Science				3
   	FSC	222	Professional Development and Career Planning in Food Science				1
   	FSC	310	Sensory Analysis and Consumer Research				3
   	FSC	322	Advanced Professional Seminar in Food Science				1
   	FSC	325	Food Processing: Unit Operations				3
   	FSC	401	Food Chemistry				3
   	FSC	402	Food Chemistry Laboratory				1
   	FSC	440	Food Microbiology				3
   	FSC	441	Food Microbiology Laboratory				2
   	FSC	442	Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point Training and Certification				1
   	FSC	455	Food and Nutrition Laboratory				3
   	FSC	470	Integrated Approaches to Food Product Development				3
   	HNF	150	Introduction to Human Nutrition				3
   	MMG	301	Introductory Microbiology				3
   	MTH	124	Survey of Calculus I				3
   b.	One of the following courses (3 or 4 credits):
   	LB	273	Physics I				4
   	PHY	221	Studio Physics for Life Scientists I				4
   	PHY	231	Introductory Physics I				3
   	PHY	241	Physics for Cellular and Molecular Biologists I				4
   c.	One of the following courses (3 credits):
   	FSC	430	Food Processing: Fruits and Vegetables				3
   	FSC	431	Food Processing: Cereals				3
   d.	One of the following courses (3 credits):
   	FSC	432	Food Processing: Dairy Foods				3
   	FSC	433	Food Processing: Muscle Foods				3
   e.	Completion of a minimum of 3 credits in Experiential Learning. Students must consult with their academic advisor for specific details on this requirement. Completion of this requirement may be fulfilled by enrollment in FSC 475, FSC 493, FSC 499 or other approved experiences.
   f.	One of the following concentrations (23 to 26 credits):
   	Basic Food Science (25 credits):
   	(1)	All of the following courses (16 credits):
   		BMB	401	Comprehensive Biochemistry			4
   		CEM	251	Organic Chemistry I			3
   		CEM	252	Organic Chemistry II			3
   		CEM	255	Organic Chemistry Laboratory			2
   		STT	201	Statistical Methods			4
   	(2)	At least 9 credits from the following courses (9 credits):
   		ANS	407	Food and Animal Toxicology			3
   		CEM	262	Quantitative Analysis			3
   		CEM	333	Instrumental Methods and Applications			3
   		CEM	383	Introductory Physical Chemistry I			3
   		FSC	421	Food Laws and Regulations			3
   		LB	274	Physics II			4
   		MMG	409	Eukaryotic Cell Biology			3
   		MMG	425	Microbial Ecology			3
   		MMG	431	Microbial Genetics			3
   		MMG	445	Microbial Biotechnology (W)			3
   		MMG	451	Immunology			3
   		PHM	350	Introductory Human Pharmacology			3
   		PHM	450	Introduction to Chemical Toxicology			3
   		PHY	222	Studio Physics for Life Scientists II			4
   		PHY	232	Introductory Physics II			3
   		PHY	242	Physics for Cellular and Molecular Biologists II			4
   		Note: Only one physics course (LB 274, PHY 222, PHY 232, PHY 242) can be counted towards the 9 credits.
   		The Basic Food Science concentration fills many, but not all, of the minimum requirements for admission to professional schools. Students interested in preparing for post-graduate professional programs should consult with a preprofessional advisor in the College of Natural Science. Admission requirements of professional schools vary and the student is responsible for reviewing  the requirements of each school of interest and consulting regularly with an advisor.
   	Food Business and Industry (23 credits):
   	(1)	All of the following courses (17 credits):
   		ACC	230	Survey of Accounting Concepts			3
   		BMB	200	Introduction to Biochemistry			4
   		CEM	143	Survey of Organic Chemistry			4
   		MKT	327	Introduction to Marketing			3
   		STT	315	Introduction to Probability and Statistics for Business			3
   	(2)	Two of the following courses (6 credits):
   		AFRE	100	Decision-making in the Agri-Food System			3
   		AFRE	222	Agribusiness and Food Industry Sales			3
   		AFRE	240	Food Product Marketing			3
   		AFRE	435	Financial Management in the Agri-Food System			3
   		or
   		FI	320	Introduction to Finance			3
   		AFRE	440	Food Marketing Management			3
   		MKT	302	Consumer Behavior			3
   		Either FI 320 or AFRE 435, but not both of those courses, may be used to satisfy requirement (2) for the Food Business and Industry concentration.
   	Food Packaging (25 credits):
   	(1)	All of the following courses:
   		BMB	200	Introduction to Biochemistry			4
   		CEM	143	Survey of Organic Chemistry			4
   		PKG	101	Principles of Packaging			3
   		PKG	221	Packaging with Glass and Metal			2
   		PKG	322	Packaging with Paper and Paperboard			4
   		PKG	323	Packaging with Plastics			4
   		STT	201	Statistical Methods			4
   	Food Technology (23 credits):
   	(1)	All of the following courses (14 credits):
   		BMB	200	Introduction to Biochemistry			4
   		CEM	143	Survey of Organic Chemistry			4
   		FSC	420	Quality Assurance			2
   		STT	201	Statistical Methods			4
   	(2)	At least 9 credits from the following courses (9 credits):
   		CEM	482	Science and Technology of Wine Production			3
   		CHE	483	Brewing and Distilled Beverage Technology			3
   		FSC	421	Food Laws and Regulations			3
   		FSC	430	Food Processing: Fruits and Vegetables			3
   		FSC	431	Food Processing: Cereals			3
   		FSC	432	Food Processing: Dairy Foods			3
   		FSC	433	Food Processing: Muscle Foods			3
   		FSC	481	Fermented Beverages			3
   		HB	100	Introduction to Hospitality Business			2
   		HB	265	Hospitality Foodservice Systems			3
   		HB	267	Management of Food and Beverage Systems			3
   		HB	409	Introduction to Wine			3
   		HNF	300	Experimental Approaches to Food			4
   		HRT	403	Handling and Storage of Horticultural Crops			3
   		HRT	430	Exploring Wines and Vines			3
   		Courses selected to meet this requirement may not be used to fulfill requirement 3. c. above.