Applicants must have a Bachelor of Science degree in food technology, food science, or a related scientific field.
Requirements
Thesis Option
- Prior to research for the thesis, the student must develop a detailed written research plan and defend it by his/her advisory committee at least one semester before the graduating semester. A minimum of 6 credit hours of FDSC 500 - Thesis is required to fulfill degree requirements.
- In addition to the thesis requirement, a minimum of 24 credit hours of graduate course work is required. This work must be approved by the student’s committee and a minimum of 14 credit hours must be courses numbered above 500. The committee may require additional course work if the student’s progress or background indicates such need.
- All students are required to take 1 credit hour ANSC 525 or PLSC 525 - Research Ethics for the Life Sciences and 2 credit hours of FDSC 501 - Seminar during their program. Students are expected to attend FDSC 501 and participate in discussions during their master’s program.
- All students are required to have teaching experience in the FDSC Department for at least one term.
- An oral final examination covering the thesis and course work is required.
Non-Thesis Option
- In lieu of a thesis, students are required to complete a project in cooperation with their employer (company or governmental agency) and/or their major professor or take a written comprehensive exam. Students must register for 6 hours of FDSC 503 .
- In addition to the requirement for 6 credit hours of FDSC 503 , a minimum of 24 credit hours of graduate course work is required. This work must be approved by the student’s committee and a minimum of 14 credit hours must be in courses numbered above 500. The committee may require additional course work if the student’s progress or background indicates such need.
- All students are required to take 1 credit hour ANSC 525 or PLSC 525 - Research Ethics for the Life Sciences and 2 credit hours of FDSC 501 - Seminar during their program. Students are expected to attend FDSC 501 and participate in discussions during their master’s program.
- Students not working on a project will be required to take a written comprehensive examination covering their course work. In addition, an oral final examination covering the project or contents in the written comprehensive exam, and course work is required. The oral examination must be held on the Knoxville campus. In case of failure, the candidate may not apply for reexamination until the following semester. The result of the second examination is final.
Five-Year BS/MS Program – Food Science Major, MS
For qualified students, the Department of Food Science offers an 5-year BS/MS program with a BS major in Food Science and a thesis-based MS major in Food Science. Central to this program is that a qualified student may take up to 9 credit hours of approved graduate courses for their senior undergraduate electives and have them count toward both the BS degree and the MS degree. Students will be considered for conditional admission to the program by the end of their junior year of undergraduate study at UT. Because the MS program requires that students write a thesis based on their original research, students in BS/MS program must start working on their research project not later than starting the senior year of undergraduate studies. For each student in the program, a graduate advisory committee composed of a minimum of three faculty members must be established before completion of BS degree.
To be considered for conditional admission to the program:
- A student must be a declared Food Science major, Science concentration, with a minimum GPA of 3.4, must have completed at least 15 credit hours of Food Science courses, and must have completed at least 90 credit hours of the 120 credit hours of coursework required for the BS degree with a major in Food Science.
- A student must provide three letters of recommendation and complete a personal interview with individuals comprising the Graduate and Undergraduate Committees in the Department of Food Science.
- A student must obtain a commitment from a Food Science graduate research faculty member to serve as their graduate mentor-advisor (i.e., major professor) and at least two other graduate research faculty members to serve on their graduate advisory committee.
- Applicants are required to have completed FDSC 241 - Food Preservation and Packaging. The Department may consider other relevant factors such as an applicant’s work experience and level of maturity before conditionally admitting a student to the BS/MS program. Conditional admission of a student into the 5-year BS/MS program must be approved by both the Department of Food Science and the Graduate School. Students will be typically informed of the outcome of their application by the end of their junior year of undergraduate study.
Any graduate course taken before satisfying all requirements for the BS degree must be approved by the student’s graduate advisory committee, the Graduate Director, and the Graduate School. These courses must be identified in advance in consultation with the undergraduate advisor and the graduate advisory committee.
A student that is conditionally admitted to the BS-MS program may complete up to 9 credit hours of graduate level coursework during the student’s undergraduate study and apply those 9 credit hours to satisfy both the BS degree requirements and also the MS degree requirements, provided that these graduate credit hours were approved by both the Department and by the Graduate School.
The form “Food Science Conditional Admission 5 Year BS-MS” is available from the Graduate Director and must be completed and signed by the undergraduate advisor, undergraduate coordinator, and graduate advisory committee at least two months before the end of the junior year. After review by the Department, the form will be signed by the Graduate Director and submitted to the Graduate School for approval and processing.
To receive graduate credit for the 9 credit hours listed on the Food Science Conditional Admission Form and approved by their graduate advisory committee, and others granting approval by signing that form, the student must complete and submit the Senior Requesting Graduate Credit Form to the Graduate School. If courses are to be taken during different semesters, the student will need to submit this form per each relevant semester.
Conditional admission into the BS/MS program does not guarantee acceptance into either the Graduate School or the MS program. Students in the BS/MS program must apply for admission to the Graduate School and to the MS program during their senior year of undergraduate study for the term immediately following the completion of their undergraduate study, following the same procedures of all other student applicants. A GRE score must be submitted as part of the application for admission into any graduate program in the Department of Food Science. Students will be fully admitted to the MS program after they have been accepted both by the Graduate School and by the Food Science Department. Students will not be eligible for graduate assistantships until they are enrolled as graduate-level students in the Graduate School.
