The following areas of specialization are offered: basic studies
in physical, chemical, or biological changes in foods; chemistry of
fats and oils; flavor chemistry, including isolation and identification
of food flavors; chemistry of food proteins; nutritional aspects of
food products; food enzymology and biochemistry; food microbiology;
food toxicology; heat and mass transfer in foods; energy conservation
in processing; food packaging, theoretical aspects, functionality, and
properties; food colors; food emulsions; sensory attributes of foods;
and biotechnology. The program is suitable for both full- and part-time
study.
Applicants are expected to have completed one year
each of calculus, physics, and organic chemistry, and to have some
foundation in the biological sciences. Biochemistry, microbiology,
and/or nutrition are recommended, as is statistics. Some undergraduate
food science courses may be taken for future graduate credit. The
Graduate Record Examination (GRE) must be taken.
Food
science offers a master of science degree with options for a thesis or
nonthesis program. In the thesis option, the student must take a
minimum of 9 research credits and 21 course credits, and must carry out
a research problem and write a thesis. For the nonthesis option, the
student must have a minimum of 30 course credits and must present an
essay. A nonthesis M.S. normally is considered a terminal degree.
However, the student with the support of his or her major adviser may
petition the faculty for permission to continue with the Ph.D. program.
The student should demonstrate proficiency in food science
by the satisfactory completion of coursework in the following areas:
food science fundamentals, food science seminar (1 credit), food
biochemistry, food engineering, nutrition, food analysis or
quantitative analysis, and food microbiology. Any of the above
requirements may be waived, except seminars, if the student has had
courses that satisfy the core requirements.
Students must
demonstrate proficiency in food biology, food chemistry, and food
engineering early in their academic careers. They are required to
complete with an average grade of B or better 16:400:507 Food
Engineering Fundamentals and Processes and 16:400:513,514 Food Science
Fundamentals I and II.
The Ph.D. requires a minimum of 72
credits beyond the bachelor's degree, of which at least 33 must be
course credits. Candidates who have any deficiencies upon admission are
required to make up these deficiencies before receiving the degree.
Qualifying examinations for the doctorate include both written and oral
examinations. After passing the written qualifying examination, the
student takes the oral qualifying examination, which normally includes
approval of the research proposal for the dissertation. A student who
fails all or part of the written qualifying examination may, with the
concurrence of the faculty and his or her adviser, retake one time
those portions of the examination that he or she failed. Likewise, a
student who does not pass the oral qualifying examination may retake
the examination once, with the dissertation committee's concurrence.
After passing both the written and oral components of the qualifying
examination, the student is recommended as a candidate for the Ph.D.
There is no language or residence requirement for the Ph.D. degree.
The master of philosophy degree is an option for doctoral candidates.
Graduate assistantships, teaching assistantships, and fellowships are
available to qualified students.
For more up-to-date information about the Rutgers University Department of Food Science, please see our website at: http://foodsci.rutgers.edu.
