Program Requirements
Master of Agriculture (M. Agr.)
The M.Agr. degree is available for students who want professional, graduate training with a management orientation in the food industry. It is a non-thesis degree, requiring a minimum of 36 semester credit hours, 12 credit hours of which must be taken outside the student’s degree option. Degree candidates are required to complete a professional internship that lasts 3-9 months and is designed to develop problem-solving skills through meaningful, applied, practical experience (usually in the food industry). A professional paper must be prepared and defended during the student’s final examination.
Master of Science (M.S.)
Students must complete a minimum of 32 semester credit hours of approved courses, as well as research for the preparation and defense of a thesis. An acceptable thesis must reflect a comprehensive understanding of the pertinent literature and express in clear and legible English, the problem(s) for study, methodology, significance, and results of the student’s original research.
Core Curriculum
- NFSC 605 Chemistry of Foods (or equivalent) – 3 credits
- NFSC 606 Microbiology of Foods (or equivalent) – 3 credits
- NFSC 681 Seminar (or department seminar) – 1 credit
- NFSC 685 Directed Studies – credits will vary
- NFSC 691 Research – credits will vary
- NFSC 600+ Elective courses** – 6 credits
- STAT 600+ Elective course – 3 credits
- Total 32 credits
**At least 3 credit hours from coursework outside your area of interest.