Food Science
| www.ag.ndsu.edu/foodscience |
Food Science Major
The Food Science major is offered through the Department of Plant Sciences in the College of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Natural Resources. It is designed to prepare students for a career in the food industry, the “world’s largest industry,” which is responsible for feeding the world.
The program is structured to develop an understanding of the nature, properties, and characteristics of foods through foundation courses in biochemistry, chemistry, microbiology, physics, and other related sciences. Applications include the study of food safety, processing, preservation, sanitation, storage, and marketing of foods. The analysis and microbiological and biochemical characterization of food products are also studied. Additionally, elective courses in economics and business administration are available to students intending to enter a management career.
Note: Transfer credits in food science from other institutions must have grades of 'C' or better to be accepted for the food science program at NDSU. The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) approves the curriculum in the food science program. Students majoring in food science, therefore, are eligible to compete for the prestigious IFT scholarships.
The program also provides the opportunity to gain industrial experience during undergraduate study by means of industry internships. Upon completion of the program, graduates will be able to recognize, critically analyze, and solve problems realistically in both industrial and academic environments.
Major Requirements
Major: Food Science
Degree Type: B.S.
Required Degree Credits to Graduate: 128
General Education Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| First Year Experience (F): | ||
| AGRI 189 | Skills for Academic Success (Students transferring in 24 or more credits do not need to take AGRI 189.) | 1 |
| Communication (C): | ||
| ENGL 110 | College Composition I | 3 |
| ENGL 120 | College Composition II | 3 |
| One Course Upper Level Writing: Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Business and Professional Writing | ||
| Writing in the Technical Professions | ||
| Writing in the Sciences | ||
| COMM 110 | Fundamentals of Public Speaking | 3 |
| Quantitative Reasoning (R): | ||
| STAT 330 | Introductory Statistics | 3 |
| Science & Technology (S): | ||
| CHEM 121 & 121L | General Chemistry I and General Chemistry I Laboratory | 4 |
| CHEM 122 & 122L | General Chemistry II and General Chemistry II Laboratory | 4 |
| CSCI 114 | Microcomputer Packages | 3-4 |
| or CSCI 116 | Business Use of Computers | |
| Humanities & Fine Arts (A): Select from current general education list | 6 | |
| Social & Behavioral Sciences (B): | ||
| ECON 201 | Principles of Microeconomics | 3 |
| Select one course from the current general education list | 3 | |
| Wellness (W): | ||
| HNES 250 | Nutrition Science | 3 |
| Cultural Diversity (D): Select from current general education list | ||
| Global Perspecitves (G): | ||
| ECON 201 | Principles of Microeconomics | 3 |
| Total Credits | 42 | |
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Requirements | 40 | |
| Required Core Courses for Food Science | ||
| AGRI 150 | Agriculture Orientation (Students transferring in 24 or more credits do not need to take AGRI 150.) | 1 |
| ABEN 263 | Biological Materials Processing | 3 |
| ANSC 340 | Principles of Meat Science | 3 |
| CFS 210 | Introduction to Food Science and Technology | 2-3 |
| or CFS 200 | Introduction to Food Systems | |
| CFS 370 | Food Processing I | 3 |
| CFS 450 | Cereal Technology | 3 |
| MICR 453 | Food Microbiology | 3 |
| CFS 460 | Food Chemistry | 3 |
| CFS 461 | Food Chemistry Laboratory | 1 |
| CFS 464 | Food Analysis | 3 |
| CFS 470 | Food Processing II | 3 |
| CFS 471 | Food Processing Laboratory | 1 |
| CFS 474 | Sensory Science of Foods | 2 |
| CFS 480 | Food Product Development (Capstone) | 3 |
| SAFE/CFS/AGEC 452 | Food Laws and Regulations | 3 |
| Supporting Courses | ||
| Select one of the following: | 4 | |
| Elements of Biochemistry | ||
| Foundations of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I and Foundations of Biochemistry I Laboratory | ||
| BIOL 150 | General Biology I | 3 |
| CHEM 341 & 341L | Organic Chemistry I and Organic Chemistry I Laboratory | 4 |
| MATH 146 | Applied Calculus I | 4 |
| or MATH 165 | Calculus I | |
| MICR 350 & 350L | General Microbiology and General Microbiology Lab | 5 |
| PHYS 211 & 211L | College Physics I and College Physics I Laboratory | 4 |
| Degree Requirements: Potential for a minimum of 25 credits (24 if CFS 200 was taken) to reach 128. | 25 | |
| Total Credits | 128-129 | |
Degree Requirements and Notes:
- A 2.00 cumulative GPA is required for graduation and to remain in program.
