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.
Minimum Degree Credits to Graduate: 128
General Education Requirements for Baccalaureate Degree
- A list of approved general education courses is available here .
- General education courses may be used to satisfy requirements for both general education and the major, minor, and program emphases, where applicable. Students should carefully review the major, minor, and program emphases requirements for minimum grade restrictions, should they apply.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Communication (C) | 12 | |
| College Composition I | ||
| College Composition II | ||
| Fundamentals of Public Speaking | ||
Upper Division Writing † | ||
| Quantitative Reasoning (R) † | 3 | |
| Science and Technology (S) † | 10 | |
| Humanities and Fine Arts (A) † | 6 | |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences (B) † | 6 | |
| Wellness (W) † | 2 | |
| Cultural Diversity (D) *† | ||
| Global Perspectives (G) *† | ||
| Total Credits | 39 | |
| * | May be satisfied by completing courses in another General Education category. |
| † | May be satisfied with courses required in the major. Review major requirements to determine if a specific upper division writing course is required. |
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core Courses for Food Science | ||
| AGRI 150 | Agriculture Orientation (Not required students transferring in 24 or more credits.) | 1 |
| AGRI 189 | Skills for Academic Success 1 | 1 |
| ABEN 263 | Biological Materials Processing | 2-3 |
| or CFS 430 | Food Unit Operations | |
| 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 | 3 |
| 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 121 & 121L | General Chemistry I and General Chemistry I Laboratory (May satisfy general education category S) | 4 |
| CHEM 122 & 122L | General Chemistry II and General Chemistry II Laboratory (May satisfy general education category S) | 4 |
| CHEM 341 & 341L | Organic Chemistry I and Organic Chemistry I Laboratory | 4 |
| CSCI 114 | Microcomputer Packages (May satisfy general education category S) | 3 |
| or MIS 116 | Business Use of Computers | |
| ECON 201 | Principles of Microeconomics (May satisfy general education category B and G) | 3 |
| HNES 250 | Nutrition Science (May satisfy general education category W) | 3 |
| MATH 146 | Applied Calculus I (May satisfy general education category R) | 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 (May satisfy general education category S) | 4 |
| STAT 330 | Introductory Statistics (May satisfy general education category R) | 3 |
| Total Credits | 82-84 | |
| 1 | AGRI189 is only required for first-time, first-year students--A first-time, first-year student is defined as a student who has not yet completed a college course as a college student. Students that are not first-time, first-year students that either transfer into the university or change their major are not required to take AGRI 189. |
Degree Requirements and Notes:
- A 2.00 cumulative GPA is required for graduation and to remain in program.
