The Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition offers traditional graduate programs leading to the Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees with either a food science or human nutrition concentration.Graduate studies in human nutrition prepare students to conduct and apply research to determine how diet impacts human health. Graduates pursue careers in industry, academia, and governmental agencies.If a candidate has a master's degree in a related area, a minimum of 64 graduate hours, including up to 38 graduate hours of thesis research, must be completed. In consultation with the adviser and advisory committee, the remainder of the 64 graduate hours required for the degree consists of courses selected from inside or outside the department that are appropriate for training in the student's field of specialization. Upon completion of all necessary formal courses and special options, the student is required to take an oral preliminary examination. After passage of the preliminary examination, the student's activities are primarily devoted to thesis research. Upon submission of the dissertation, the candidate is required to pass a final oral examination before a graduate faculty committee.<br>Within the areas of food chemistry and sensory science, we're studying flavor chemistry, manipulation of storage components, food safety and toxicology, structure-function behavior, and chemical stability of foods.<br>If you are interested in food microbiology, you may like to study with faculty members whose research addresses genetic and physiological manipulation of bacteria, growth conditions and their effects on microbes, and fermentation.<br>Chemical/microbial food safety researchers look into safety, production, and preservation and relations to human health.<br>If you are interested in food processing and engineering can benefit from studying with faculty members researching topics including the effects of thermal processing on fats and oils, bioprocessing, state-of-the-art novel processing technologies, heat and mass transfer analysis, rheology, the use of acoustic ultrasound in processing, production systems modeling and optimization, and development of bio-based, biodegradable resins, and plastics.<br>In-residence students selecting to focus on food science for their graduate education can pursue thesis or non-thesis M.S. and Ph.D. programs.