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Dec 08, 2025
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2025-2026 University Catalog
Food Science, MS
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 Return to: Graduate Degrees
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About the Program
Food science is an all-encompassing major that is centered on enriching and improving food through increased food safety, novel processing techniques, nutritional benefits, and food functionality. To achieve these goals, Purdue’s Food Science graduate program focuses on four signature areas: Food Chemistry, Structure and Function; Foods for Health; Food Safety and Microbiology; Food Processing and Technology Development. Students from diverse academic backgrounds join the department to conduct research in one of these areas under the mentoring of outstanding faculty members. After earning graduate degrees, they pursue careers in academia, government or industry. Valuable networking opportunities with industry executives along with the department’s placement services often lead to employment with companies such as Cargill, Conagra, General Mills, Hershey’s, Kellogg’s, Nestlé and PepsiCo. The department offers M.S., Ph.D., and direct to Ph.D. degrees. The Food Science Graduate Program at Purdue University is an interdepartmental program, including all 28 of the faculty in the Department of Food Science and several faculty in the following departments: Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Animal Sciences, Nutrition Science. Program Website Program Requirements - Thesis
30 Credits RequiredRequired Courses (5 credits)
Basic Food Science Courses (5 credits)
Seminar Course (1 credit)
The plan of study must have a minimum of one credit of seminar for the M.S. degree and two credits of seminar for the Ph.D. degree including those who have bypassed M.S. All graduate students are strongly encouraged to attend all seminars offered by the department, including those offered by graduate students or invited speakers. Attendance at seminars is respectful to the presenter and also increases attendees’ knowledge in topics relevant to Food Science. All graduate students not enrolling in FS 68400 as a presenter must enroll in FS 68400 with the P/NP option every semester. Graduate students taking FS 68400 with the P/NP option must attend at least 50% of the FS 68400 Graduate Student seminars to receive a ‘P’. Research Areas (4-13 credits)
Students should choose one or more concentrations from the Concentrations list below to fulfill credit requirements. General Program
The following courses do not constitute a concentration, but are suggestions to fulfill remaining credits as needed. Thesis Research (6 credits)
Students must enroll in at least 3 credits in graduate student research every Fall and Spring semester. Program Requirements - Non-Thesis
42 Credits RequiredRequired Courses (4 credits)
Seminar Course (1 credit)
The plan of study must have a minimum of one credit of seminar for the non-thesis M.S. degree. All graduate students are strongly encouraged to attend all seminars offered by the department, including those offered by graduate students or invited speakers. Attendance at seminars is respectful to the presenter and also increases attendees’ knowledge in topics relevant to Food Science. All graduate students not enrolling in FS 68400 as a presenter must enroll in FS 68400 with the P/NP option every semester. Graduate students taking FS 68400 with the P/NP option must attend at least 50% of the FS 68400 Graduate Student seminars to receive a ‘P’. Concentration (15 credits)
Students should choose one or more concentrations from the Concentrations list below to fulfill credit requirements, and/or fill remaining credits with courses from the General Program section under Program Requirements - Thesis. Research Project Course (3-6 credits)
In lieu of a thesis, non-thesis students will take a Special Topics course to conduct a short research project with a written report. May be repeated for a total of 6 credits. Electives (16-19 credits)
Concentrations
Departmental concentrations: Interdisciplinary concentrations: GPA Requirements
If the cumulative grade point average (GPA) should fall below 3.0 in a semester on A = 4.0 scale, the student is placed on academic notice and a letter from the Graduate Chair is sent to the Major Professor and student. They both must respond to the committee’s concerns and indicate the action taken to raise their GPA. If cumulative GPA is <3.00 at the end of one semester (e.g. Fall), students have until two terms later (e.g. end of following Summer) to increase GPA above 3.0. If the semester GPA falls below 3.0 at the conclusion of any two consecutive sessions (Fall, Spring, Summer) or the cumulative GPA also remains below 3.0 for any two consecutive sessions (Fall , Spring, Summer), the student may be terminated from the graduate program immediately. No more than six credits of “C” or D/F grades are permitted on the plan of study. Within one year, a course can be retaken only once to raise the grade. Additional Information
- Testing out option for Five Basic Food Science courses: for FS 55001 through 55402, register for the courses first. Instructors or proctors will conduct the test-out examinations before classes begin. Passing grade is B or higher for each course. If you pass, you must drop the course from registration immediately. Indicate this action in the comment section of your Plan of Study. Students may only attempt the test out once prior to taking the mini-series course(s).
- Exemption to enroll in Seminar: Graduate students may be exempted from the requirement to enroll in FS 68400: Food Science Seminar as an attendee (P/NP option) if: (a) they are in their final semester as a graduate student and enrolled as ‘degree-only’ (CAND 992) or ‘exam-only’ (CAND 993) or (b) a thesis advisor or supervisor sends a request to waive the requirement that is approved by the FS 68400 instructor. The following are examples of conditions for (b) that are likely to be approved:
- Required course for the graduate program has lecture or laboratory meetings scheduled at the same time as the seminars (request sent from primary advisor)
- Graduate student is a teaching assistant for a course that meets during the same time a the seminar, including class time or preparation time (request sent from instructor of course)
- Regular laboratory activity must be performed at the same time as the seminars because of unavoidable sampling or analysis schedule (request sent from primary advisor)
- Interdisciplinary programs: Some graduate students might work with a Major Professor who is a member of the Interdepartmental Nutrition Program (INP) if they wish to conduct interdisciplinary research. Also, a Ph.D. student in the Purdue University Interdisciplinary Life Science Program (PULSe) has access to choosing a Food Science department faculty member as their major professor.
Graduate Programs Disclaimer
- The student is ultimately responsible for knowing and completing all degree requirements. Students should consult with their advisor/department for more information.
- Not all graduate programs may be actively recruiting students and course modality availability may vary.
- Please refer to the Explore Graduate Programs website for a list of currently available graduate programs.
- Transfer credit policy: Credits earned for graduate study at other universities (both domestic and international) may be applied toward an advanced degree. Only credit hours associated with graduate courses for which grades of B- or better were obtained will be eligible for transfer. Any additional conditions under which credit transfers may be made are determined by the various departments.
- Comparative information about Purdue University and other U.S. educational institutions is also available through the College Navigator tool, provided by the National Center for Education Statistics, and through the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
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Return to: Graduate Degrees
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