Prerequisite Requirements

To be eligible to apply for the M.S. in Food Science, you must have completed a course in college algebra, college biology, and college chemistry (or a comparable course approved by the Program Director). You can take MAT 111: College Algebra at Mount Mary, BIO 100: Cellular and Molecular Biology, and CHE113/114: General Chemistry I and II to complete this requirement.

Undergraduate coursework in food science is recommended, but is not required for admission to the M.S. in Food Science program. These undergraduate courses can be taken at Mount Mary.

Degree Requirements

Thirty graduate credits are required for the M.S. in Food Science degree. Regardless of the student’s chosen track (thesis or non-thesis), each student takes 8 courses (19 credits) of core courses that are common to both tracks. Students interested in the thesis track take an additional 3 courses (11 credits) that prepare and guide the student through the independent research necessary to complete the thesis. Students interested in the non-thesis track take an additional 3 courses (9 credits), concentrating on the area of interest chosen by the student in either Business or Education, plus one additional seminar course (2 credits) designed to prepare and guide the student through the manuscript required for completion of the degree.

Courses Common to both Thesis and Non-Thesis Tracks (19 credits)

  • FSC 525 Food Chemistry and Analysis (online lectures and on-campus lab)
  • FSC 535 Principles of Food Processing and Engineering (on-line lectures)
  • FSC 542 Seminar in Food Processing Chemistry (online)
  • FSC 551 Food Microbiology and Toxicology (online lectures and on-campus lab)
  • MAT 526 Food Science Statistics (online)
  • FSC 601 Seminar in Food Safety and Toxicology (online)
  • FSC 626 Research Methods in Food Science (online)
  • FSC 642 Regulatory Systems in Food Science (on campus)

Non-Thesis Track Courses with a concentration in Business (12 credits)

  • BUS 610 Managerial Communication
  • BUS 700 Leadership
  • BUS 630 Managerial Economics
  • FSC 603 Seminar in Food Science with emphasis in Business

Non-Thesis Track Courses with a concentration in Education (11 credits)

  • EDU 700 Diversity Among Leaders
  • EDU 715 Policy Issues in Education
  • EDU 742 Instructional Strategies
  • FSC 603 Seminar in Food Science with emphasis in Education

Thesis Track Courses (11 credits)

  • FSC 660 Research in Food Science (at the research site)
  • FSC 661 Research in Food Science (at the research site)
  • FSC 602 Seminar in Food Science (online and on campus)

See complete degree requirements and a listing of courses in the Graduate Bulletin (PDF). View a list of frequently asked questions on the M.S. in Food Science degree.

Transfer Credits

A maximum of 9 graduate credits or 30 percent of total program credits, whichever is greater, may be transferred from other regionally accredited institutions with the approval of the program director. All transfer credits must be at a grade of B or better, and must be documented with official transcripts. Credit earned prior to admission will be evaluated during the admission process only.

Taking Courses Prior to Formal Admittance to a Degree Program

You can enroll in graduate courses as a Graduate Special Student before being officially accepted to a graduate program. If you are interested in enrolling in courses as a Graduate Special Student, please contact a graduate admission counselor at mmu-gradinfo@mtmary.ed or (414) 930-3049.  Find current or upcoming courses in the My Mount Mary Course Search.