What is food science?
What kinds of jobs do food scientists get when they graduate?
Can I get a job in a food company or research laboratory during the summer or part-time during the school year?
How long will it take me to graduate?
I am currently a student at another college or university. Will the courses I have taken count towards a degree in Food Science at the University of Minnesota?

Food science is the application of science to the study of food. Chemistry, microbiology, physics, and engineering are scientific disciplines that are involved in Food Science.

• Chemistry--because foods undergo chemical reactions when they are heated, frozen, mixed with each other, stored, etc.
  

• Microbiology--because many foods are made by microorganisms (e.g. bread, cheese, yogurt, sauerkraut, tempeh) and because microorganisms cause extensive, rapid and often dangerous spoilage.
  

• Physics and engineering--because foods must be constructed, moved through the factory, made safe, and distributed intact to the consumer.

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Most students who graduate with a BS degree in Food Science work in the food industry. Probably the most common jobs are in quality assurance where the food scientist is responsible for the finished product having the desired quality. The food scientist typically analyzes information from the incoming ingredients, critical steps during the process, and the final product. If the quality of the product is not what is desired, the food scientist’s job is to figure out why and to recommend the changes necessary to fix the problem.

Other students may go on to do graduate work. Graduate degrees in Food Science typically lead to positions in research and development departments of companies where new products are developed, current products are improved or made at less expense, or research is conducted on production problems that cannot be solved by the quality assurance staff.

For more information on jobs for food scientists with BS degrees, see the information on careers in food science.

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No guarantees, but at least 90% of our undergraduate students have some sort of work experience in a research lab or food industry before they graduate. One big advantage of our location in the Twin Cities is the many food companies in the area. Many of them hire students to work part-time year round. Most of those offer flexible schedules so you can change your work hours when your class schedule changes. Many local companies, and some that are out of town, look for students to work during the summers. The St. Paul Campus Career Center has people to help you prepare to search for and interview for these part-time jobs. The career center maintains lists of companies that want to hire Food Science students for part-time work. Once you are officially enrolled as a Food Science student, you will receive email notices and password access to these listings.

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You can graduate in four years if you can take the courses as suggested in the four-year guaranteed graduation plans. Many of our students take longer because they may need to take prerequisites before enrolling in the calculus or chemistry we require. Others take longer because they have transferred from another major or another college or university. Others take longer because they are working or they have family responsibilities or other commitments that limit the time available for study.

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To determine how courses you have taken will transfer, you need to have a transfer credit evaluation. These are done by the College. To arrange for a transfer credit evaluation, contact the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences.

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