Food Science and Technology - BS, Food Science Option
Food Science and Technology is an exciting multidisciplinary field that prepares majors with a comprehensive knowledge of the biological, physical and engineering sciences to develop new food products, design innovative processing technologies, improve food quality and nutritive value, enhance the safety of foods and ensure the wholesomeness of our food supply. Food Science majors apply the principles learned in the basic sciences such as food chemistry, biochemistry, genetics, microbiology, food engineering and nutrition to provide consumers with safe, wholesome and attractive food products that contribute to their health and well-being. For more information, visit http://nfs.tamu.edu
The undergraduate curriculum is approved by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) and offers two tracks, a Food Science Option and an Industry Option. These tracks provide promising career opportunities in areas such as food product/process design, technical service, research and development, quality assurance, food safety, food law, regulatory oversight, technological innovation, marketing, corporate sales, sensory evaluation and operations management. There are numerous opportunities available for corporate internships, scholarships and study abroad programs that provide real-world experience and enhance opportunities for employment after completing a baccalaureate degree. The major also provides an excellent background for those interested in professional schools, graduate studies, medicine, veterinary medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, physical therapy, nursing, occupational therapy and public health.
Food Science Option
The Food Science option provides a strong knowledge base and fundamental understanding of chemistry, biology, engineering, physics, statistics, genetics, biochemistry, microbiology and nutrition that is applied toward the preservation, processing, packaging and distribution on foods that are wholesome, affordable and safe. The goal of the curriculum is to prepare Food Scientists for career opportunities in the food and allied industries or for further studies in graduate or professional schools. See an academic advisor for specific course listings.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Semester Credit Hours | |
| CHEM 119 | Fundamentals of Chemistry I | 4 |
| ENGL 103 or ENGL 104 | Introduction to Rhetoric and Composition or Composition and Rhetoric | 3 |
| NFSC 201 | Food Science | 3 |
| NFSC 204 | Perspectives in Nutrition and Food Science | 1 |
| NFSC 210 | Horizons in Nutrition and Food Science | 2 |
| Mathematics 1 | 3 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| BIOL 111 | Introductory Biology I | 4 |
| CHEM 120 | Fundamentals of Chemistry II | 4 |
| American history | 3 | |
| Mathematics 1 | 3 | |
| Free elective 3 | 1 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| CHEM 227 | Organic Chemistry I | 3 |
| CHEM 237 | Organic Chemistry Laboratory | 1 |
| NFSC 202 or NFSC 203 | Fundamentals of Human Nutrition or Scientific Principles of Human Nutrition | 3 |
| POLS 206 | American National Government | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Agricultural Economics | ||
| Principles of Economics | ||
| Principles of Economics | ||
| Language, philosophy and culture 2 | 3 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| ACCT 209 | Survey of Accounting Principles | 3 |
| CHEM 228 | Organic Chemistry II | 3 |
| CHEM 238 | Organic Chemistry Laboratory | 1 |
| PHYS 201 | College Physics | 4 |
| American history | 3 | |
| Creative arts 2 | 3 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 17 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| CHEM 316 | Quantitative Analysis | 2 |
| CHEM 318 | Quantitative Analysis Laboratory | 1 |
| ENGL 210 | Technical and Business Writing | 3 |
| NFSC 311 | Principles of Food Processing | 3 |
| POLS 207 | State and Local Government | 3 |
| Free elective 3 | 3 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| NFSC 312 | Food Chemistry | 3 |
| NFSC 313 | Food Chemistry Laboratory | 1 |
| MGMT 309 | Survey of Management | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Biometry | ||
| Statistical Methods | ||
| Statistical Methods | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Meats | ||
| Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point System | ||
| Viticulture and Small Fruit Culture | ||
| Concepts of Wine Production | ||
| Enology | ||
| Scientific Principles of Foods | ||
| Religious and Ethnic Foods | ||
| Fundamental Baking | ||
| Meats | ||
| Understanding Obesity: A Social and Scientific Challenge | ||
| Food Safety and Preventive Controls for Human Food | ||
| Poultry Further Processing | ||
| Nutritional Pharmacometrics of Food Compounds | ||
| Supervised Research in Mediterranean Nutrition and Food Processing in Italy | ||
| Food Processing for Sustainable Nutrition in Brazil | ||
| Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point System | ||
| Directed Studies | ||
| Special Topics in... | ||
| Research | ||
| Semester Credit Hours | 13 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| NFSC 314 | Food Analysis | 3 |
| NFSC 326/ANSC 326 | Food Bacteriology | 3 |
| NFSC 327/ANSC 327 | Food Bacteriology Lab | 1 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Meats | ||
| Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point System | ||
| Viticulture and Small Fruit Culture | ||
| Concepts of Wine Production | ||
| Enology | ||
| Scientific Principles of Foods | ||
| Religious and Ethnic Foods | ||
| Fundamental Baking | ||
| Meats | ||
| Understanding Obesity: A Social and Scientific Challenge | ||
| Food Safety and Preventive Controls for Human Food | ||
| Poultry Further Processing | ||
| Nutritional Pharmacometrics of Food Compounds | ||
| Supervised Research in Mediterranean Nutrition and Food Processing in Italy | ||
| Food Processing for Sustainable Nutrition in Brazil | ||
| Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point System | ||
| Directed Studies | ||
| Special Topics in... | ||
| Research | ||
| Free elective 3 | 3 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 13 | |
| Spring | ||
| BICH 303 or BICH 410 | Elements of Biological Chemistry or Comprehensive Biochemistry I | 3 |
| NFSC 315/AGSM 315 | Food Process Engineering Technology | 3 |
| NFSC 401 | Food Product Development | 3 |
| NFSC 444 | Fundamentals of Food Law | 3 |
| NFSC 481 | Seminar | 1 |
| Free elective 3 | 2 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 120 | |
| 1 | MATH prefix required. |
| 2 | The Graduation requirements include a requirement for 3 hours of International and Cultural Diversity and 3 hours of Cultural Discourse. Selection must be from courses on the approved list. Selection can be courses that also satisfy the requirement for social and behavioral sciences; creative arts; language, philosophy and culture; or electives. For more information on core requirements visit the University Core Curriculum catalog page. |
| 3 | Students may earn a chemistry minor by taking 6 hours of additional chemistry courses from an approved list as free electives. See the Department of Chemistry for more details. Students seeking a minor in chemistry must complete the Declaration of Minor in Chemistry form and have it approved by the undergraduate advisor in Chemistry (Room 104 Chemistry) and their NFSC advisor. |
A total of 120 hours is required for graduation; 36 hours of 300/400 level courses are required to meet the Texas A&M University residency requirement.