Food Science

What is Food Science and Technology? Food science is a degree program focused on food issues from the time crops leave the field until consumers buy the food products. Food scientists apply basic science (chemistry, biology, physics) to improve processing, preservation, and safety of food and to develop new food products.

There are three options in food science:

  • Food science and technology. The food science and technology curriculum is approved by the Institute of Food Technologists. It is designed for students who intend to go to graduate or professional school or who are interested in food science research and biotechnology.
  • Food science and industry. The food science and industry curriculum is also approved by the Institute of Food Technologists and combines food science and business courses to prepare students for food processing, sales, and management positions in the food industry.
  • Consumer food science. The consumer food science curriculum emphasizes the relationships among food science, food preparation, and consumers’ concerns about nutritional quality. Students are prepared for positions in test kitchens, food product formulation and recipe development, food promotion, and consumer services.

Students in all options take coursework focused on food chemistry, food microbiology, food quality assurance, sensory evaluation of food, and food product development and pursue careers as food scientists in a variety of positions within food industry. Learning outcomes for students in the program are shown here.

Course requirements

Food science and technology option

2013-2014 Catalog curriculum information

Course requirements (PDF)

Sample 4-year plan (PDF)

2012-2013 Catalog curriculum information

Course requirements (PDF)

Sample 4-year plan (PDF)

Course sequence flow sheet (PDF)

2011-2012 Catalog curriculum information

Course requirements (PDF)

Sample 4-year plan (PDF)

Course sequence flow sheet (PDF)

2009-2011 Catalog curriculum information

Course requirements (PDF)

Sample 4-year plan (PDF)

Course sequence flow sheet (PDF)

Food science and industry option

2013-2014 Catalog curriculum information

Course requirements (PDF)

Sample 4-year plan (PDF)

2012-2013 Catalog curriculum information

Course requirements (PDF)

Sample 4-year plan (PDF)

Course seuqence flow sheet (PDF)

2011-2012 Catalog curriculum information

Course requirements (PDF)

Sample 4-year plan (PDF)

Course sequence flow sheet (PDF)

2009-2011 Catalog curriculum information

Course requirements (PDF)

Sample 4-year plan (PDF)

Course sequence flow sheet (PDF)

Consumer food science option

2013-2014 Catalog curriculum information

Course requirements (PDF)

Sample 4-year plan (PDF)

2012-2013 Catalog curriculum information

Course requirements (PDF)

Sample 4-year plan (PDF)

Course sequence flow sheet (PDF)

2011-2012 Catalog curriculum information

Course requirements (PDF)

Sample 4-year plan (PDF)

Course sequence flow sheet (PDF)

2009-2011 Catalog curriculum information

Course requirements (PDF)

Sample 4-year plan (PDF)

Course sequence flow sheet (PDF)

Careers and internships

Careers

Food scientists work in food industry, academia, and non-profit and government institutions. A food science degree can lead to positions focused on:

  • Food quality and microbiology
  • Food engineering
  • Product development
  • Food chemistry
  • Sensory science
  • Food marketing and sales

For more information about careers in food science, view the following websites of the Institute of Food Technologists:

Become a Food Scientist

Institute of Food Technologists Career Center

Career services

Students and alumni of the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at Iowa State University are eligible to use the career services in both the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the College of Human Sciences.

Internships

To apply for internships and full-time work positions, use the ISU Career Services Management System (CMS), on-campus career fairs, and the college career services offices:

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Career Services

College of Human Sciences Career Services

Get involved

You can gain additional professional experiences outside of the classroom by getting involved in clubs and student organizations as wells as professional organizations.

Food Science Club

Dairy Products Evaluation Club

Product Development Team

Institute of Food Technologists (IFT)

IFT Student Association

IFT - Iowa Section

Minors

Home

fshninfo@iastate.edu

Copyright © 2005-2013, Iowa State University of Science and Technology. All rights reserved.