Graduate Degrees
Students in the Food Science and Technology graduate program receive courses from various departments, such as animal science, biological and agricultural engineering, and the Health Science Center, to serve the needs of the graduate student in order to obtain a well-rounded education.
Graduate training is designed to provide advanced training in the basic sciences, processing technology, and engineering processes related to production. While also handling the processing, distribution, or utilization of food. These courses are selected from those listed by the departments participating in the program to strengthen the primary interest of the student.
Graduate Degrees
M.S. Food Science and Technology
The Master of Science (MS) degree in Food Science and Technology is designed to provide students with advanced scientific and analytical skills in broad areas of food science essential to be a successful professional in the field. The degree prepares students for advanced careers in the private sector (including new food product design and development), public policy and regulatory agencies, and non-government organizations, as well as preparing them to pursue opportunities in independent research leading to a doctoral degree.
M.Agr. Food Science and Technology
The Master of Agriculture (MAgr) degree is designed for a student who wants professional graduate training with a management orientation in agriculture, food, and natural resources. It is intended to emphasize the problem-solving skills involved in the use of science and technology to benefit humanity, not as a research degree.
Ph.D. Food Science and Technology
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) students may pursue fundamental and/or translational (i.e., applied) research in the areas of food chemistry, product processing, food microbiology and safety including probiotic microbiology, engineering and rheology, food packaging, ingredients technology, meat or poultry science, cereals science and processing, plant bioactives, sensory analysis, etc. A process of research or study will be outlined by the student with guidance from the student’s graduate advisory committee membership.
Current Graduate Students Resources
Texas A&M Graduate and Professional School
- Graduate and Professional School
- Graduate and Professional Academic Forms
- Important Dates and Deadlines
- Thesis and Dissertation Services
- Steps to Fulfill Master’s Degree Requirements
- Steps to Fulfill Doctoral Degree Requirements
- Document Processing Submission System
- Professional Development
- Ombuds Services (Student Grievances)
Department and other Campus Resources
- FSTC Graduate Handbook (PDF)
- FSTC Graduate Student Orientation (PDF)
- Graduate Student Career Services (PDF)
- University Writing Center (PDF)
- Grad Resources and Development for Aggies (PDF)
- Graduate Mentoring Academy (PDF)
- Ombuds Services (PDF)
- FSTC Graduate Travel Award Application 2023 (PDF)
- FSTC Graduate Student Evaluation 2023-2024 (PDF)
- Student Organizations
Careers in Food Science and Technology
Careers in Food Science and Technology offer a dynamic and rewarding path for professionals passionate about shaping the future of food production and safety. From product development to quality assurance, professionals in this field play a crucial role in ensuring the availability of safe, nutritious, and innovative food products for consumers worldwide. With opportunities spanning research, production, regulatory compliance, and entrepreneurship, a career in Food Science and Technology opens doors to a diverse range of impactful and fulfilling roles.
| Position | Position Description | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Food Safety, Quality, and Regulatory Associate | The variety of tasks include: evaluate and implement food safety and quality systems improvements; collect, analyze and interpret data to make Quality driven process capability improvements and assess risk using problem solving techniques. | $75,000 |
| Business Technology Solutions Analyst | As a Business Technology Solutions Analyst, you will be an integral member of a client service team, working directly with the client and Deloitte leaders to help solve multidimensional business problems, improve performance, and generate value for our clients across a broad base of industries. | $70,586 |
| Assistant Professor | Assistant professors are entry-level university or college faculty who support full professors in developing lessons, instructing students and evaluating assessments. Typically, an assistant professor works for the university where they desire to earn tenure. | $83,720 |
| R&D Associate Scientist | Independently design and conduct experiments for individual unit operations using relevant operational parameters and analytical inputs. Integrate unit operations both physically and with relevant process control and monitoring platforms for concurrent operations. | $67,676 |
| Senior Food Technologist | Initiate and conduct product cuttings, including blind tastings, tasting notes and provide feedback to technical service managers and flavor houses. Coordinate and execute product development and attend commercialization activities including pilot plant test, factory test work and initial product scale up activities. | $63,704 |
| Food Scientist | Food scientists and technologists use chemistry, biology, and other sciences to study the basic elements of food. They analyze the nutritional content of food, discover new food sources, and research ways to make processed foods safe and healthy. | $64,090 |
| Junior Formulation Consultant | This is an interesting and varied role, which includes: Helping to brainstorm and design new formulations with the Innovation Manager, both pro-actively and in response to client briefs. Gathering ingredients and making batches of trial formulations in the lab, then monitoring their stability. | $66,556 |
Application Deadlines
To be fully considered for competitive Departmental Fellowships, complete applications for fall admission must be received by December 1st. Competitive Departmental Fellowships are usually not available for spring admissions.
| Fall Deadline | Spring Deadline |
|---|---|
| December 1st | September 1st |
Graduate Funding Opportunities
The Department of Food Science and Technology supports graduate students through scholarships assistantships, fellowships, and travel and research grants.
Graduate Students Advisory Committee and Degree Plan
Graduate students are required to assemble a graduate committee of participating faculty. The student’s advisory committee for the master’s degree will consist of no fewer than three members of the graduate faculty representative of the student’s field of study and research. The chair or one of the co-chairs of the advisory committee must be from the student’s major department and at least one or more of the members must be from a department other than the student’s major department.
For the doctorate degree program, the student’s advisory committee will consist of no fewer than four members of the graduate faculty representative of the student’s field of study and research, where the chair or co-chair must be from the student’s department, and at least one or more of the members must be from a department other than the student’s major department. Decisions relating to the degree plan, essentially constituting the courses to be applied toward a particular degree are determined by the student and the student’s advisory committee.
All Master’s students in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences must submit their degree plan during their 2nd regular semester. All Ph.D. students in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences must submit their degree plan during their 4th regular semester. The Office of Graduate and Professional Studies will block from registration all students who do not submit their degree plan by the deadline.
To submit a degree plan log into the OGAPS Degree Plan Submission System.
International Student Services
All information pertaining to international students at Texas A&M University is available on the homepage of International Student Services.
English Language Proficiency
International students are required to verify English language proficiency using one of the methods outlined by the Office of Admissions details can be found at Texas A&M University Office of Admissions.
