College of Science

Janeen Hill, Ph.D., Interim Dean

The College of Science prepares students for the complex world of the 21st Century. The College of Science offers degrees and programs designed for students who aspire to become tomorrow's scientists or health care providers or who intend to work in fields related to science and technology. The College of Science provides students with opportunities to engage in faculty mentored research, to work with local businesses and agencies as student interns, and to become involved in community outreach through clubs and volunteer work. The College of Science invites you to join our dynamic community of faculty scholar-teachers and graduate and undergraduate students.

Food Science Program

Anuradha Prakash, Ph. D., Director

Professors: Caporaso, Prakash;

Assistant Professor: Were.

Master of Science in Food Science

Food science is a multidisciplinary program that applies scientific concepts to the understanding of the properties of food. Food science is concerned with the application of the physical, biological, and allied sciences to the processing, preservation, packaging, storage, evaluation, and utilization of foods. The food science graduate program at Chapman University prepares students for a variety of careers in the food, nutritional, pharmaceutical and related industries, in government and regulatory agencies, for service organizations and academic institutions.

Master of Science in Food Science

Admission to the Program and Prerequisites

An undergraduate degree in food science is not required for admission; because of its basic orientation, the program encourages applicants from a broad range of disciplinary interests. Recently admitted applicants have degrees in chemistry, biology, pharmacy, business, chemical and mechanical engineering as well as food science and nutrition.

Prerequisites:

general science

general chemistry with laboratory (two semesters)

organic chemistry with laboratory (two semesters or one semester organic and one semester biochemistry)

biology with laboratory (one semester)

microbiology with laboratory (one semester)

statistics

food science

introduction to food science (one semester)

human nutrition (one semester)

Admission to the program may be achieved by completing the following requirements:

Hold a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution. Students with a BA or BS degree with a major in any of the physical or biological sciences will generally have the necessary prerequisites in chemistry, biology and mathematics. Students with an inadequate background will be required to take prerequisite subjects without credit toward their graduate degree. Prerequisite courses must be completed within the first year of enrollment.
Have achieved the required admission grade point average as specified in the Admission section. Applicants with a grade point average between 2.500 and 2.990 are required to submit passing scores from the Graduate Record Examination. Applicants must achieve a minimum score of 550 on the Quantitative section and a score of 4.5 on the Analytical Writing section of the General Test or score at the 60th percentile on any one of the Graduate Subject Tests.

For applications and further information, please contact the Office of Admission.

Transfer Policy

Students admitted to the master of science in food science degree program with an earned master's degree may transfer up to 6 credits of graduate coursework upon approval of a petition by the program coordinator and the dean of the school. (See the Academic Policies and Procedures section for transfer policies.)

Continuous Enrollment Fee

Students who have previously registered for the thesis/project but who have not completed the course work are required to submit a continuous enrollment fee for each semester the thesis/project remains outstanding. The fee for continuous enrollment is equal to one credit of tuition charged per program and will allow students to remain in active status as well as enable them to utilize university resources for completion of the course work.

Requirements for the Degree

1. Coursework

Thirty semester credits in food science- and nutrition-related courses must be completed. Students entering the program without a degree in food science or a food science background will be required to take the minimum food science core courses (12 credits) as part of their 30 credit degree requirements. The food science courses may have been taken as an undergraduate at Chapman University or at another academic institution. If these requirements or their equivalents have been met, a student will not be expected to repeat this material. The student would then build a program by selecting courses from the approved list of electives for graduate students in consultation with their advisor. Research Methods (FSN 660) is required of all graduate students. Thus, a typical student will take the 12-credit core, 3 credits for Research Methods, and 15 elective credits.

core courses (12 credits)

FSN 501	Food Chemistry	3
FSN 502	Food Chemistry Laboratory	1
FSN 520	Food Processing and Preservation	4
FSN 530	Food Microbiology	4

required course (3 credits)

FSN 660

Research Methods

electives (15 credits)

FSN 503	Government Regulation of Foods	3
FSN 505	Quality Control and Assurance	3
FSN 510	Food Industry Study Tour	3
FSN 511	Food Analysis	4
FSN 512	Sensory Evaluation of Foods	3
FSN 515	Food Ingredients	3
FSN 538	Nutrition and Human Performance	3
FSN 539	Life Cycle and Clinical Nutrition	3
FSN 540	Food Engineering	3
FSN 550	Medicinal Chemistry	3
FSN 580	Management and Marketing Fundamentals for Food Scientists	3
FSN 594	Food Product Development	3
FSN 601	Food Packaging	3
FSN 602	Food Flavors	3
FSN 603	Chemistry and Technology of Fats and Oils	3
FSN 690	Independent Internship	1-3
FSN 695	Thesis/Research Project I	3
FSN 696	Thesis/Research Project II	3
FSN 697	Thesis III	3
FSN 699	Independent Research	1-3

total credits (excluding prerequisites)

2. Thesis and non-thesis options

A non-thesis coursework option or thesis/research project must be completed.

Option 1 (Non-thesis project): Students must have a cumulative GPA of 3.000 "B" (See the Academic Policies and Procedures section for additional guidelines). Students must complete the core and relevant coursework including a research writing project before taking the five-hour comprehensive exam. The research writing project will be developed as a part of the Research Methods (FSN 660) course. The project is a proposal or comprehensive review of the literature on a food science topic. It must summarize and critically evaluate the current state of knowledge in a subject area, and include suggestions for future research in this area. The intent of the option 1 project is to give the student a chance to understand (independent of courses) the research process. For the five-hour comprehensive examination, students must select the three basic and two specialization areas from which questions will be presented. For example, a student might select an examination with questions covering the area of food chemistry, food microbiology, and food processing, with specialization areas of sensory evaluation and food ingredients. The examination covers subject matter from courses listed below and requires the ability to integrate coherently and analytically knowledge gained from coursework and relate it cogently to different applications. Successful completion of coursework alone does not assure the candidate of passing the comprehensive exam.

Comprehensive Examination Subject Areas

basic areas:

FSN 501	Food Chemistry
FSN 520	Food Processing and Preservation
FSN 530	Food Microbiology

specialization areas:

FSN 503	Government Regulation of Foods
FSN 505	Quality Control and Assurance
FSN 512	Sensory Evaluation of Foods
FSN 515	Food Ingredients
FSN 538	Nutrition and Human Performance
FSN 539	Life Cycle and Clinical Nutrition
FSN 601	Food Packaging
FSN 602	Food Flavors
FSN 603	Chemistry and Technology of Fats and Oils

Option 2 (Thesis/Research Project): Students must have a cumulative GPA of 3.000 "B" and be accepted by a faculty member as a research advisee to meet the minimum eligibility requirements to enroll in Option 2 (See the Academic Policies and Procedures section for additional guidelines). Only top students with a strong research potential will be accepted. Students in the Thesis/Research Project option must complete 30 credits to graduate, including 21 credits of coursework (the 12 core credits, the 3 required credits and 6 elective credits instead of 15) and 9 thesis credits (FSN 695, FSN 696, FSN 697). Students must complete a publication-worthy research project and pass a final oral exam given by the Oral Examination Committee. The advisor and graduate student will select three faculty to serve as the Oral Examination Committee. Committee members should be chosen to reflect breadth in the food science discipline and can include appropriate colleagues from outside the program that are familiar with the field of study.

Course Descriptions - Food Science

FSN 501 Food Chemistry

Corequisite, FSN 502. Students study the chemistry of proteins, lipids, enzymes, carbohydrates, etc. as it relates to the composition, preservation, processing, stability, flavor, and nutritional characteristics of foods. (Offered every third semester.) 3 credits.

FSN 502 Food Chemistry Lab

Must be taken concurrently with FSN 501. A laboratory study of the chemistry of proteins, lipids, enzymes, carbohydrates, etc. as it relates to the composition, preservation, processing, stability, flavor, and nutritional characteristics of foods. (Offered every third semester.) 1 credit.

FSN 503 Government Regulation of Foods

Students examine the rules and regulations of various governmental agencies with regard to the processing, packaging, labeling, and marketing of food products. (Offered as needed.) 3 credits.

FSN 505 Quality Control and Assurance

Students apply physical, chemical, microbiological, organoleptic, and statistical methods to the evaluation of critical properties (i.e., color, flavor, texture, nutrients, stability, and safety) of ingredients and commercial food products. (Offered every third semester.) 3 credits.

FSN 510 Food Industry Study Tour

A study tour of Southern California food processors and allied industries to develop a more thorough understanding of how basic food technology principles are applied to the manufacture of commercial food products. Lecture, laboratory. (Offered every interterm.) 3 credits.

FSN 511 Food Analysis

Recommended, CHEM 310 or FSN 401. Designed to acquaint the students with the principles and application of physical and chemical methods for the separation, characterization, and quantitative analysis of food constituents. (Offered every third semester.) 4 credits.

FSN 512 Sensory Evaluation of Foods

Prerequisite, MATH 203. Students learn the principles and methodology involved in the sensory testing of food products. (Offered every third semester.) 3 credits.

FSN 515 Food Ingredients

Students evaluate food supplements, preservatives, and other additives designed to improve the acceptability, stability, and nutritional properties of processed food products. Practical aspects of improving existing products and formulating new food products are emphasized. (Offered every third semester.) 3 credits.

FSN 520 Food Processing and Preservation

Microbiology and biochemistry of food spoilage, engineering techniques of food processing and preservation, and food plant sanitation; representative methods of food processing and preservation. Three hours of lecture and three hours of laboratory per week. (Offered spring semester, alternate years.) 4 credits.

FSN 530 Food Microbiology

Students study the microorganisms specifically related to the fermentation, preservation, stability, safety, and flavor of foods. Three hours of lecture and three hours of laboratory per week. (Offered every third semester.) 4 credits.

FSN 531 Special Topics in Nutrition

Prerequisite, depends on the topic being offered. Students discuss current issues in the field of nutrition. Topics may include concepts and controversy; eating disorders; cultural aspects of foods; nutrient interactions; effects of processing on foods. May be repeated for credit. (Offered as needed.) 3 credits.

FSN 538 Nutrition and Human Performance

Designed to provide a more in depth view of nutrition, metabolism and human performance. Ergogenic aids, blood doping, and nutritional needs of the athlete will be emphasized. The methodologies and current topics related to nutrition and human performance will be evaluated. Mechanisms of nutrition will be presented to better understand the cause and effect of human nutrition. (Offered alternate years.) 3 credits.

FSN 539 Life Cycle and Clinical Nutrition

The human body has different nutrient requirements at different times during the life-cycle and when in a diseased state. This course explores the physiological changes, adaptations and stresses that affect nutritional status and explains the influence of dietary practices in maximizing growth, maintenance and health. Nutrition counseling and diet analyses are included. (Offered alternate years.) 3 credits.

FSN 540 Food Engineering

Prerequisite, PHYS 101. A survey of engineering concepts and unit operations as applied to food processing. Students examine conveying and washing of foods, fluid flow, evaporation, drying, extraction, mixing, freezing, distillation, and filtration. Two hours of lecture and three hours of laboratory per week. (Offered as needed.) 3 credits.

FSN 550 Medicinal Chemistry

Prerequisite, BIOL 211. A study of the physiological, toxological, and pharmacological effects of drugs on the human body. The interaction between potent chemicals, including plant and food ingredients, and living systems will be studied to understand biologic processes and provide strategies for treatment, prevention, and diagnosis of many diseases. (Offered spring semester, alternate years.) 3 credits.

FSN 560 Current Topics in Food Science and Nutrition

Food science and nutrition are dynamic fields of inquiry and every year new areas of research emerge. The safety of our food, the environmental impacts of processing, and the sustainability of our food supply are being questioned. This course will provide an in-depth examination of current topics of interest in the areas of food safety, quality, processing, and nutrition. (Offered alternate years.) 3 credits.

FSN 580 Managing and Marketing Fundamentals for Food Scientists

An introductory course in the fundamentals of management and marketing, designed for those food science majors who have no academic background in these areas. The objectives of the course include the accelerated learning of introductory management theory and a survey of basic marketing structures and functions as they apply to the food industry. (Offered as needed.) 3 credits.

FSN 594 Food Product Development

Students incorporate the principles taught in the food science and nutrition core courses and apply them to the theoretical and practical considerations of commercial food product development. Teams of students will complete real food product development projects solicited from the food industry. (Offered every third semester.) 3 credits.

FSN 600 Advanced Food Science: Selected Topics

Current advanced food science course topics are offered as needed (e.g., Food Proteins, Food Carbohydrate Chemistry, Cereal Technology, Fruit and Vegetable Processing, Effects of Processing Foods.) May be repeated for up to twelve credits. (Offered as needed.) 3-12 credits.

FSN 601 Food Packaging

A comprehensive overview of the technical, aesthetic and legal aspects of packaging processed foods. (Offered as needed.) 3 credits.

FSN 602 Food Flavors

Students study chemical properties, isolation, separation, identification, formation and interaction mechanisms, and applications of flavor compounds. (Offered alternate years.) 3 credits.

FSN 603 Chemistry and Technology of Fats and Oils

Students study the chemical properties, isolation, identification, and degradation mechanisms of fats and oils, and the technology of the processing and uses of fats and oils in the food industry. (Offered alternate years.) 3 credits.

FSN 660 Research Methods

Prerequisites, MATH 203, completion of at least 12 graduate credits. A complete orientation to research and an examination of the nature of scientific research and the steps necessary to successfully complete a research project. Students learn the principles of scientific research, how to survey and critique the literature, operationalize their hypothesis, design experiments, statistically evaluate the data, and professionally communicate results. (Offered every third semester.) 3 credits.

FSN 690 Internship-Graduate Students

Appropriate work experience without pay. Ten hours per week for three units of credit. (Offered every semester.) 1-3 credits.

FSN 695 Thesis I

Students must have a cumulative GPA of 3.000 (B) to meet the minimum eligibility requirements to enroll in the thesis option (see the Academic Policies and Procedures section for additional guidelines). Students do research leading to the preparation and completion of a scientific manuscript for publication. Students enroll with a thesis advisor for FSN 695, FSN 696, and FSN 697 over three semesters for a total of 9 credits. Students must have a written thesis proposal approved by their FSN Graduate Committee during the first semester of this course. P/NP. (Offered every semester.) 3 credits.

FSN 696 Thesis II

FSN 697 Thesis III

Policies and Procedures section for additional guidelines). Students do research leading to the preparation and completion of a scientific manuscript for publication. Students enroll with a thesis advisor for FSN 695, FSN 696, and FSN 697 over three semesters for a total of 9 credits. Students must have a written thesis proposal approved by their FSN Graduate Committee during the first semester of this course. P/NP. (Offered every semester.) 3 credits.

FSN 699 Independent Research

Selected research projects involving either literature studies or laboratory research which develops new information, correlations, concepts, or data. Topics or projects are chosen after discussions between student and instructor who agree upon objective and scope. (Offered every semester.) 1-3 credits.